Using focus to come back to peace of mind

One of the most valuable things we can have is peace of mind.

When we are not feeling peaceful, our mind may be racing, or we may be thinking obsessively, and we are likely feeling stressed and frantic.

Meditation, even for only a few minutes, can be the key to your peace of mind.

Have you ever had trouble concentrating on a project, or falling asleep at night because your mind is racing or you are obsessing over a problem?

It seems that the mind has a mind of its own! Meditation is a method to tame the mind and bring a sense of peace and serenity.

The next time your mind is moving like a locomotive, try this meditation technique: close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and then count your breaths. When you get distracted and lose track of the counting, gently refocus on your breathing and counting.

You will probably have to refocus many times, but that is okay – the important thing is to keep coming back to counting your breaths and be gentle with yourself rather than feeling frustrated.

The more you practice this technique, the longer you will be able to concentrate.

Another form of meditation to bring calm to your mind is the candle meditation. Just light a candle, relax, take a few deep breaths and concentrate on the candle flame.

The mind can only concentrate on one thing at a time, so when we keep focused on the candle flame, we let go of what is troubling us and gain a quiet mind.

The candle meditation has a similar effect as gazing at a fire in the fireplace – it is calming and peaceful.

We may not always have a candle handy to use for a meditation, but we can visualize one and we always have our breath and counting breaths can bring peace of mind.