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Meditation methods for cultivating concentration
Woah93
Veteran
in Meditation
Can anyone share some methods for this? The mind is a bit too frantic for just observing lately and I want to try something new. Besides focusing on each in breath and out breath or sensations of body what techniques are there? Thanks 
1
Comments
I'm coming from a background of Zen and Theravada, so my advice would be to keep with the breath, even if it's difficult. Maybe try to focus on the sensation of the breath touching your upper lip or rim of the nostrils or something very minute and fixed.
Not sure how good it is for concentration, but perhaps doing some chanting or meditating on a mantra might be something to try.
Start with some practices that help you get more into your body. Jon Kabatt Zinn teaches that in his book The Full Catastrophe of Living. I have done body scans and smiling to body parts which is what Thich Nhat Hanh said. My mom likes to raise her hands and arms up palms down and then very slowly lower them while feeling the stress go out of her. These are all techniques but they don't always work. The very good news is that some times they do!
When they don't work just sit with them and do activities and take it slow. Being frantic does not feel good I know. Wishing you blessings.
Woha, smile, breathe and go slowly.
ps At a glance I thought your name was a dyslexic person pulling a horse up
That's the best time to stick to what you've been doing. Practicing when things aren't going so well practice-wise is the best time to practice.
Then try something new, but don't abandon your current practice because things aren't going well.
Agree with @Chaz. Get a second cushion and do prostrations to it. Then sit on it. :clap: .
Try not focusing on the in breath and out breath, and also don't focus on the sensation of touch at the nostril, just give up on the breath, sit there with your eyes closed. as for trying something new, how about just surrender yourself completely to the present without trying, It worked for me very recently, i felt a sensation of pleasure throughout my body , and i knew i was doing something right, anyway maybe it will work for you as i did for me try it out.
Try stacking firewood. Or if you live in the city go out and sweep your sidewalk for 20 minutes a day, then sit. Any mundane or menial chore will help clear the mental clutter.
the true breath will show itself when you let go the average one that we use for everyday life.
Gawd!! Whatever ou do, do NOT perform prostrations to a damned cushion. It's a pillow for chrissakes. Something you put your ass on.
There are two ways to assume concentration in meditation: -
(1) Microscopic analysis of things.
(2) Macroscopic analysis of things.
For a start, place a solid ball in front of you and gaze at it effortlessly: -
Microscopic analysis of things
If you were to zoom in the analysis of a solid ball by looking into the contents and then its basic matters i.e. atoms, you could realise that the ultimate result would yield to the absence of things (no things). This is because in a real sense there is no core essence within it except for the basic elements (energy, matter and space) that orientate and evolve constantly under the influence of the external conditions. In other words, one could mention that the form entity has a delusive nature i.e. it is an appearance, though not illusive, but devoid of inherent existence and constantly varies under the influence of conditional phenomena.
Macroscopic analysis of things
If you were to zoom out the analysis of a solid ball by receding into a long shot distance indefinitely, the solid ball would appear to be shrinking into a tiniest size and you could realise that the ultimate result would yield to the absence of things (no things). In other words, the broader the perspective that one engages in, the lesser the multiplicity of things would appear to be. For example, the viewing of the earth from far and near would yield a different result to the observer’s perception altogether.
**Emptiness <-- Microscopic analysis (samatha) <-- MIND --> Macroscopic analysis (vipassanā) --> Emptiness **
Basically, samatha meditation is to calm or tranquil the mind by means of concentration. Whereas, vipassanā meditation is to mould the mind into seeing all things as they really are – an insight into the true nature of reality. The main focus of vipassanā meditation is to attain pure awareness via mindfulness. Vipassanā is often preceded by samatha but nonetheless, both types are inter-dependable throughout the practices in order to achieve favourable results in meditation.
As a conclusion, the emptiness of phenomena is both the cause and consequence of the dependent nature of phenomena. It is the inherent quality of existence and is considered the ultimate truth because it inherently exists exactly as it is perceived when it is perceived directly by an enlightened mind. And discovering the ultimate truth is the key to overcoming the ignorant state of mind. Transcending the mind via meditation would allow the dilution of one’s personal ego under the light of pure awareness and subsequently, it would give rise to the original source connection – the emptiness of all things.
how about a light kasina?
Could you elaborate?
I love the bodyscan yes and it has brought some of my deepest states of relaxation but after doing it so much and focusing on the body and mind relationship I want to go further if there is a further.... My intention isn't relaxation at the moment, I'm rather looking for clarity and focus and the bodyscan is just too damn relaxing haha, it has become routine.
Yeah sure, anyway couldn't tell the difference between the long breath and short breath, and the whole breadth at all without changing my breath, so i changed my method from the tip of the nose to no particular spot and just expanded my awareness of breathing, in way of giving up on trying, and a new kind of breath came to me after a little while, it was different from normal breathing, and it felt like this new breath was just a single whole thing, like a single rod it felt as though it had its own gravitational pull. I think maybe i might of skipped the the long breath and the short breath and got the whole breath instead. I have no idea really what i'm doing in meditation most of the time, so... yeah.
Do Jhana meditation. That's what the Buddha did.
It can go WAY further than "just relaxing". 
Good article here: "Instruction for Entering Jhana by Leigh Brasington" http://www.leighb.com/jhana3.htm
Why, is there a further? How far do you want to go?
How further from what or from who?
Further from your mind chatter? You inner voice? From you?
It's not about shifting practice. It's about us shifting.