Mindfulness of Breathing – Journey 1 Week 7
Concentration seemed sharper and stronger in the first half of the week. I managed to keep attention on the breath, albeit in a shaky way, for majority of one of the sessions, and in others distractions seemed to only last for a couple of seconds.
I had the impression that when focusing on my breath, I was more alert and more awake than normal. When my concentration started to slide, it felt like I was slipping into sleep, with the daydreaming that followed almost like dreaming when fully asleep. Suddenly remembering to watch the breath again felt like waking up.
I’ve noticed that when my mind is relatively calm, there is still a background noise going on in my head. It’s a bit hard to describe but it’s similar to the constant hum of a busy road in the distance, but higher pitched. It’s not loud but when the mind is quiet it becomes more noticeable.
My breath has been very quiet during some of the meditation sessions, and I’ve had to put a little bit more effort in to keep aware of it. I’m being careful to keep relaxed and not strain too hard, as I don’t want the concentration to be forced.
For the last 2 or 3 days, my schedule has been all over the place due to other things happening. I’ve still managed to do two sessions a day but I’ve had to slot them in when I can. So I’ve ended up trying to meditate with either a very busy mind, or a body that’s not been very relaxed. Consequently, I’ve found it difficult to concentrate and have found the sessions hard work.
My routine should be back to normal for the next few days, so let’s see if it helps.