Expert: Justin Choo - 3/8/2005

Question
What techniques are there to help stop your mind from straying in meditation?

Answer
Hi Linda,
Thank you for asking me.

An untrained mind is an untamed mind.  It wanders forever.
 Tne mission of a meditator is to cultivate a good habit of taming this wandering mind.  The technique is to introduce an object for the mind to focus on, so that it doesn't wander around.  The Buddha introduced the contemplation of focusing our mind on the movements of our breath.  Breathing is a natural process.  When one breathes in, one focuses on the movement of air going through the tip of one's nose.  Likewise one focuses on the out-breath at the tip of the nose when breathing out.  This method is called mindfulness of breathing in and breathing out.   By constantly and patiently cultivating this mindfulness, one will gradually be able to bring the wandering mind to concentrate on the breathing.  Whenever one's mind wanders, one will bring it back to this process of mindfulness of breathing.  

Another popular method is to focus on the movements of the abdomen just below the navel while breathing in and out.  When one breathes in, one's abdomen rises.  Breathing out, the abdomen retracts or falls.  One contemplates on the rising and falling of the abdomen.  In this way, the mind is brought into concentration, through diligent practice.

There are, of course other methods.  The purpose is to bring the mind to focus on one object so that it doesn't wander.  So long as the mind can be brought to concentrate on one object, it doesn't matter which method one uses.  The object of concentration should be a neutral or wholesome object.

Hope I have answered your question.  Please come back if you need further clarification

Smile from justinchoo :-)