A: This happens when our mind is agitated and we have not settled down in our hearts. The best way to approach this is to stop and go back to the sensation of our breath. If your mind is muddled for some reason, spend more time on breath sensations. This will allow the mind to settle down. Just like when you have a muddy water glass, you need to let it sit for the soil to settle down at the bottom and the glass to be clear.
Tag: concentration
Can I look at a picture to clear my mind?
When we look at a picture our sense organ is active. Our eyes cannot visualize anything without the involvement of our mind. So when we are looking at a picture, we are engaging our mind. As a temporary solution, it is better than having our mind go in 10 different direction. However, ultimately, we want to train our mind to be quiet. Our mind should take instructions from us – which is not happening right now. So this whole exercise is about training the mind.
Can I listen to music during meditation?
It is not a good idea to listen to music during meditation. When we listen to music our mind is focused on the music. Idea is to try and clear our mind of any thoughts. This certainly takes some practice getting used to but once we can meditate on a calm mind without any external stimulus, our concentration increases which has added benefits.