Concentration improves

Practicing ‘Meditation on breathing’ gradually improves concentration. When we focus on the ever-changing process of breathing, using one of the finger modes - tip mode, segment mode or folding mode, the mind obediently gets absorbed in tracking the breaths, counting them, and coordinating the finger movements with the breath pattern. That is a lot of things to do. So it does not get the freedom to wander as much as it used to before. Even when it wanders, it is for a fleeting moment till you bring it back to breathing, counting, and finger movement. 

You may be aware of the distracting thoughts, but they won’t hijack your attention for any sustained period. The thoughts will be like passing clouds in the sky or images on the movie screen. They distract you for a few fleeting moments, and the thread of your attention is only momentarily broken. By practicing the meditation on breathing even for a few breaths throughout the waking hours, the old wandering habit of the mind gradually but certainly changes, as reported by many practitioners. Over many months, one's concentration improves dramatically. The mind obediently remains focused on the chosen target to a great extent. You will wonder, “Is this the same old mind that made my life miserable?”.

Preparing for and taking exams

Improved focus during an 8 hour exam

A patient of my daughter Padma Sripada M.D attended my seminar at the East Greenbush Community Library on May 4, 2011. I met her again today, when we both participated at a seminar on ‘Mindfulness’. At the end of the seminar, she sought me out and said happily, “I want to share with you my recent experience with ‘meditation on breathing’. Recently, I had a long civil service exam of 8 hours, sitting at a school desk. It was very stressful. I frequently practiced ‘meditation on breathing' during this exam. I used the 'counting mode' and '911 modes' a lot. It reduced my stress and helped me focus.”

May 2011

TOP

Student preparing for USMLE in USA

“I came to know about your ‘meditation on breathing’ from a brochure I found at the Albany Hindu Temple. I am preparing for the USMLE exam due in August 09, and I am really tensed up at the moment. I have been practicing this meditation for the last 2 days, and I am really feeling very much relieved of my stress. And I am able to concentrate better on my studies.”

2012

Improves Software Engineers’ concentration

Many software people told me that practicing this meditation improved their mental concentration on the job. Many of them said that it helped them forget their programming related thinking and get badly needed rest through sound sleep.  

A young Software Engineer

He attended my seminar at the ‘Hope Club’, along with three other professionals, on Jan 26, 2012.

“I would like to share my experience after I attended the seminar on “Meditation on breathing” yesterday. I came to know about this meditation a week back through my close friend. I got the website information also. I did practice the meditation on my own, to get rid of the stress and continuous thoughts in my mind. These made me sleepless for the past two weeks. When I attended the program yesterday and practiced in your presence, all my doubts were cleared. I felt more relaxed in my mind. I practiced the meditation the same night when I wanted to sleep and slept nicely. I practiced it this morning before starting for work. Now I am feeling more concentration than before. I want to continue this meditation for better living. Thank you very much for your valuable guidance and providing me the handouts.”

Jan 2012

TOP

Group practice by software Engineers

One group of 10 software designers customizing SAP software used to practice it for 5 minutes every day before starting the work. Two foreigners visiting the team periodically were also practicing it along with them. They said it improved their mental concentration in their work. 

Cited in a Software website

One Greek software site had an entry in a discussion forum quoting this web site that the method was useful for improving mental concentration. I found this when I searched on google for my old website ‘countingbreaths.com’.  

Webmaster able to read books in long train travel

A web designer (‘humNRI.com’, now closed) emailed me that he was not able to use his daily travel time of 2 hours NJ to NY for reading books that he wanted to read badly utilizing his idle travel time. After practicing this method, he was able to complete reading of many books effortlessly.

2003

TOP

Meditators’ concentration improved

Meditators: Some people who were practicing meditation like ‘Chakra Dhyana’ (a method of concentrating on the energy centers in the body) said that this method improved their practices significantly. Earlier, in spite of their best efforts, they were getting frustrated due to lack of concentration. They are now getting better returns for the time they are spending on the practice.

 2000

Related pages

Benefits - Relief from Addictions to Will power