Single Focus Meditation

Single focus, or one focus, meditation is one of the more popular of meditation methods. Unlike traditional meditation, one focus meditating does not require to the person meditating to let go of all conscious thought.

Focusing on just one thing, whatever it may be, is often difficult for somebody whose right side of the brain is very active. For some people, though, this type of meditation works well, especially those with an active left part of the brain.

If you want to try the single focus, method of meditating, to see if it suits you then go to your meditation space and get into your favoured position to acquire a meditative state. The single focus method of meditation will allow you to quieten the mind, and to reduce the volume of the world through numbing the logical part of the brain through the use of repitition. The experience you can use can be anything you choose. However, commonly it is the repetition of a word or phrase, known as a mantra in meditating circles. You can make the mantra as simple as repeating a word like "focus" or "relax" for as long as you wish, whether it be 5 minutes, 15 minutes or longer.

An alternative simple approach is to establish, and then maintain, awareness of your breathing over a period of time. This type of one focus meditation has the benefit of the built in breathing exercises, and can therefore be extra beneficial and effective. For many people, the breathing focused meditating exercises are more effective, and also more relaxing, than focusing on a word or phrase.

While engaged in your single focus meditation, your mind will inevitably start to fetch information, plus thoughts from your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind will then learn to take advantage of the quietened logical mind.

During this period of mediation, you will have the chance to reflect more deeply on your inner life and your inner self, than you would when your mind is fully acive. This can lead to an increased sense of self awareness fulfillment. It is even possible that, as your logical, conscious mind retreats further into the background, you might find answers to questions you have previously avoided thinking seriously about.

You can make the single focus meditation even more effective by gently prompting yourself, for example reminding yourself of a problem which has been troubling you for a while. With this level of focus, and by achieving a detached state of mind, you can reach an element of control over the direction of the meditation. By letting the thoughts of the problem go, and then reintroducing them, you will gain further insight and move closer to the resolution of the problem.

An advantage of the one focus method of meditation is that it so easily achieves a greater level of relaxation, reduces stress, and can increase your feeling of self awareness. It also helps to bring balance into your thoughts, helping you to feel more in command and with a sense of well being.

Meditation is a very personal subject, and the meditation techniques that are perfect for one person may not be right for the next. It is important for each person to use the one focus meditation method as a guide, while changing and adapting it to his or her own needs and style.