Have you tried to meditate and found it didn't work, or it was too hard? To be honest, when I tried to meditate, I really couldn't do it. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't concentrate for more than a few minutes at a time.
Was I doing it wrong? Am I capable of learning to pay attention in a way that doesn't leave me feeling frustrated or bored within minutes?
Research suggests our brains learn best when interested, so what if you could harness this and then train your brain to pay attention to whatever you want?
There are two ways too pay attention: we can either force ourselves to concentrate, or we can be interested. Experientially, this is quite different.
This is where curiosity comes in. When it's triggered we naturally get drawn in. Curiosity is rewarding. Therefore we can use this natural reward to pay attention and to do so in a curious way. Simply be curious about what is actually happening right now...
How can you develop curiosity in meditation?
Start by asking questions:
What happens if I put more effort in? What if I put in less?
Where does my mind go? What strange thoughts does it present?
What if I sit or lie down really still, even if I have the urge to move – what happens then?
Where in the body do I feel negative emotions? Is this different for positive?
Want some more information on mindfulness? Check out the free smilingmind app or contact us.
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