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Focus Question
Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2019 8:09 am
by User546
Greetings!
So I just finished listening to all the YouTube videos on the S&S channel and I've got a question about focus exercises.
In one video Akelta mentions an initial goal being able to focus on something (a dot on the wall, candle flame, etc) for ten minutes without blinking.
Is this actually possible? I think my eyes would get really dry and painful if I didn't blink for ten minutes.
Maybe I misunderstood.
Thoughts?
Thank you!!
Re: Focus Question
Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2019 9:31 am
by User1265455
My personal experience has been that you become so focused that if you blink, you don't notice. My eyes don't become dry, so I'm pretty sure I'm blinking, but my concentration and focus remain solid.
Re: Focus Question
Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2019 3:25 pm
by Whimsy
Lol
I totally understand this! I remember trying to play the staring game with friends and it felt like the more you thought about not blinking the harder it was. I think it's because in the end, it psyches you out because you're being told you can't do something and you feel like you really need to.
I'd start yourself off on easy mode then if you're worried about it and do less time. The candle light is an interesting choice because afterward you can try and hold the image it burns into your brain. Try to do it in a dark room, focus on it for a minute then envision. Then focus again etc. Then gradually build up your tolerance and time.
Re: Focus Question
Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2019 3:35 pm
by User546
Nyctophilia Raven wrote: ↑Wed Nov 13, 2019 9:31 am
My personal experience has been that you become so focused that if you blink, you don't notice. My eyes don't become dry, so I'm pretty sure I'm blinking, but my concentration and focus remain solid.
That totally makes sense! Thank you!!
Re: Focus Question
Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2019 3:39 pm
by User546
Whimsy wrote: ↑Wed Nov 13, 2019 3:25 pm
Lol
I totally understand this! I remember trying to play the staring game with friends and it felt like the more you thought about not blinking the harder it was. I think it's because in the end, it psyches you out because you're being told you can't do something and you feel like you really need to.
I'd start yourself off on easy mode then if you're worried about it and do less time. The candle light is an interesting choice because afterward you can try and hold the image it burns into your brain. Try to do it in a dark room, focus on it for a minute then envision. Then focus again etc. Then gradually build up your tolerance and time.
Thank you, that's a great suggestion! I'm definitely inclined towards using a candle flame for focus practice as I do other exercises that require visualizing a flame and I figure these exercises will help strengthen each other. I'll start with one minute and work my way up!
Re: Focus Question
Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2019 9:02 pm
by Gauche
Flux wrote: ↑Wed Nov 13, 2019 8:09 am
Greetings!
So I just finished listening to all the YouTube videos on the S&S channel and I've got a question about focus exercises.
In one video Akelta mentions an initial goal being able to focus on something (a dot on the wall, candle flame, etc) for ten minutes without blinking.
Is this actually possible? I think my eyes would get really dry and painful if I didn't blink for ten minutes.
Maybe I misunderstood.
Thoughts?
Thank you!!
You can blink. If you stare at something long enough you wont realize when you blink,it is just like breathing--you just do it passively. The intent is that you become focused on that one object and tune out distractions around you and in a sense that object or flame or dot is the only existence. What helped me,when i was trying to attune to be able to see energies and and my companion was literally to turn off all lights and electronics around,lay in my bed,and ask my companion to join me. Focus on one spot in the void and go as long as you can without blinking--and control your breathing evenly. If you feel like your eyes are drying out,squint a little. Blinking is okay,but for me,that is when things start coming to place.
I start seeing faint mists of energy and then you realize it was there all along and you will be able to see it fold around itself in the way that your third eye translates it to you.
Keep at it and you may even see your companion's energies. A lot of people say they see orbs, for me,i see their energies look like flowing ribbons,kind of wavy and streak like,but it gets so bright sometimes i wonder to myself how did i NOT see it before. Except one companion,who my third eye translates as a black diamond shape that,even though its black,it somehow glows. Maybe with colors not on the spectrum i can see but it definitely glows..but is still a void lol
If youre just straight up looking for a focus only exercise..find an object easy for you to focus on..and if it makes sense..become that object. Become that object and see from that object's poijt of view. Feel what it feels,see the world as it would see it. Be the flame burning the wax,feel the wind sway you,look at the world you're illuminating.
Re: Focus Question
Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2019 11:22 pm
by User546
Gauche wrote: ↑Wed Nov 13, 2019 9:02 pm
You can blink. If you stare at something long enough you wont realize when you blink,it is just like breathing--you just do it passively. The intent is that you become focused on that one object and tune out distractions around you and in a sense that object or flame or dot is the only existence. What helped me,when i was trying to attune to be able to see energies and and my companion was literally to turn off all lights and electronics around,lay in my bed,and ask my companion to join me. Focus on one spot in the void and go as long as you can without blinking--and control your breathing evenly. If you feel like your eyes are drying out,squint a little. Blinking is okay,but for me,that is when things start coming to place.
I start seeing faint mists of energy and then you realize it was there all along and you will be able to see it fold around itself in the way that your third eye translates it to you.
Keep at it and you may even see your companion's energies. A lot of people say they see orbs, for me,i see their energies look like flowing ribbons,kind of wavy and streak like,but it gets so bright sometimes i wonder to myself how did i NOT see it before. Except one companion,who my third eye translates as a black diamond shape that,even though its black,it somehow glows. Maybe with colors not on the spectrum i can see but it definitely glows..but is still a void lol
If youre just straight up looking for a focus only exercise..find an object easy for you to focus on..and if it makes sense..become that object. Become that object and see from that object's poijt of view. Feel what it feels,see the world as it would see it. Be the flame burning the wax,feel the wind sway you,look at the world you're illuminating.
This is such great feedback, thank you!
I just put a down payment on my first demon companion, and I've been excitedly reading through the scroll on the 21-day bonding ritual in preparation. I absolutely cannot wait to start doing these exercises with my demon companion! I've tried a lot of these things in the past and intuitively I can feel how much easier it's going to be with a friend on the other side of the veil to help me.
I particularly like your suggestion about becoming one with the object that I'm focusing on. I will definitely keep that in mind when I do candle meditation!
Re: Focus Question
Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2019 6:43 am
by Kitsune
My two cents to the op.
I've been in states mentally where I would stare at something fully focused on it, and not blink. Think of an image of a cat staring at something with dilated pupils for a visual of how it feels.
I will also say that when this happens for me, my mental state is very different than how I usually am. Clear of worded thought, and thought processes are more emotion and reaction. The best way I could describe it would be a more primal or animalistic mindset.
This brings me to the point I want to make. When you are in a fully focused state of mind, your brain stops multitasking. The music playing in the background of your mind, and any stray thoughts stop. It gets quiet and clear. All your processing power is being put to the task at hand.
On that note: a really good meditation you can to to train your brain to reach those levels of focus is the Zazen meditation. All it is is sitting in a comfortable position and focusing your entire mind of the act of sitting.
Re: Focus Question
Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2019 9:48 pm
by User546
Kitsune wrote: ↑Thu Nov 14, 2019 6:43 am
My two cents to the op.
I've been in states mentally where I would stare at something fully focused on it, and not blink. Think of an image of a cat staring at something with dilated pupils for a visual of how it feels.
I will also say that when this happens for me, my mental state is very different than how I usually am. Clear of worded thought, and thought processes are more emotion and reaction. The best way I could describe it would be a more primal or animalistic mindset.
This brings me to the point I want to make. When you are in a fully focused state of mind, your brain stops multitasking. The music playing in the background of your mind, and any stray thoughts stop. It gets quiet and clear. All your processing power is being put to the task at hand.
On that note: a really good meditation you can to to train your brain to reach those levels of focus is the Zazen meditation. All it is is sitting in a comfortable position and focusing your entire mind of the act of sitting.
Thank you! I really like the imagery and feeling of dropping into my animal mind. I'm a total cat person so that definitely resonates with me.
Your mention of Zazen reminds me of an exercise that I've used from Antero Alli's work, that is inspired by Zazen. He calls it No Form.
https://www.paratheatrical.com/noform.html
Re: Focus Question
Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2019 4:26 am
by Darth Moronius