By meditation I mean, "Mindfully focusing your attention on a specific focal object for a period of time." It's about training your mind to consciously focus your attention. It's that straightforward. A focal object in meditation can be the sensations of breathing, a mantra or focusing phrase, the stream of your thoughts and feelings, the presence of God, a blank wall, or a candle flame. Focusing on chosen focal objects develops your ability to pay attention, be present, and fully engage with what you are doing. "Mindfully" in the definition means that you exercise "mindfulness" during meditation. Mindfulness means, "paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, without judgment." In other words, you adopt the attitude of a curious observer, just noticing what is happening without judging it as "good or bad." A non-judgmental attitude enables you to see more clearly, instead of reacting from fear, bias, or prejudice-which...
