A Complete Guide on Focused Attention Meditation – What You Need to Overcome Stress

Meditations come in all kinds of shapes and sizes and finding one that suits you best is very important. This is a complete guide on focused attention meditation, a practice that can help anyone.

Especially in times of stress, meditation can be a great tool to help us feel better both physically and mentally. Keep reading to find out what a focused attention meditation is, the benefits, and how to do one today!

What is Meditation

Let’s start with the basics, what is meditation? Meditation is an ancient practice that is used to train the mind. Just like how working out helps improve our physical health, meditation can help improve our mental health. There are many different types of meditation from mindfulness to mantra, and all have different techniques associated with them. While benefits may differ, some apply to all forms of meditation.

Benefits

In general, meditation allows us to become more self-aware. This is because we are simply existing and sitting with our thoughts and our breathing while we meditate. Meditation can help improve mental health drastically. This is because it allows us to control anxiety and leads to a more positive outlook on life. Meditation also tends to reduce stress which has benefits for physical health due to lowered inflammation and improved digestion. For a complete list of the potential benefits meditation can offer you, check out this guide here!

Focused Attention Meditation 

A focused attention meditation is a great way to help improve our attention span. This is because you are using your attention while you meditate. A meditation such as this can even help improve concentration and memory as well. 

Steps on Focused Attention Meditation

Here are some simple steps on how to perform a focused attention meditation! Plus, check out the tips at the bottom on how to make focused attention meditation easier to do.

1. Find a Quiet Space

A calm and quiet place is just what you need to meditate. Make sure you are sitting or lying down in an area where you can sit in silence for a couple of minutes. Get comfortable and get ready to meditate.

2. Pick a Target

Just as the name implies, a focused attention meditation needs something to focus on. Pick a target. It can be anything you want though many people choose to focus on something simple and easy such as their breathing. You can choose something physical such as a clock, a picture, or an object you are holding such as a blanket. You can also choose to focus on a sound such as a metronome, the ticking of a watch, or a relaxing song. Whatever you focus on, make it something that you can look at, touch, or listen to for a couple of minutes.

3. Relax

Before fully starting the meditation and right after you’ve picked a target to focus on, you’ll want to take a couple of deep breaths. This will help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, the part of the body responsible for rest and relaxation. Breathe deeply and slowly, allowing the mind to slow down and the muscles to relax.

4. Pay Attention 

Now, all you need to do is pay attention to the target you have picked to focus on. Aim your attention towards that thing. Focus on all the sensations including sight, smell, sound, touch, etc. You don’t need to think about it or ponder it, all you need to do is experience it, fully present in the moment thinking of nothing else but your target.

5. Observe Calmness

Hold this attention for a couple of minutes. Allow yourself to be in the moment. Even if your thoughts turn a bit more stressful or if negativity flows into your mind, don’t worry. All you need to do is simply notice it, observe it, and let the thought go gently. Calmly turn your attention back to your target. There is no need to pass judgment or beat yourself up over having a busy mind. The purpose of meditation is to train the mind to experience stillness.

6. Close the Practice

After a couple of minutes, you should be fully engaged in the present with all the sensations of your target. It’s a good place to take a couple of breaths and start getting ready to close the practice. Breathe deeply and thank yourself for giving yourself the time to experience this moment!

Tips  for Focused Attention Meditation

Here are some tips on how to get focused attention meditations to work better. Some of these tips can be applied to other forms of meditation such as mindfulness as well!

• Start short – Rome wasn’t built in a day. You aren’t going to be able to easily do 30-minute meditations in the beginning. Start short with a simple 5 to 10-minute meditation and then extend the practice as you get better at it.
• Make it a habit – making it a daily habit is the best way to get all the benefits from meditation. Try to meditate at the same time and place every day in order to better incorporate it into your daily habits.
• Make your space – it’s important to create a space in which you want to meditate. Meditating on the bed is fine, but you might find yourself sleeping more often than not due to your association with bedtime and your bed. Make a specific space in your home a meditation corner. Add cozy things, candles, sense, etc. to really make your space your own.
• Try a different one – if a focused attention meditation is not providing you with the results you want, there’s nothing wrong with changing meditations. You could try mindful meditation or simply deep breathing. 

The Takeaway

Focused attention meditations are a great way to help train the mind to pay attention more, concentrate, and relax. Meditations provide many benefits including increased self-awareness, reduced stress, and a boost in mental health. Try out a focused attention meditation today and watch how you start to feel better both physically and mentally.

Remember that health comes from within. Eat nutritious food, exercise when you can, and take care of your mental health. The small daily habits you cultivate become the basis for overall wellness. Don’t forget about microbiota health too! Gut microbiota affects the entire body, from the skin to muscles, to immune and mental health! Get all the resources you need about microbiota health for free here!