“At the end of the day one of the major keys to an undistracted mind is to commit to living your life on purpose!”
Dear Integral Meditators,
What do we mean by distraction? And how can we get better at living an undistracted life? The article below explores these questions in a practical way!
In the spirit of non-distraction,
Toby
What do you mean by ‘a distraction?’ (Living your life on purpose)
Here was a question that I was recently asked: “Based on your experience, what are some things people are usually distracted by that they don’t recognise as forms of distraction?”
Here are a few ways in which we can be distracted without realizing it:
- When you are focused on one form of work when really you are avoiding another work task which you have emotional resistance to or are anxious about
- When you are focused on one emotion (eg: anger) which is really a way of hiding another emotion that you don’t want to acknowledge (for example disappointment or sadness)
- Essentially anytime when you have set an intention to do or focus on one thing, and then you focus on another can be classed as a distraction for example:
- Said you were going to exercise, but then start some work
- Intended to work, but ended up folding the laundry
- Intended to fold the laundry, but ended up talking to a friend for half an hour on the phone
All of these can be understood as distractions.
Why do we follow distractions or get distracted?
Reasons for this include:
- Our focusing power is naturally poor as a result of habitually filling our mind with all sorts of information, and that information changing all the time
- Being mentally fatigued and so not able to focus properly. Many people have long term mental fatigue from an overactive and distracted mind
- Being anxious and not comfortable being anxious, which means the mind naturally cannot settle and seeks distraction
- We use distractions to hide from a whole range of uncomfortable emotions!
- Not being clear what we really want to focus our energy and attention on, so naturally our mind and attention wanders
- Trying to focus to hard, which means the mind cannot hold the object of focus for long due to over straining
How can you strengthen your focus?
Here are two simple things you can do:
- Practice building relaxed focus in meditation. Even if you spend only five minutes a day setting your intention to focus on one meditation object and then practicing, your focus will radically improve.
- Practice focusing on one work or leisure task at a time; finish one thing, then the next thing, then the next!
At the end of the day one of the major keys to an undistracted mind is to commit to living your life on purpose!
Article © Toby Ouvry 2020, please do not reproduce without permission. Contact info@tobyouvry.com
Saturday 27th June, 2.30-5.30pm – Breathing meditation livestream masterclass
Learn a multi-faceted breathing meditation practice that helps you grow and learn in the face of life’s challenges, and connect you to deep inner stability.
Many mindfulness and meditation techniques use the breathing. However, with only superficial understanding meditation on the breathing can easily become stagnant, mechanical and, after a while boring! This masterclass teaches six complementary breathing techniques that will help you to…
Full details of session
Life-fullness – The Integral Life-Coaching Program with Toby
Are you looking a coach who can help you to:
- Meet the challenges, stress and changes that you face in a more effective and mindful way
- Become happier within yourself, in your relationships and at work
- Be actively accountable for finding a sense of balance/well-being in your life and fulfilling your personal potential?
- Guide you to find and operate from a deeper sense of meaning, motivation and connectivity in your life?
Sunday June 21st & 28th, 5-5.50pm – Online Qi gong workout class
This is a Qi gong session that begins with movement, breathing and energy work to thoroughly energize and refresh your body, nervous system and energy meridians and regenerate your physical, energetic, mental and spiritual being…read full details
Sunday 5th July, 6-7pm – Online Monthly Full Moon Meditation & Manifestation Session
This meditation, done on or around the full moon capitalises on the heightened lunar energies at this time of the month to:
- Bring energy and health to our physical body
- Increase benevolent, life affirming emotions such as appreciation, joy and gratitude
- Release patterns of energy, thinking and feeling that are no longer serving us
- Focus on clarifying our intentions and manifesting our current life-goals
Online Integral Meditation & Mindfulness classes
Build focus, beat stress, cultivate wellbeing!
Each session involves simple practices that you can apply to make a real difference to your wellbeing and effectiveness in life…full details of classes
Coming in July: High performance bootcamp – Using mindfulness to operate at your peak without burning out
Are you a high-potential individual who often feels overworked, stressed, sleep-deprived, or mentally and physically exhausted? Yet, you are expected to be on your A-game everyday, make clear decisions, problem solve, and be fully focused and present for your employer and teams? Do you wonder if performance in your career and your well-being are a zero-sum game, and see your well-being fall to the sidelines under the ever increasing work commitments.
All upcoming classes and workshops for at IMA:
Ongoing on Wednesday’s, 7.30-8.30pm – Wednesday Meditation for stress transformation and positive energy with Toby (Bukit Timah)
Ongoing on Tuesday evenings, 7.30-8.30pm – Tuesday Meditation for stress transformation and positive energy with Toby (East Coast)
Tuesday’s at 12.30-1.20 – Ongoing Tuesday Lunchtime meditation class @Space2B
Ongoing Sundays 6-6.50pm – Qi gong energy body activation meditation (Livestream)
Saturday 20th June 10.30am-12noon – ONLINE Get your meditation practice started now – The shortest & most time effective meditation course ever
Saturday 27th June, 2.30-5.30pm – Breathing meditation livestream masterclass
Sunday June 21st, 28th – Qi gong workout class
Sunday 5th July, 6-7pm – Online Monthly Full Moon Meditation & Manifestation Session
Coming in July – High performance bootcamp: Using mindfulness to operate at your peak without burning out
Integral Meditation AsiaOnline Courses * 1:1 Coaching * Books * Live Workshops * Corporate Mindfulness Training *Life-Coaching * Meditation Technology