Around the Year with Emmet Fox - 18 September 2010
12-Step Recovered Alkie
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Location: West Bloomfield, MI
Posts: 5,797
Around the Year with Emmet Fox - 18 September 2010
THE ART OF CONCENTRATION
The only subject that matters is getting an understanding of Truth, developing our souls; but in order to develop our souls we must have some knowledge of the power of concentration. If you can learn and practice right concentration, there is no good thing in the universe that you cannot attain. Concnetratino means literally "bringing to a common center." Until you can put your attention where you want it you have not become master of yourself. You will never be happy until you can determine what you are going to think about for the next hour.
First, make you body comfortable, then tell it to be good until you come back for it. Concentration has nothing to do with the muscles, it has nothing to do with the blood vessels. Concentration means thought control. It is purely a mental thing and if you are rightly concentrating you will find that you are actually relaxed.
People imagine that concentration means holding on to one thought. The human mind is so constituted that it is impossible to do that. True concentration is a movement of the mind along a predetermined path. Nineteen people out of twenty people who say they have failed in concentration have been trying to stand still mentally. All people do have good powers of concentration, but not when they want them. You always concentrate on what you are interested in.
I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me (Philippians 4:13)
The only subject that matters is getting an understanding of Truth, developing our souls; but in order to develop our souls we must have some knowledge of the power of concentration. If you can learn and practice right concentration, there is no good thing in the universe that you cannot attain. Concnetratino means literally "bringing to a common center." Until you can put your attention where you want it you have not become master of yourself. You will never be happy until you can determine what you are going to think about for the next hour.
First, make you body comfortable, then tell it to be good until you come back for it. Concentration has nothing to do with the muscles, it has nothing to do with the blood vessels. Concentration means thought control. It is purely a mental thing and if you are rightly concentrating you will find that you are actually relaxed.
People imagine that concentration means holding on to one thought. The human mind is so constituted that it is impossible to do that. True concentration is a movement of the mind along a predetermined path. Nineteen people out of twenty people who say they have failed in concentration have been trying to stand still mentally. All people do have good powers of concentration, but not when they want them. You always concentrate on what you are interested in.
I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me (Philippians 4:13)
It`s ok to stay sober
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Central NC
Posts: 20,903
the present moment,the here and the now
that`s where the Power is and the Happiness is and where the action I must take is
I remember sitting in speaker meetings as a newcomer,my mind wandering,and sometimes flying around all over the place,the past,the present,the future
and what a mess it was-so much better today.Just sitting in meeting helped a little focusing on what was going on
a test of concentration
hold a small shining object in your hand and focus on it
try and focus completely on it
before long,other thoughts come creeping in and disturbing you
why?
where do they come from?
good thoughts or bad thought,they produce the same result,a break in concentration and focus
that`s where the Power is and the Happiness is and where the action I must take is
I remember sitting in speaker meetings as a newcomer,my mind wandering,and sometimes flying around all over the place,the past,the present,the future
and what a mess it was-so much better today.Just sitting in meeting helped a little focusing on what was going on
a test of concentration
hold a small shining object in your hand and focus on it
try and focus completely on it
before long,other thoughts come creeping in and disturbing you
why?
where do they come from?
good thoughts or bad thought,they produce the same result,a break in concentration and focus
12-Step Recovered Alkie
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Location: West Bloomfield, MI
Posts: 5,797
Ahhhh, interesting take on it.
At first I was thinking along the lines of meditation but then again, meditation is the clearing of thoughts from the mind - which I'd argue may be tougher to do than concentration.
Both meditation AND concentration are not disciplines that necessarily come all that "naturally" to me though. If I could chart my thinking patterns I wouldn't be surprised if there was little rhyme or reason to what I was thinking and when I'm thinking it. I tend to be all over the place.
That last line got me though - you always concentrate on what you're interested in. A good speaker, a good tv show or movie, a book I really like....I can "lose myself" for LONG periods of time doing that stuff. The truth of the matter may just be that not all that much really "interests" me enough for me to truly concentrate on it.... ?? Kinda sad.....
Gonna have to think about that one.
At first I was thinking along the lines of meditation but then again, meditation is the clearing of thoughts from the mind - which I'd argue may be tougher to do than concentration.
Both meditation AND concentration are not disciplines that necessarily come all that "naturally" to me though. If I could chart my thinking patterns I wouldn't be surprised if there was little rhyme or reason to what I was thinking and when I'm thinking it. I tend to be all over the place.
That last line got me though - you always concentrate on what you're interested in. A good speaker, a good tv show or movie, a book I really like....I can "lose myself" for LONG periods of time doing that stuff. The truth of the matter may just be that not all that much really "interests" me enough for me to truly concentrate on it.... ?? Kinda sad.....
Gonna have to think about that one.
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