How to bring back your attention to the Present Moment in Mindfulness?
This is no doubt that human Mind is so mysterious that no one can predict at all. The Mind is right at the moment in the Present and the next moment the Mind is in the past or in the future. In fact, wandering is one of the natural activities of the Mind. Every time the Mind wander or shifts, attention of the Mind shifts too. This is a natural phenomenon of human Mind. There are many ways to train the Mind to bring back its attention naturally. Meditation, Yoga or some other forms of Mind training can help to bring back Mind attention purposely. Mindfulness is the ability to be aware of the Mind by itself & also the ability of the Mind to bring back its attention to the Present Moment. Such abilities can be developed or cultivated in the Mind through Meditation. How to bring back your attention to the Present Moment in Mindfulness? Is it really possible to bring back the attention of the Mind? All these questions are very interrelated, and you can find the Answers in this Article.
Before going into the details, let’s have a look about Attention & Mindfulness in brief so that you can have much clear understanding of the subject topic.
What is meant by Attention?:
Let’s look at what Wikipedia say about Attention. Attention is the behavioral and cognitive process of selectively concentrating on a discrete aspect of information, whether consider subjective or objective, while ignoring other perceivable information. William James (1890) wrote that “attention is the taking possession of the Mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thoughts. Focalization, concentration, of consciousness are of its essence.” attention has also been described as the allocation of limited cognitive processing of resources.
In general, attention can be expressed as the act of the power of fixing the Mind on something. It is likes directing the Mind to remain on something.
What is meant by Mindfulness?:
According to Wikipedia. Mindfulness is the practice of purposely bringing one’s attention in the present moment without evaluation, a skill one develops through meditation or through other training. Mindfulness drives from Sati, a significant element of Buddhist tradition.
That means the Mind has to achieve or cultivate such abilities to be aware of itself so that it can bring its attention to the Present Moment. Mindfulness can be developed or cultivated through Meditation, Yoga, or some other form of training that is related to the Mind. That means, the Mind has the ability to be aware as well as to bring back its own attention to the Present Moment purposely.
Beware of what is happening at this moment in the Mind & bring back the attention to the Present Moment:
The natural tendency of the Mind is that it is always shifts its attention. Sometimes here & sometimes there. Attention of the Mind is here at this moment to suddenly in the past or in the future. This is reality & no one can ignore or avoid this too. Only be aware of the Mind what is happening at this very moment.
The Mind never remains still. Somehow keep itself engage with something & keep continue to busy. In fact, everything happens within the Mind and that happenings are going on at the Present Moment. Hence, keep your focus of the Mind to itself. Be aware of what is happening in the Mind right at this moment. If thoughts are arising, only be aware of that thoughts are arising. If feelings are arising, be aware that feelings are arising. If the Mind is in the past, be aware of that the Mind is in the past. If the Mind is moving in the future, be aware that the Mind is moving around in the future. Only keep the Mind be aware of itself at this movement.
You might be curious how to be aware of the Mind as it is engaged somehow & moving here & there. Right?
In fact, you are not getting to be aware of your Mind. The Mind itself is being aware of the Mind. The Mind has the ability to be aware of itself in Mindfulness. Of course, there is always a natural ability of awareness remains in the Mind. But, in Mindfulness, awareness is much stronger enough than normal Mind which cultivated or develop through Meditation or Yoga or some kind of Mind training.
When the Mind is aware of itself in the Present Moment, the Mind can bring its attention to the Present Moment naturally, which has also in the Mind due to Mindfulness. If you are aware that the Mind is not at the Present Moment, bring back the attention of the Mind slowly. Be away to force or insist the Mind to bring back its attention to the present Moment. Forcing might lead the Mind to get wild. If you find the Mind again back to the past or in the future, let it go and bring back slowly. Keep continuing to be aware, the Mind is getting itself more & more aware & slowly it will be settled to remain at the Present Moment by bringing back its attention.
If the Mind is not aware of its own movement or activities or its existing position, it is always hard to bring back its attention. In fact, attention of the Mind to be bringing back to the Present Moment by itself. No external power or force can do anything to do that job. Right?
Observe what is happening in the Mind without any Judgemeent and Bring back the attention of the Mind to the Present Moment in Mindfulness:
As being aware of what is happening in the Mind at this Present Moment, observe them without any judgement. If thoughts are arising, be aware that thoughts are arising. Observe the total movement of thoughts until disappearing without any judgement. If feelings or emotions are arising in the Mind, observe the same without any judgement. In case the Mind starts to wander in the past or in the future or even any place or location, only be aware of existing position of the Mind & observe the same without any judgement.
If the Mind gets involved in judgement, in such case, the true or real nature of the movement of the Mind can be understood. Hence, only be aware & observe the same without any judgement. Once you are aware that the Mind is not in the Present Moment, gently bring back the attention of the Mind to the Present Moment. Understanding the natural creation of the Mind, no force or resistant over the Mind breaks the natural momentum of the Mind. If forcefully bring back the attention of the Mind, the Mind might frequently move its attention from the Present Moment. Only gently bring back by being aware & observing that the attention of the Mind is not in the Present Moment.
Of course, the Mind might shift its attention frequently, let it go as usual. Only be aware of where it is & what is happening at this Present Moment and observe without any judgement. Once aware, bring back its attention to the Present Moment without forcing, rather gently.
Bring back the attention of the Mind gently to the Present Moment & avoid any force in Mindfulness:
The Mind is a natural creation that inherently an integral & vital force of human life. Being a natural creation, of course, the Mind acts or moves naturally. This is very natural and reality of the natural creation. No external or mechanical force can do anything over the Mind. Even forcefully act over the Mind never can do anything.
Understanding the true or real nature of activities or movement of the Mind, always keep away from applying any force or insist on bringing back the attention of the Mind to the Present Moment. Once aware that the Mind is not in the Present Moment, bring back its attention very slowly & gently. No doubt that there might have again the Mind move to any place or in the past or in the future. Let it go & be aware of such movement. Once again, aware that the Mind is not here, bring back the Mind gently to the Present Moment.
The fact is, always be aware of the existing movement or activities or state of the Mind & observe without judgement. When noticed that attention of the Mind is not in the Present Moment, bring back gently again & again. It is a repetition of the Process.
The Mind naturally bring its attention to the Present Moment as getting used to in Mindfulness:
In Mindfulness, the Mind always aware of itself. The Mind also having such understanding that no matter where the Mind is in the Present Moment, Awareness always follows. Once awareness follow, the Mind is aware also that Observation are there without any judgement. In such case, the Mind is always aware that it has also the ability to bring back its own attention to the Present Moment at anytime purposely. That means, the Mind has very clear understanding of its own abilities.
As continuous awareness is there to follow the movement of the Mind & its attention, the Mind can apply its ability to bring back to Mindfulness naturally when it keeps continue to bring back its attention to the Present Moment. In fact, frequently bring back the attention of the Mind, the Mind naturally get used to in such new habit. A natural pattern of behavior keep continue to develop or cultivate more & more by brining back in the Present.
As a result, once the Mind is aware of itself that its attention is not at the Present Moment, natural it turn around to be in the Present Moment. This is the ability of the Mind itself to bring back the attention purposely at anytime by being aware of its movement in the Present Moment.
Conclusion:
In Mindfulness, the Mind has the ability to be aware of itself as well as the ability ti bring back its attention to the Present Moment. Hence, only be aware of the movement of the Mind in the Present Moment & observe its movement without any judgement. Once noticed & aware that the attention of the Mind is not in the Present Moment, bring back the attention of the Mind to the Present Moment gently & mindfully. Be away to force the Mind or resist the Mind to be back. Thus, might lead the Mind to be wild & lose its awareness to follow the movement of the Mind.
Even bring back again & again is a recitative process, be in patience & keep continue to bring back the attention of the Mind gently. The Mind, naturally get used to it by being aware of its own movement and subsequently, it will naturally be used to increase its duration of attention to the Present Moment.