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'''Related pages{|class="wikitable" style= "background-color: #efefff; width:100%;"|Read more about ''' [[Yogic Concentration]] Compilation| [[MeditationConcentration]] ''' from the works of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo. | [[Difference between }__NOTOC__== What is Concentration and Meditation]] | [[Knowledge by idenitity]]==

=What is concentration?=Concentration means fixing gathering of all the scattered movements of consciousness in one into a single point, place , object, thought, idea, condition, state or on one object movement. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/03/appendix-to-questions-and -answers-1929#p9</ref> <ref>http://incarnateword.in a single condition./cwm/04/23-december-1950#p7</ref> <ref>Sri Aurobindohttp://incarnateword. in/cwsa/29/concentration-and-meditation#p3 </ref>

In concentration proper there Concentration is not a series of thoughtsan active state. One may concentrate mentally, one may concentrate vitally, psychically, physically, but and one may concentrate integrally. Concentration or the mind capacity to gather oneself at one point is silently fixed on more difficult than meditation. One may gather together one portion of one's being or consciousness or one may gather together the whole of one object's consciousness or even fragments of it, that is, namethe concentration may be partial, ideatotal or integral, place etcand in each case the result will be different. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/25-december-1950#p12</ref>

There are other kinds Concentration is not only an intellectual thing, it may be found in all the activities of concentrationthe being, eincluding bodily activities.g. concentrating The control over the whole consciousness in nerves should be such as would allow one a complete concentration on what one placeis doing and, as between through the eyebrowsvery intensity of one's concentration, in the heart, etcone acquires an immediate response to external touches. One can also concentrate to get rid To attain this concentration one needs a conscious control of thought altogether and remain in a complete silencethe energies.<ref>Sri Aurobindo. (2015). The Synthetic Method of the Integral Yoga. In Letters on yoga II. Retrieved from http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2904/concentration23-anddecember-meditation1950#p1 </ref>

It == Why Concentration is to bring back all the scattered threads of consciousness to a single point, a single idea. <ref>The Mother. (1972). Questions and answers, 1950-1951. In Collected Works of the Mother Volume 4 (p. 5).</ref> Important?==

Concentration is a state Without concentration one must be in continually, whatever the outer activitycannot achieve anything.<ref>The Mother. (1979). Letters to a Young Sadhak VI (1933-1949). In Collected works of the Mother Volume 16. Retrieved from http://incarnateword.in/cwm/1612/letters-to-a-young-sadhak-vistudy#p71</ref>

Concentration There is a gathering together nothing in the human or even in the superhuman field, to which the power of concentration is not the key. One can be the consciousness and either centralising at best athlete, one point can be the best student, one can be an artistic, literary or turning on a single objectscientific genius, e.g. the Divine—there one can also be the greatest saint with that faculty. And everyone has in himself a gathered condition throughout the whole beingtiny little beginning of it—it is given to everybody, but people do not at a pointcultivate it.<ref>Sri Aurobindo. (2015). The Synthetic Method of the Integral Yoga. In Letters on yoga II. Retrieved from http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/2909/concentration23-andjuly-meditation1958#p18 </ref>

Along with [[purity]] and as a help to bring it about, The ability of concentrationis one of the greatest powers of the human mentality. <ref>http://incarnateword. Purity in/cwsa/21/the-divine-and concentration are indeed two aspects-the-undivine#p16</ref> Whatever one may want to do in life, feminine one thing is absolutely indispensable and masculine, passive and activeat the basis of everything, the capacity of concentrating the same status of being; purity attention. If one is able to gather together the condition in which rays of attention and consciousness on one point and can maintain this concentration becomes entirewith a persistent will, rightly effectivenothing can resist it—whatever it may be, omnipotent; by concentration purity does its works and without it would only lead from the most material physical development to a state of peaceful quiescence and eternal reposethe highest spiritual one. <ref>Sri Aurobindohttp://incarnateword. sabclin/20cwm/concentration09/23-july-1958#p15</ref>

=Why should Concentration is necessary to gather the whole will and mind from the natural distractions. Left to themselves, they follow the normal dispersive movement of thoughts running after many-branching desires led away by outward sensory contacts. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/the-higher-and-the-lower-knowledge#p7</ref>The mind is a thing that dwells in diffusion, in succession; it can only concentrate on one learn thing at a time and when not concentrated runs from one thing to another very much at random. Therefore it has to concentrate?=on a single idea, a single subject of meditation, a single object of contemplation, a single object of will in order to possess or master it, and this it must do to at least the temporary exclusion of all others. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/concentration#p7</ref>

...whatever you may want == How to do in life, one thing is absolutely indispensable and at the basis of everything, the capacity of concentrating the attention. If you are able to gather together the rays of attention and consciousness on one point and can maintain this concentration with a persistent will, nothing can resist it —whatever it may be, from the most material physical development to the highest spiritual one.Cultivate Concentration? ==

There is no spiritual obstacle which The faculty of concentrated attention can resist be developed scientifically by a penetrating methodical training the same way as an athlete develops methodically his muscles. The power of concentration. For instance, the discovery of the psychic being, union with the inner Divine, opening to the higher spheres, all can be developed in such a way that concentration is obtained by an intense at will and obstinate power of on whatever subject or activity is chosen. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/12/concentration —but one must learn how to do it.-and-dispersion#p5 </ref>

There When one has a problem and one is nothing looking for a solution, if it does not come, it is because of a kind of haziness in the brain, something cloudy, like a fog somewhere. Concentration consists precisely in removing the cloud. One can gather together all the human or elements of one's intelligence and fix them on one point, and then do not even try actively to find the thing. All that one should do is to concentrate in such a way as to see only the superhuman fieldproblem—but seeing not only its surface, seeing it in its depth, what it conceals. If one is able to gather together one's all mental energies, bringing them to a point which is fixed on the enunciation of the problem, and stay there, fixed, as though, to drill a hole in the power wall, all of concentration a sudden it will come. And this is not the keyonly way.<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/05/24-june-1953#p51 </ref>

You can be the best athleteWhile engaging in work, you can be the best studentone must become what one is doing and not remain a small person looking at himself doing it; for if one looks at oneself acting, you can be an artistic, literary or scientific genius, you can be one is still in complicity with the greatest saint with that facultyego. And everyone has in himself a tiny little beginning of it —it It is given to everybody, but people through concentrated attention that one can do not cultivate itthings quickly and one does them much better.<ref>The Motherhttp://incarnateword. (1998). Questions and Answers 1957in/cwm/04/26-1958, Vol. 9 (pp. 360april-361).1951#p33 </ref>

Those who can attain perfect attention succeed When one wants to realise something, one makes quite spontaneously the necessary effort; this concentrates one's energies on the thing to be realised and that gives a meaning to one's life. This compels one to a sort of organisation of oneself, a sort of concentration of one's energies because it is this that one wishes to do and not fifty other things which contradict it. And it is in everything they undertake; they this concentration, this intensity of the will always make a rapid progress, that lies the origin of joy. This gives the power to receive energies in exchange for those spent.<ref>The Motherhttp://incarnateword. (1972). Questions and answers, 1950in/cwm/04/13-january-1951. In Collected Works of the Mother Volume 4 (p. 5).#p15</ref>

It is well known that the value of a man is in proportion to his capacity of concentrated attention; the greater the concentration the more exceptional is the result, to the extent that a perfect and unfailing concentrated attention sets the stamp of genius on what is produced. <ref>The Mother. (1949). == Concentration and Dispersion. In On Education (Collected Works of the Mother Volume 12). Retrieved from http://incarnateword.in/cwm/12/concentration-and-dispersion</ref>Integral Yoga ==

==Three powers of concentration==Concentration has three powers... * By concentration on anything whatsoever we are able to know that thing, to make it deliver up its concealed secrets; we must use this power to know does not things, but the one Thing-in-itself.* By concentration again the whole will can be gathered up for the acquisition of that which is still ungrasped, still beyond usmean meditation; this power, if it is sufficiently trained, sufficiently single-minded, sufficiently sincere, sure of itself, faithful to itself alone, absolute in faith, we can use for the acquisition of any object whatsoever; but we ought to use it not for the acquisition of the many objects which on the world offers to uscontrary, but to grasp spiritually that one object worthy of pursuit which concentration is also the a state one subject worthy of knowledge.* By concentration of our whole being on one status of itself, we can become whatever we choose; we can become, for instance, even if we were before a mass of weaknesses and fear, a mass instead of strength and courage, or we can become all a great purity, holiness and peace or a single universal soul of Love; but we ought, it is said, to use this power to become not even these things, high as they may must be in comparison with what we now arecontinuously, but rather to become whatever the outer activity. It means that which is above all things and free from the energy, all action and attributes, the pure and absolute Being. All elsewill, all other concentration can the aspiration must be turned only be valuable for preparation, for previous steps, for a gradual training of towards the dissolute Divine and self-dissipating thought, will and being towards their grand and unique objectHis integral realisation in our consciousness. <ref>Sri Aurobindohttp://incarnateword. sabclin/cwm/2016/concentrationletters-to-a-young-sadhak-vi#p2 </ref>

=How Yogic concentration is an extension and intensification of the normal power of concentration to develop realise the object of yoga which is the integral union with the Divine. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/29/concentration-and-meditation#p45</ref> Concentration is indeed the first condition of any Yoga, but it is an all-receiving concentration that is the very nature of the integral Yoga. A wide massive opening, a harmonised concentration=of the whole being in all its parts and through all its powers upon the Divine is the larger action of this Yoga without which it cannot achieve its purpose. This wide and concentrated totality is the essential character of the Sadhana. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/self-consecration#p15</ref>

And this kind of An all-receiving concentration can be developed exactly like the muscleswhich is open to all that exists; one may follow different systems, different methods of trainingit is a concentration which does not oppose anything. It is a concentration which is open. Today we know It means that one must not reject certain things from himself and practise an exclusive concentration on a particular point while neglecting all the most pitiful weakling, for example, can with discipline become as strong as anyone elseothers. One All the possibilities should not have a will which flickers out like a candlebe admitted and pursued. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/07/28-december-1955#p1 </ref>

The willConcentration in the heart is one method, concentration must be cultivatedin the head (or above) is another; it both are included in this Yoga and one has to do whichever one finds easiest and most natural. The object of the concentration in the heart is to open the centre there (heart-lotus), to feel the presence of the Divine Mother in the heart and to become aware of one's soul or psychic being which is a question portion of the Divine. The object of method, the concentration in the head is to rise to the Divine Consciousness and bring down the Light of regular exercise. If you will, you canthe Mother or her Force or Ananda into all the centres.<ref>The Motherhttp://incarnateword. (1972). Questions in/cwsa/29/mantra-and answers, 1950-1951. In Collected Works of the Mother Volume 4 (p. 5).japa#p17 </ref>

Through regularThere must be a large, perseveringmany-sided yet single concentration of the thought on the idea, the perception, the vision, obstinatethe awakening touch, unflagging exercise —I mean exercise the soul's realisation of the one Divine. There must be a flaming concentration of the heart on the seeking of the All and Eternal and, when once we have found him, a deep plunging and immersion in the possession and ecstasy of the All-Beautiful. There must be a strong and immovable concentration of the willon the attainment and fulfillment of all that the Divine is and a free and plastic opening of it to all that he intends to manifest in us. This is the triple way of the Yoga.<ref>The Mother. (1972). On Education. In Collected works of the Mother Volume 12 (p. 398). Pondicherryhttp: Sri Aurobindo Ashram//incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/self-consecration#p18</ref>

The first step in concentration must be always to accustom {|class="wikitable" style= "background-color: #efefff; width: 100%;"|Read more about '''[[Concentration Compilation|Concentration]]''' from the discursive mind to a settled unwavering pursuit works of a single course of connected thought on a single subject and this it must do undistracted by all lures the Mother and alien calls on its attention. Such concentration is common enough in our ordinary life, but it becomes more difficult when we have to do it inwardly without any outward object or action on which to keep the mind; yet this inward concentration is what the seeker of knowledge must effectSri Aurobindo.|}

Nor must it be merely the consecutive thought of the intellectual thinker, whose only object is to conceive and intellectually link together his conceptions. It is not, except perhaps at first, a process of reasoning that is wanted so much as a dwelling so far as possible on the fruitful essence of the idea which by the insistence of the soul’s will upon it must yield up all the facets of its truth. Thus if it be the divine Love that is the subject of concentration, it is on the essence of the idea of God as Love that the mind should concentrate in such a way that the various manifestation of the divine Love should arise luminously, not only to the thought, but in the heart and being and vision of the Sadhaka.  The thought may come first and the experience afterwards, but equally the experience may come first and the knowledge arise out of the experience.  Afterwards the thing attained has to be dwelt on and more and more held till it becomes a constant experience and finally the Dharma or law of the being. This is the process of concentrated [[meditation]]; ==Practicing [[mediation]] or concentration using a sentence== ''Q: Mother, in the Friday Classes, you often read a sentence to us and ask us to meditate on it. But how should we meditate on a sentence? That is, should we think, meditate on the idea or... what should we do?'' The sentence is already a mental formation; the mental formation is made. The sentence is the expression of the mental formation. So when you meditate on a sentence, there are two methods. There is an active, ordinary external method of reflecting and trying to understand what these words mean, understand intellectually what the sentence means exactly —that is active meditation. You concentrate on these few words and take the thought they express and try, through reasoning, deduction, analysis, to understand what it means. There is another method, more direct and deep; it is to take this mental formation, this combination of words with the thought they represent, and to gather all your energy of attention on it, compelling yourself to concentrate all your strength on that formation. For instance, instead of concentrating all your energies on something you see physically, you take that thought and concentrate all your energies on that thought —in the mind, of course. And then, if you are able to concentrate the thought sufficiently and stop it from vacillating, you pass quite naturally from the thought expressed by the words to the idea which is behind and which could be expressed in other words, other forms. The characteristic of the idea is the power to clothe itself in many different thoughts. And when you have achieved this, you have already gone much deeper than by merely understanding the words. Naturally, if you continue to concentrate and know how to do it, you can pass from the idea to the luminous force that is behind. Then you enter a much vaster and deeper domain. But that asks for some training. But still, that is the very principle of meditation. If you are able to go deep enough, you find the Principle and the Force behind the idea, and that gives you the power of realisation. This is how those who take meditation as a means of spiritual development are able to unite with the Principle which is behind things and obtain the power to act on these things from above. But even without going so far —that implies a rather hard discipline, doesn’t it, a long-standing habit —you can pass quite easily from the thought to the idea, and that gives you a light and an understanding in the mind which enables you, in your turn, to express the idea in any form. An idea can be expressed in many different forms, in many different thoughts, just as when you come down to a more material level, a thought can be expressed through many different words. Going downwards, towards expression, that is, spoken or written expression, there are many different words and different formulas which may serve to express a thought, but this thought is only one of the forms of thought which can express the idea, the idea behind, and this idea itself, if it is followed deeply, has behind it a principle of spiritual knowledge and power which can then spread and act on the manifestation. When you have a thought you look for words, don’t you, and then you try to arrange these words to express your thought; you can use many words to express a thought, you tell yourself, “No, look, if I put this word instead of that, it would express what I am thinking much better.” That is what you learn when you are taught style, how to write. But when I give you a written sentence which has the power to express a thought and tell you to concentrate on it, then, through this thought-form you can go back to the idea behind, which can be expressed in many different thoughts. It is like a great hierarchy: there is a Principle right at the top, which itself is not the only one, for you can go still higher up; but this Principle can be expressed in ideas, and these ideas can be expressed in a great number of thoughts and this great number of thoughts can make use of many languages and an even greater number ofwords. When I give you a thought it is simply to help you to concentrate....  All this is to learn concentration, that’s all. Sometimes one of these sentences expresses a very deep truth. It is one of those happy sentences which are very expressive. So that helps you to find the truth that is behind.<Ref>The Mother. (1972). Questions and Answers 1957-1958. In Collected works of the Mother(pp. 381-383). Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram.</ref> ==Practicing concentration using objects==There are schools which put an object in front of you, a flower or a stone, or any object, and then you sit around it and concentrate on it and your eyes go like this (Mother squints) until you become the object. That too is a method of concentration. By gazing steadily like that, without moving, you finally pass into the thing you are gazing at. But you must not begin to gaze at all kinds of things: only gaze steadily at that. That gives you a look... it makes you squint.<Ref>The Mother. (1972). Questions and Answers 1957-1958. In Collected works of the Mother(pp. 381-383). Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram.</ref> =Obstacles to develop concentration= But the thought “What’s the use?” must not come in to weaken the will. The idea that one is born with a certain character and can do nothing about it is a stupidity.<ref>The Mother. (1972). Questions and answers, 1950-1951. In Collected Works of the Mother Volume 4 (p. 5).</ref> The mind is always in activity, but we do not observe fully what it is doing, but allow ourselves to be carried away in the stream of continual thinking. When we try to concentrate, this stream of self-moved mechanical thinking becomes prominent to our observation. It is the first normal obstacle (the other is sleep during meditation) to the effort towards Yoga.<ref>Sri Aurobindo. cwsa/29/concentration-and-meditation</ref> =References=Purity and concentration== Along with purity and as a help to bring it about, concentration. Purity and concentration are indeed two aspects, feminine and masculine, passive and active, of the same status of being; purity is the condition in which concentration becomes entire, rightly effective, omnipotent; by concentration purity does its works and without it would only lead to a state of peaceful quiescence and eternal repose. Their opposites are also closely connected; for we have seen that impurity is a confusion of Dharmas, a lax, mixed and mutually entangled action of the different parts of the being; and this confusion proceeds from an absence of right concentration of its knowledge on its energies in the embodied Soul. The fault of our nature is first an inert subjection to the impacts of things1 as they come in upon the mind pell-mell without order or control and then a haphazard imperfect concentration managed fitfully, irregularly with a more or less chance emphasis on this or on that object according as they happen to interest, not the higher soul or the judging and discerning intellect, but the restless, leaping, fickle, easily tired, easily distracted lower mind which is the chief enemy of our progress. In such a condition purity, the right working of the functions, the clear, unstained and luminous order of the being is an impossibility; the various workings, given over to the chances of the environment and external influences, must necessarily run into each other and clog, divert, distract, pervert. Equally, without purity the complete, equal, flexible concentration of the being in right thought, right will, right feeling or secure status of spiritual experience is not possible. Therefore the two must proceed together, each helping the victory of the other, until we arrive at that eternal calm from which may proceed some partial image in the human being of the eternal, omnipotent and omniscient activity.<ref>Sri Aurobindo. sabcl/20/concentration</ref>    =References=