With an intro like that I better deliver!

All of the following concentration tips are simple yet highly effective. The most effective tips for upgrading your mind are always the simplest.

All of the techniques I deliver have to do with achieving a state of alert relaxation. Or in other words a highly alert quiet mind. Think of a cat waiting to catch a mouse as it stares endlessly at the rodents cave. It is highly alert, yet relaxed and its mind is unbelievably clear and present.

Okay keep your head on your shoulders, here we go.

The ancient technique

For thousands of years yogis have worked to improve their concentration and that means one thing for you—huge benefit. You do not have to subscribe to a particular belief system or spend your life meditating to benefit from these techniques. The way I teach these techniques here are extremely straight forward and practical.

This technique—called trataka—is just about focusing all of your attention onto one point which causes your mind to be absorbed and silent itself. There is research behind the technique as well. Forty one boys from SDM Ratnamanasa Residential Hostel Ujire ages 14-16 were selected to preform trataka for 30 days to test the effects on attention and concentration and showed significant improvement.

Now there are three stages of trataka...

The first stage is using an object. You focus 100% of your attention on the object and become fully immersed. At first you may notice a ton of thoughts, just keep with it, it's normal.

The second stage is to stare at a candle flame. Once you stare at a candle flame for long enough, an after image starts to form, once you can tell there is an after image, blow out the candle and focus on the after image until it disappears. This prepares us for the next step which is...

Doing trataka with your eyes closed focusing on an image in your visualization. Once you master this, you will have almost unlimited attention and concentration. It's hard... the image can break, change, warp, or disappear in any way—try it!

A newer technique

With all the available products and courses on attention now, there is too much info to test it all yourself. Most of them show little results for the work you put in—this is especially true for games. You can not get real world attention, memory, or any other type of improvement from a game. It is impossible.

The newer technique has two parts, relaxation (temporary) and exertion.

Step 1: Relaxation

Close your eyes and mentally scan your body slowly, almost sending a wave of attention through your body relaxing everything it passes. Do this for a few minutes relaxing everything in your body deeper and deeper. As you open your eyes you will notice the world is a lot "fresher" already.

Step 2: Exertion

You will eventually be able to go straight into this state but for now do both steps. All you have to do for this step is to bring the relaxed feeling into something you are learning. Then try to keep this state for as long as possible. Your retention and comprehension will all increase as well.

Hope this helped!

Brandon