Meditative Qualities: Turning Generic Concentration into Right Concentration
We are continuing with the theme of Three Bases of Insight Dialogue, highlighting some aspect of each base every week.
Concentration, as we understand it from the ordinary usage of that word, is a focus on a specific object, person, or task. This is not right samadhi, which points to a still and gathered mind. When we can rescue ordinary concentration from its roots in tension, usually born of urgency, it can become an excellent jumping off point for samādhi. If we assume that a certain degree of one-pointedness is already operating, then bringing forth the qualities of interest and ease, while at the same time dropping any forcefulness that may be present, can move concentration towards samādhi.
The next time you’re concentrating on a task—at work, for example, —stop what you are doing and connect with the present moment. Bring your attention to the body; ground yourself by attending to the sensations of the breath and to where the body is in contact with your environment.
Now tune in to the intention underlying your concentration. Often the intention involves accomplishing concrete results, perhaps with an underlying goal of attaining something (such as money or praise).
Consciously shift your intention towards ease and release. For now, trust that the results of your efforts will take care of themselves; let your primary intention be the development of calm concentration.
This shift may not be easy, as in all likelihood the mind has set itself to the task within an accomplishment framework, especially when the environment or circumstances are stressful. (It might be best to not try this practice for the first time when the task is particularly urgent.) However, if you engage this practice over time, shifting the intention of your concentration can become a wholesome habit that cultivates samādhi.
A few things that can help:
Check your interest level in the task and find the element of joy associated with this interest.
Activate contentment by gently inclining the mind toward enoughness, letting this moment be okay just as it is, without reaching for a different experience.
Cultivate gratitude by looking for things close to you that make your life workable: shoes that fit, food in the pantry, the pillow your head sets on, good friends, or even the fact that right now your breathing is unhindered by illness or smoke.
This practice is excerpted from No Moment Left Out, a forthcoming self-published practice guide compiled by a group of dedicated Insight Dialogue practitioners. The guide is drawn from Gregory Kramer’s A Whole-Life Path: A Lay Buddhist’s Guide to Crafting a Dhamma-Infused Life (Insight Dialogue Community).