Focus Points During Meditation/Yoga?

Question

Hello all,

I had a quick question for anyone who's experienced in yoga/mediation or even mindfulness as I have started these techniques for about a week now and I'm seeing great improvements, others view the positive changes as well. My question for you is during meditation or yoga would it be better to focus on something pleasant and calming such as a flowing stream or a crystal clear beach etc or, would it be better to focus on the things which trouble us, the things which we fear, the things which make us anxious? I have been using the calming method such as quiet peaceful nature scenarios and it's worth while but the thought that crossed my mind to provoke this question is that if meditation is meant for us to seperate feelings and emotions from rational thought and patience then wouldn't it be better for us to learn to calm down while focusing on these various troubling aspects? Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance:)

Answer 1

Meditation on the Breath: good for grounding yourself. Helps to ease emotional states, and increase compassion.

Meditation on the Third Eye: Good for clarity and insight

Meditation on an Object: Good for spiritual awareness and heightened consciousness.

Meditation on Mantras (potent sounds): opens the heart - this is also a devotional practice.

Metta Meditation: the meditation of Loving Kindness. Develop loving kindness in your life.

Meditation as Doing Nothing: Develops your WITNESS self (non-judgmental self-observation) and dispassion. For many, this is the most challenging technique.

For more information about these techniques see the link below.

Answer 2

"Our two minds .... One is an act of the emotional
mind, the other of the rational mind. In a very real
sense we have two minds, one that thinks and one that
feels" (Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence,
Bloomsbury Publishing, London, 1996, page 8).

The Upanishads call the emotional component of mind as
Chitta and the rational component of mind as Manas.

Focussing will clean Manas component of mind.
Meditation without focus will clean Chitta component
of mind. For example, you start chanting Om or Amen
in your mind focussing on it without deviation for about
five minutes. Then for then for the next five minutes,
think of any thing other than that word. Alow as varied imgination
as possible, but do not intentioanally think of that word.
Then for the next five minutes, repeat what you have
done in the first five minutes. And so on until you feel
relaxed.

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Answer 3

I do both depending on what I want accomplished by the meditation. Focusing on fears make you realize what those fears are and how to conquer them. The calming focus is to quiet one's mind. Hope this helps