Session 66: Refining Mindfulness of Breathing with Stability

“So with the man who has daily inured himself to habits of concentrated attention, energetic volition, and self-denial in unnecessary things. He will stand like a tower when everything rocks around him, and his softer fellow-mortals are winnowed like chaff in the blast.”1

In this short talk Alan gives these succinct instructions; “Have your concentration tight enough that there is not space for thoughts to take hold… Don’t give involuntary thoughts an inch.” He also discusses how to count the breath, rumination, and three sorts of thinking with a not-to-be-missed dog and newspaper analogy.

1 James, W. (1899). Talks to teachers on psychology: And to students on some of life's ideals. New York: Henry Holt and Company. P. 76.
This book is available as a searchable pdf of the first edition from: http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/JamesTalksToTeachersFirstEdition.html Note the copyright information.