Concentration, purpose and attention

Q: What is concentration of attention? What is the mechanism?

A: Well, the only way to experience concentration is when you have discovered the purpose of your life. Then the whole life will be concentrated to fulfill that purpose, only then you will experience real concentration. Without discovering the real purpose of your life, you will never ever experience real concentration. You can see that I am concentrating on this problem or that problem. It is more of a focus, not concentration.

Q: What is the difference between focus and concentration? Strength or other things also.

A: Your focus keeps on changing, from things to things. But when you will discover the real purpose of your life then the whole life will be concentrated towards that end. Then only you will discover what is concentration.

Everybody is focused on living, earning some money or small things like that. But concentration is a much more higher thing than that.

Q: And in practice this level is more of a focus.

A: Now it is more of a focus, yes. You will begin to experience concentration the day you will discover the real purpose of your life. From that very day you will experience original concentration because your whole activity, your whole life will be concentrated towards your achieving that purpose of your life. And it is a rare revelation, I think very few people in the world discover why they are here, why they are living, what is the purpose of their life. It’s rare.

Q: And how does it happen, by thinking?

A: You will discover it accidentally or suddenly. I mean you don’t have to do any effort in that.

Q: As a result of practice or not?

A: No, just like that. It is like falling in love, I mean it is either there or it is not there.

Q: If I draw analogy in our work, we make a project plant, we do everything in the project plant, to achieve the project completion and no activity which is against this project completion we will do — in that way I think focus and concentration will come.

A: Yes, for the purpose of explaining you can say that.

Q: So unnecessary distraction, even if it comes, is thrown away, we are not interested in it.

A: Once you have concentrated nothing will distract you. After you discover the purpose you will actually experience concentration on life. That purpose will always remain in front of you, no matter what you are doing. And your whole activity will be towards that even though you are talking with someone but it will always be there in your mind. We have to discover that.

[Music] she's mind should remain calm and steady yeah but i will say that mind should also remain active it should remain focused on what you want to achieve and then you will experience concentration and feel steady in that concentration and active body is needed to support a very active man this is what i do if you are relaxing too much then okay learn from weight training progressive resistant training that is the technical term for weight training the more recessed resistance you will provide your muscles they will grow that means the more resistance or the problem your mind will face it will

become stronger keep it active

We have discussed before the power of observation. You start by observing a big stone. You go on observing, observing, observing. Then you begin to see its origin, the structure, all these things. That is another conclusion of observation. You go deeper and deeper and deeper and and any artistic man will begin to see a statue hiding inside it which he can bring out. That is another conclusion. Then you go on observing that stone. You reach its molecular structure. That is one more conclusion. You go on and on and on and on and you reach the atomic structure also. You reach to the atoms. You start observing atoms and their

movements and everything. That is one conclusion. Then you also conclude because you are a human being. You learn from the observing atom. to respect other person's personal space. That is one more conclusion. Go on observing, go on observing, you reach particle level. You start observing particle and you realize by observing it is changing its behavior. That is one more conclusion. Then you see that it just appears out of nowhere. Appears and disappears into nowhere. Then your attention will go to the emptiness or the void. That will be one more conclusion. You start observing void. Go deeper and

How do we know the difference between our purpose or life karma and something we simply want for ourselves? How do we know: “This is my path and that is the thing I simply want”?

Guruji: What ’ s the problem in accepting – this is my own thing? First you decide: if it comes to you, you don ’ t even make a decision. You start your journey or you are seeking something and exploring – and along the way you will find people who will give you guidance.

But it is you who will continue to brave the path. And satisfaction will be all yours when you reach your purpose. When you have realized your purpose – only then you will experience real concentration for the first time. Then the whole life, all karma will be focused on fulfilling your purpose. Half the battle is won when you realize your purpose: be ambitious to fulfill it.

This is my purpose and this is the thing which I like very much, and it’s standing outside of my path…

Guruji: If you need to debate on this – that means that the purpose is not there, it ’ s a cultivated purpose. A heart filled purpose will make you ignore everything else. Your greatest desire is to fulfill it.

What is the mechanism behind Time speeding up and slowing down in our experience of Time? What’s behind the phenomenon of slow and fast?

Guruji: Only your feelings.

Why are we drawn to some devas or devis more than others? What might this tell us about our development?

Guruji: I think it goes back to the genetic code: maybe sometime back someone in your lineage was aware of those devas and may have seen them; so it’s imprinted on your genetic code. This is why in India we call them Kula devata, the family god – because it is embedded in our genetic system, and we will naturally be drawn towards it.

What about certain interfaith incarnations? I was a muslim in the last past life – now, born as a Christian, I am a Hindu at heart?

Guruji: I think all these religions are just a type of societal groups. Most of the religions are teaching good things, whatever I’ve read about almost every religion. You do good – and you get a better incarnation. You learn something more, and then you are getting evolved, getting better; it is a situational incarnation.

Out of the chain of incarnations, when I was jewish rabbi or a muslim woman or a Christian farmer: why in this life am I choosing that particular development?

Guruji: Because you became mature enough by going through all these incarnations to actually understand what’s happening now. It is ultimately the development of the mind, which matters. And you have to go through many schools and many classes to reach a certain level of maturity, to develop awareness.

Guruji, how to increase concentration?

Guruji: first realize the purpose of your life. Then your whole life will be concentrated to fulfill it; only then you will experience concentration in its purest form.

I need to understand, what I really want?

Guruji: yes, you need to decide it. And for this you will need to listen to your heart, not to your mind. Heart will always tell you the truth, pleasant or unpleasant – doesn’t matter.

we want and we need truth – it’s two different things?

Guruji: but if you need truth and you also want it – then you’re found the purpose of your life.

if you not understand, what you need?

Guruji: expand your understanding and try to find it out. Most of the mysterious things in life are very simple. We’re made the life so complicated – so simple things we fail to understand.

If it was your heart desire to practice yoga – you will be happy with it. It was not a calculating mood; because everybody says practicing yoga is good - it is very good for my head, my mentally states will go away, so I also should do yoga – that will be listening to your mind. From the heart – I don’t know, but I must practice yoga – and you’re happy by doing it.

The tragedy of human beings – we have gone through very big influence of religion. Most of the religious teachings are creating a big guilt inside you. It’s like – if you’re happy, you will definitely committed a sin. That is an influence of the religion on us. I will say – be happy.

When the goal of life is very clear for you – then your whole life will be concentrated to achieve that. Only then you will experience the real concentration. Other types of concentration are temporary things. So motive and purpose of life are very important. Then all your efforts will be concentrated to achieve that.

so concentration is permanent?

Guruji: the purpose or goal of life when you discover it – then the concentration will be permanent. It’s a very great achievement for anybody – to find the purpose of life . You will notice: we talk from different perspective here.

But will you have a chance be free from this?

Guruji: Of course.

Like clear your mind when..?

Guruji: No. This is a wrong apple: “To clear the mind.” They will remain part of your memory but you will not remember them often. They will stop bothering you emotionally because you have travelled further than that. That's why I keep saying remain strong.

what about the very profound yogis – maybe immortals, on higher levels: if they take different bodies, in that bodies they have different aims?

Guruji: where is your mind? Wherever you concentrate – your mind will be there. So if you concentrate in another body –your mind will be there, your consciousness will be there. But your mind will have to be that powerful, and your concentration will have to be that powerful: then these things will come to pass.

is it possible to have the concentration simultaneously in a few bodies?

Guruji: depends on how much you’re able to develop your mind. Yes, it is possible.

POWER OF OBSERVATION!

We have discussed before, the power of

observation.

You start by observing a big stone. You go on observing, observing, observing, then you begin

to see it’s origin, the structure,all this thing, that is another conclusion of observation.

You go deeper and deeper and deeper and any artistic man will begin to see a statue hiding inside it. Which he can bring out. That is another

conclusion.

Then you go on observing that stone, you reach its molecular structure. That is one more conclusion.

You go on and on and on and on and on, and you reach atomic structure also.

You reach to the atoms. You start observing

atoms and their movements and everything.

That is one conclusion.

Then you also conclude, because you are Human-being, you learn from observing atom, to respect other persons personal space.

That is one more conclusion.

Go on observing, go on observing. You reach particle level. You start observing particle and you realise: by observing, it is changing its behaviour.

That is one more conclusion.

Then, you see that it’s just appears out of nowhere, and disappears into nowhere.

Then your attention will go to the emptiness or the void, that will be one more conclusion. You start observing void. Go deeper and deeper and deeper…

Then you realise that void is not just void. There is settle consciousness flowing inside, It is all ocean of consciousness.

That is another conclusion.

Then you go on observing, diving deep into that ocean of consciousness. And then you realise

there’s Time flowing inside. That is another

conclusion.

Then you go on observing Time, and you realise

there’s flow of consciousness inside the Time also. You start observing it. Then you wonder: who is actually observing?

Then you start to observe the observer itself. And then that observation you go deeper and deeper and deeper…

Then you realise who is observing !

And then as they say in Yoga Sutras:

tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe ’vasthānam

The observer is established in his or her own Self.

That is the power of observation!

Thank you!

the path of brahma is the ultimate tapas and not the ordinary tapas?

Guruji: develop the mind is the most difficult thing to do. Ordinary tapas just for the purification, religious things – they’re not that difficult. Understanding of mind and trying to develop it is very difficult.

it is karma?

Guruji: I think it is luck, grace – so many things.

MOTIVE + CONCENTRATION

You will need to establish your motive first: why you’re wanting to learn Kriya yoga and what you’re wanting to achieve. Then you will begin to understand the essence of it – with enough practice. Motive needs to be established first.

What is your opinion – what is the essence of it?

technically I think it’s concentration

Guruji: concentration to achieve what?

concentration on eternal

Guruji: when you will experience absolute concentration? When you will actually realize what is the purpose of your life – then your whole life will be concentrated to achieve that purpose. Then only you will experience real concentration. We’re discussing primary motives, not shorter motives. Shorter motives are for executive trainings, who are ambitious to work for a company.

Progressive resistant training. The more stress you give to your muscles, the stronger they become. Then I begin to think that all those stress releasing programs are actually making you weaker. If you are giving stress to your physical body, your body is growing and becoming stronger. But if you are relaxing too much, that means you are getting weaker. So we need to think more deeply on this topic, that all these stress release program.

I think the program should be to make your mind strong, more strong, so you can cope up with more stress. Only this is the way to develop, make your mind more powerful. If body is developing then why not mind will also develop. Progressive resistance training, it's a very good word for this.

But the yogic point of view on the stillness is when your mind has reached a very high field of activity it will appear to be still to others. When you are flying from Moscow to India, for example, and the plane is flying at a very high altitude, with nothing in contrast, though you know that your plane is moving, if you look outside the window, the plane will appear as if it is still. So when your mind is moving at a very high speed, and there is no contrast to judge that, the mind will appear as completely still.

It will be just like that: you are just sitting somewhere, thinking about your job, or work or life in general and somebody just comes to you and begins to talk: “Oh, I thought you were sitting here without doing anything, so I just came to talk”. He will never understand where your mind was moving but you will appear extremely still.

Q: Is it so that when the mind works with such a speed, it is unidirectional?

Sh: Yes. There is concentration. See a gymnast display. Everyone would think how easily they are doing it and how beautifully. But you see the level of concentration which goes into it is a physical thing. Only then, with the concentration, perfection comes.

Do you know Batu? He is a world champion. Because he is an accomplished man he has tuned his mind and body together. So whenever you look at him he will be still. No unwanted movement of the body you will ever see in Batu. But a person whose mind is not so powerful will keep on doing physical movements. You see the point here is that the more powerful the mind is the more still a person will appear. Still water runs deep as the saying is. When the water is still that means it is very deep.

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Total stillness is not possible. And even if you become like a stone even then you will not be still. There will be eternal movements inside all the time.

When something is moving in a very fast speed, it appears like still. So the stillness is not stopping — it is attaining the maximum speed.

You can explain it very easily from physicians’ point of view: when a person is going at a speed of light, his body goes into the condition of some total rest, his breath will stop, his heart will stop, he will appear as still. That means when you are going to the maximum speed, your body will become absolutely still. I think this is what yoga means also. When your consciousness is moving at a very high speed, your body appears as still.

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We often say what is the use of making mere imagination about reality. But reality can be imagined only when it is realized.

Fear evokes only from the unknown. The moment fear is overcome courage is born.

Violence arouses out of inability to sustain loneliness. Those great people, who, whilst being surrounded by all, are still lonely at mental plane, can only be nonviolent in real terms.

Further in-depth pondering reveals that so long as a person has several thoughts inhabited in his mind mental violence will always be present in his mind i.e., conflict between thoughts is mental violence.

The moment a person becomes successful in focusing all his thoughts and can unify them, he attains mental non-violence also.