Our brains are constantly being shaped by forces around us. This is neuroplasticity. Mindfulness training consists of exercises designed to reshape our brains.
Set realistic expectations. Incorporate meditation into a holistic wellness program which may include exercise, a good night's sleep, positive social connections, eating well, financial stability, pursuing what you love, etc.- all of which contribute to a heightened sense of well-being.
Practicing meditation 20 minutes a day is the general recommendation. As with exercise, the only "bad" session is the one you don't do. Even if the mind is busy and you find it challenging to sit, you are cultivating many desirable qualities:
Set the intention to meditate and commit to the practice takes strength of will & determination. Acceptance, non-judgmental awareness, and self-compassion are foundational attitudes practiced during meditation which are worth cultivating. "We accept how we are" means, we simply acknowledge that our minds are busy, if busy; calm, if calm; restless, if restless; difficult to redirect, if difficult to redirect etc. We also take inventory of our emotional states: relaxed, if relaxed, anxious, if anxious, etc.
The Attention Cycle model consists of 5 intervals. During your practice, you may experience a deep stillness or clarity, you may find yourself in a sleep-like state, or, more likely, you may cycle through these common stages which involve neural networks that connect different nodes (or parts) of the brain:
1. Sustained attention (Executive Network)
The Executive Network controls voluntary focusing of attention and monitors/resolves conflicts. This network helps us keep our attention on the object of focus (the object of focus could be the breath, a word, a thought, an image, a sound, a sensation).
2. Mind wandering (Default Mode Network)
The Default Mode Network is the default, or usual, state of mind. It is active during mind wandering and self-referential thinking (conditioned thoughts that orbit a constructed self).
3. Awareness of mind wandering (Salience Network)
This is the moment we realize our attention has wandered. The Salience Network is involved in error-processing, detects relevant stimuli and facilitates switching between networks
4. Letting go (Executive function) This is where we let go of whatever thought has distracted us- regardless of its intensity or emotional charge.
5. Re-orienting (Executive function)
We redirect our attention to the object of focus.
Effective meditation involves strengthening the executive network while reducing DMN activity. Studies show regular practice can enhance attentional control and reduce mind-wandering.
Mind wandering is common during meditation. The posterior cingulate cortex is active during this interval. This node is associated with mind wandering, disruption of attention, judgment, craving & aversion. Because it is so active, this habitual (or default) mode of thinking makes meditation challenging. Mind wandering is a spontaneous and natural function of mind. When we try to control, when we exert effort, when we judge our performance, when we resist what is alive in us at the moment, when we crave some imagined state (to be calmer, for example), when we try to be "good" meditators, we are simply reinforcing this habit.
When we realize the mind has wandered, then, we easily and gently return to the breath- letting go of whatever thought, sound, emotion, or sensation has distracted us. We reorient our attention back to the breath. You may find yourself doing this every few seconds. This is the training. We call this quality of bringing the mind back over and over ardency.
We are much too tolerant of mind wandering. The default mode can be creative, inventive, and imaginative- but for the purposes of the exercise- we don't engage with thoughts, no matter how compelling, no matter the emotional charge. There is a difference between thinking (a natural function of mind) and being engaged with thoughts (this is a choice). The mind will secrete thoughts moment by moment. We are aware, but we disengage. When we find we have been drawn away by a thought and carried along the thought stream to wherever it takes us, we again gently, but firmly, return the mind to the object of our attention.
At this important juncture, when we realize the mind has wandered, the salience network is activated. This network is involved in error processing. At this point, rather than judge our performance, criticize ourselves, or even determine to redouble our efforts to remain vigilant (all of which are characteristics of the default mode of thinking), we choose to simply let go, celebrating that we were aware, and easily, effortlessly, reorient the attention back to the breath. In this way, we strengthen the salience and executive networks. We train the mind. We recondition the mind. This switching leads to greater cognitive flexibility. This is a very helpful skill to cultivate as it may help us disengage from destructive, conditioned, habitual, or afflictive modes of thinking. If, for example, I have the conditioned thought, "I am lazy, worthless, weak, a failure, etc." I recognize it as a thought. I am no longer identified with it. I can observe it, acknowledge it, let it go, and reorient my attention to something else, challenge the thought, or substitute it with a more positive one. This is cognitive flexibility.
The default mode network is associated with rumination. In "The Danger of Brooding and Ruminating," Guy Winch lists 5 potential dangers of mind wandering:
1. Ruminations create a vicious cycle that can easily trap us. The urge to ruminate can feel truly addictive such that the more we ruminate, the more compelled we feel to continue doing so. 2. Rumination can increase our likelihood of becoming depressed, and it can prolong the duration of depressive episodes when we do have them. 3. Rumination is associated with maladaptive behaviors. Alcohol, tobacco, food, drugs, or other addictive behaviors take the edge off of the consistent irritability and sadness that result from our constant brooding and to manage the distressing feelings our ruminations elicit. 4. Rumination fosters negative thinking. Spending such a disproportional amount of time focusing on negative and distressing events can color our general perceptions such that we begin to view other aspects of our lives, including relationships. too negatively as well. 5. Ruminating increases our psychological and physiological stress responses to such a degree that it can actually put as at greater risk for cardiovascular disease.
When we sit to practice, we are forming and strengthening new neural pathways and connections. Neurons get broken down and built up like muscles. As with exercise, you may find yourself getting tired. This is normal. The inability to focus and sustain attention for extended periods is called the vigilance decrement. It is natural. But, just as muscle strength can be improved, so can attention.
Maintaining attention on the breath can be challenging if we do not appreciate its value. The teacher Prem Rawat says, Everything comes to us courtesy of the breath. Life itself dances within us because the breath touches us. It makes reading possible, mindfulness possible. Because it comes, we can enjoy all of our hobbies, our families, our friendships; we can pursue our careers and interests; we can love; we can celebrate this very brief and precious existence.
To breathe is a gift, then. We recognize it and experience a deep gratitude for what it brings. We receive the gift with deep appreciation.
Here's a simple training guide to get started:
Preliminary Practices (2-4 weeks)
Before attempting hour-long sessions, develop foundational skills:
Week 1-2: Building Basic Attention (15-20 minutes)
Choose a primary meditation object (breath sensations, visual object, or mantra)
Practice at the same time daily to establish routine
Label distractions simply as "thinking" and return to object
Use counting technique: Count breaths 1-10, then restart
When mind wanders, start counting again from 1
Week 3-4: Extending Duration (30-45 minutes)
Drop counting unless needed for re-establishing focus
Develop meta-awareness of attention quality
Note patterns of distraction without engaging
Practice "zooming in" on subtle aspects of chosen object
Main Practice: One-Hour Concentration
Preparation (10 minutes)
Create optimal environment:
Quiet space with minimal distractions
Comfortable temperature
Dim but not dark lighting
Firm cushion or chair supporting straight spine
Physical preparation:
Gentle stretching to release tension
3-5 deep breaths to settle nervous system
Establish stable, comfortable posture
Keep eyes slightly open to prevent drowsiness
Core Practice (60 minutes)
First Quarter (0-15 minutes)
Begin with broader awareness of meditation object
Allow attention to naturally settle
Use gentle persistence rather than force
Note but don't engage with initial mental activity
Second Quarter (15-30 minutes)
Refine focus on increasingly subtle aspects
Release unnecessary physical tension
Maintain light but firm attention
If concentration wavers, briefly return to counting
Third Quarter (30-45 minutes)
Cultivate interest in present-moment experience
Notice space between thoughts
Maintain relaxed alertness
Use micro-adjustments to refresh attention
Final Quarter (45-60 minutes)
Rest in stable attention
Maintain panoramic awareness
Allow concentration to deepen naturally
Appreciate moments of clarity
Working with Challenges
Mind-Wandering
Recognize it's normal (DMN activity)
Return to object without self-criticism
Note frequency and duration decreases with practice
Use mental noting if helpful
Physical Discomfort
Distinguish between pain and discomfort
Make mindful adjustments when needed
Include physical sensations in meditation object
Build gradual physical endurance
Drowsiness
Open eyes wider temporarily
Focus on upper visual field
Engage more actively with meditation object
Take deep breaths if needed
Restlessness
Acknowledge excess energy
Ground attention in body sensations
Use slightly firmer attention
Remember impermanence of all states
Progressive Development
Weekly Structure
Practice daily at same time
Alternate between:
5 days of one-hour sessions
2 days of 30-minute sessions for recovery
Monthly Progress
Month 1: Establish routine and basic stability
Month 2: Develop continuity of attention
Month 3: Refine quality of attention
Month 4: Work with subtle aspects of attention
Signs of Progress
Reduced frequency of mind-wandering
Faster recognition of distractions
Increased clarity of meditation object
Greater ease in maintaining focus
Natural interest in present-moment experience
Scientific Integration Points
Attention Network Training
Executive Network: Strengthened through consistent returning to object
Default Mode: Quieted through sustained focus
Salience Network: Refined through mindful monitoring
Neuroplastic Development
Regular practice creates sustainable changes
Benefits extend beyond meditation session
Attention gains transfer to daily activities
Improved emotional regulation as secondary benefit
Comments