If our attention wanders, the question is where it should rest

Most of us are afflicted more often than we'd like with what often is called "monkey mind."

Meaning, our attention is prone to flitting around from this to that to whatever, sort of like monkeys swinging from branch to branch in a seemingly aimless fashion.

But why is monkey mind a bad thing? Monkeys seem to have a good time in trees. Why are we humans so concerned about controlling our attention?

That's one of the themes in an article by Casey Cep in the January 30, 2023 issue of The New Yorker, Eat, Pray, Concentrate. The online version is titled What Monks Can Teach Us About Paying Attention: Lessons from a centuries-long war against distraction.
Download What Monks Can Teach Us About Paying Attention | The New Yorker

This is a book review of Jamie Kreiner's "The Wandering Mind: What Medieval Monks Tell Us About Distraction."

One thing they tell us is that we can't blame our own wandering mind on the internet, smartphones, television, digital games, or the other culprits we in the 21st century summon as reasons for our inability to focus.

Because back in the middle ages books were viewed with suspicion by many monks. 

Although books are rarely associated with distraction today, desperate as we are to escape our screens, they were objects of concern in early monastic circles—diversions that might need to be regulated as carefully as sexual urges. Monks hemmed and hawed about when and where and for how long it was appropriate to read.

In the fourth century, Evagrius Ponticus, himself an avid reader, described a common scene in the monasteries where he lived in Jerusalem and the Nile Delta: a monk who was supposed to be reading “yawns a lot and readily drifts off into sleep; he rubs his eyes and stretches his arms; turning his eyes away from the book, he stares at the wall and again goes back to read for a while; leafing through the pages, he looks curiously for the end of texts, he counts the folios and calculates the number of gatherings, finds fault with the writing and the ornamentation. Later, he closes the book and puts it under his head and falls asleep.”

Evagrius had a name for this inability to focus—acedia—and scholars now variously define it as depression (the so-called noonday demon) or spiritual ennui (a kind of sloth). Acedia wasn’t caused by books, exactly, since a monk could suffer from it even without reading, but the book was initially as suspect a technology as the smartphone is today.

For me the most interesting part of the article was the end, which is a discussion of what the monks feared being distracted from.

Such careful study of the mind yielded gorgeous writing about it, and Kreiner collects centuries’ worth of metaphors for concentration (fish swimming peaceably in the depths, helmsmen steering a ship through storms, potters perfecting their ware, hens sitting atop their eggs) and just as many metaphors for distraction (mice taking over your home, flies swarming your face, hair poking you in the eyes, horses breaking out of your barn).

These earthy, analog metaphors, though, betray the centuries between us and the monks who wrote them. For all that “The Wandering Mind” helps to collapse the differences between their world and ours, it also illuminates one very profound distinction. We inherited the monkish obsession with attention, and even inherited their moral judgments about the capacity, or failure, to concentrate. But most of us did not inherit their clarity about what is worthy of our concentration.

Medieval monks shared a common cosmology that depended on their attention. Justinian the Great claimed that if monks lived holy lives they could bring God’s favor upon the whole of the Byzantine Empire, and the prayers of Simeon Stylites were said to be like support beams, holding up all of creation. “Distraction was not just a personal problem, they knew; it was part of the warp of the world,” Kreiner writes. “Attention would not have been morally necessary, would not have been the objective of their culture of conflict and control, were it not for the fact that it centered on the divine order.”

Most people today, me included certainly, don't believe that their attention is necessary to bring God's favor upon their chosen religion and those who follow that faith. So the question becomes, what is deserving of our attention?

Perhaps that is why so many of us have half-done tasks on our to-do lists and half-read books on our bedside tables, scroll through Instagram while simultaneously semi-watching Netflix, and swipe between apps and tabs endlessly, from when we first open our eyes until we finally fall asleep.

One uncomfortable explanation for why so many aspects of modern life corrode our attention is that they do not merit it. The problem for those of us who don’t live in monasteries but hope to make good use of our days is figuring out what might.

That is the real contribution of “The Wandering Mind”: it moves beyond the question of why the mind wanders to the more difficult, more beautiful question of where it should rest. 

Everyone has to answer that question for themselves. My answer is quite simple: by and large, my attention should be focused on whatever my body is doing.

Right now I'm sitting in a chair in front of my MacBook Pro, composing this blog post. For about 35 minutes my mind has been focused on what my body is doing, pressing keys on my laptop's keyboard that form words and paragraphs.

Yes, a few minutes ago I got up, went to the kitchen, and ate a cookie. Once that minor distraction was over, I went back to finishing this post.

This is the essence of mindfulness, the way I've come to understand it. Paying attention to what our bodily senses are experiencing; keeping mind and body in sync; keeping in touch with the physical reality we're part of at any given moment.

When I'm lying in bed, heading off to sleep, I try to keep my mind focused on sleepy things. When I'm in my Tai Chi class, doing a form with my classmates, I try to keep my mind focused on my body's movements.

So unlike medieval monks, I don't consider that there's any one thing most deserving of my attention. That depends on the situation. When I'm watching TV, or scrolling through my Twitter feed, what's on a large or small screen is what I try to keep my attention on.

And because I've been guilty of not wholeheartedly listening to my wife and friends when they have something to say to me, I especially try not to be distracted when we're having a conversation. I could definitely do better on this front, but I think I'm making some progress on being a better listener.

Comments

[um]

It reminds me of an article written bij an american researcher on "sensory deprivation and meditation / inner experiences" .... "He wrote, if I remember well, that the brain in order to survive, needs to be stimulated, and if it is not offered by the senses it creates its own stimuli..

What is the function of the brain biological?

I would say, that as all creatures are "self maintaining" entities its function is related to well being and food.

Will power, generally is seen as the power to pay attention to things we are not interested in but it can also be define as the power that is released to pay attention to things that are desired and longed for [ food safety etc]

It must be difficult to concentrate on things that are not there in the moment, abstract concepts, and concepts that are not related to previous experience.

Let me state another time and without any intention to judge anybody, neither myself or others, that most of the time people give a SHT about teachers and teachings they are only, if honest after personal gratification of the body and mind.

There have been performed so many researches on attention by perception psychologists to find for example the right person for a certain task that needs long attention ..f.e. pilots etc. They are selected, having an abnormal reaction to prolonged exposure to boring stimuli as looking at radar screens ... they do not adapt = having their mind filtering out the stimuli that are judged as harmless and not offering food.

When the animal is satisfied and safe, it will lay down, stare and often sleep.

If satisfaction and safety is not there, by necessity there must be unrest.
To mentally be satisfied one needs to know what one wants, and craves for.
That question is not to be answered in the light of the world, searching here and there

etc.

Humans have their minds filled up with "conditioned desires" .. they are told so many things from early childhood on and they all believed and owned it.

Many if not most or all would never have had an incling for mysticism, god if they were not told, had from hearsay, many abstract stories about the welfare that it could bring

They are like drunk people that love to drink but hate the morning after hangover and worse.

[um]

> And because I've been guilty of not wholeheartedly listening to my wife and friends when they have something to say to me, I especially try not to be distracted when we're having a conversation. I could definitely do better on this front, but I think I'm making some progress on being a better listener.<<

When gardener starts out it is all about himself, being a "good and even more respected" gardener.

Over time his attention will shift from others and himself to the plants.

Then, ... then the only concern he has will be and satisfaction been found, in the welfare of the plants, using his knowledge, "love" and devotion, to help THEM to grow
to their full capacity and bloom

[um]

>>So unlike medieval monks, I don't consider that there's any one thing most deserving of my attention.<<

The whole thing is to be found in the word "Deserving"

Everything out there is there because of YOU attributing meaning and value.
Your wife doesn't deserve the attention of nothing and nobody.
If she gets the attention of something and somebody then, that is because something and somebody chose to give it for their own reasons.

The coffee that I drink is tasty because of me ... I am the taster

Jamun GAVE his love to Laula.
His friends could not because they were thinking, thinking that She had FIRST to offer something they considered as valuable, status, good looking etc etc.

These mystics were clever very clever ... they said as giver you can give to whatever you want EVEN to your enemies .... hahahaha.

Love, respect, faith, value meaning ... you name it are all personal GIFTS

GIFTS
GIFTS
GIFTS

[SantMat64]

"Most people today, me included certainly, don't believe that their attention is necessary to bring God's favor upon their chosen religion and those who follow that faith."

Actually the quote referenced was about monks using prayer to bring favor to the Byzantine empire, not "their chosen religion."

Perhaps the chaotic and confused state of Oregon is explained by so much of their citizen's mindfulness being sidetracked to Twitter and like solipsistic twiddlings.

Religions, such as RSSB and Sikhism, had a better idea for dealing with the wanderings of the mind: seva.

[Brian Hines]

SantMat64, I assumed that everyone knew that in the middle ages in Europe, Christianity was the state religion and permeated every aspect of life. But it appears you don't know that. I'm always pleased to share the truth with people.

So here's the opening paragraphs of the Wikipedia article about the Byzantine Empire. Next time, you should seriously consider using Google to educate yourself before criticizing me or anyone else for something that you're wrong about.

Note that Christianity became the state religion in the Byzantine Empire and other religions were forbidden. So praying for the Byzantine Empire was indeed praying for the success of Christianity. See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empire
------------------------------
The Byzantine Empire,[note 1] also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinople. It survived the fragmentation and fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD and continued to exist for an additional thousand years until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453. During most of its existence, the empire remained the most powerful economic, cultural, and military force in Europe.

The terms "Byzantine Empire" and "Eastern Roman Empire" were coined after the end of the realm; its citizens continued to refer to their empire as the Roman Empire, and to themselves as Romans[note 2]—a term which Greeks continued to use for themselves into Ottoman times. Although the Roman state continued and its traditions were maintained, modern historians prefer to differentiate the Byzantine Empire from Ancient Rome as it was centred on Constantinople instead of Rome, oriented towards Greek rather than Latin culture, and characterised by Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

During the high period of the Roman Empire known as the Pax Romana, the western parts of the empire went through Latinization, while the eastern parts of the empire maintained to a large degree their Hellenistic culture. Several events from the 4th to 6th centuries mark the period of transition during which the Roman Empire's Greek East and Latin West diverged. Constantine I (r. 324–337) reorganised the empire, made Constantinople the capital, and legalised Christianity. Under Theodosius I (r. 379–395), Christianity became the state religion, and other religious practices were proscribed. In the reign of Heraclius (r. 610–641), the empire's military and administration were restructured, and Greek was gradually adopted for official use in place of Latin.

[808]

I’m going on a silent retreat this summer at the oldest abbey in the United States. IT’s unstructured and welcoming of people of all faiths. Only 30 people allowed at a time because that’s the number of rooms they have. Nothing is mandatory other than silence (except in designated areas at designated times. There are 1,500 acres of walking trails.

I’ve never been on a silent retreat before (but oh, how I do love silence). I’m curious to see the impact it will have on my mind’s ability to center itself. My house is always full of people… it’s nice to have company I guess, but it comes with a lot of noise.

We’ll see!

There are numerous variations of silent retreats all over the world—each with a different flavor. Many available in the US too. Some are expensive and some just take donations.

[um]

@ 808

This is about an experimental retreat with one of the last desert fathers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXqJc9Qlujw

The next Stop.

[um]

P.S.
He was a previous Australian atheist lecturer in philosophy

So their is hope ... hahaha ...

[808]

Thanks, um! I watched a little of it and will finish it as soon as everyone goes to bed. Will let you know what I think. So far, it looks very interesting. Ascetic Christians were much too severe for me but their stories are worth noting. Don’t think it’s necessary to go to extremes to become one with your source. God is in everyone. We learn a lot about God and ourselves through our interactions with ALL of the people around us.

And I think you know by now that I’m more of a “balance” person. Hate the dessert too (even though I think it’s very beautiful in its own way—I’m more of a tropical weather person 😉).

Thanks, though… it’s amazing what people will go through in their search for meaning.

[808]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the founder of RSSB was an ascetic hermit. He meditated alone in a hut for 17 years before he had the revelation to start RS. Or something like that…

Most new philosophies start off with men and women like that.

Again, correct me if I’m wrong. My RS history might not be completely accurate.

[808]

@um

My goodness, I forgot how guilt obsessed the Catholic religion is. That was fascinating. Funny how “white” their Jesus was (Jesus definitely wasn’t white).

I liked watching it. Didn’t seem so bad on the surface. I mean, a cozy cave, Turkish coffee and no spouse or kids for three weeks—what more could you want. 😂

But he was faced with his own demons, which I do believe are self generated based on each individual’s personal values.

Some might find that stay in the desert much easier than he did and some would find it even more difficult. We’re all different.

But, good Lord, let go of the “sinner’s guilt”! Yuck. No one can progress by constantly beating themselves up.

[um]

@808
>>Some might find that stay in the desert much easier than he did and some would find it even more difficult. We’re all different.https://catholicstrength.com/tag/the-mystical-theology-of-saint-john-of-the-cross/

[um]

@808
Again, on pressing the "post" button what I wrote disappeared in the ether and only the last entrance appeared.
Sorry.
Obvious ...XCVXCV .. doesn't want me to post it ... hahaha
So be it.

[Dolus]

I asked Chat GPT OpenAI the question, "Is Gurinder Singh guilty"? Here was its immediate response:

"Gurinder Singh Dhillon is a spiritual leader and the head of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB), a spiritual organization based in India. He has been accused of financial irregularities in connection with loans made by his family to certain entities that are linked to RSSB. However, whether or not he is guilty of these accusations is still under investigation by Indian authorities and has not been proven in a court of law."

"In 2020, the Supreme Court of India appointed a retired judge to oversee the investigation into the allegations against Dhillon and his family. The investigation is ongoing, and no formal charges have been filed against Dhillon as of my knowledge cutoff in 2021."

"It is important to note that accusations and allegations should be treated with caution and that guilt or innocence should be determined through a fair and impartial legal process."

Apparently the fears about AI's amorality were unfounded, as here we see it has a far more moral and indeed sensible outlook than some of our RS critical pundits. (You know, like telling the world GS is guilty and murdering his wife to keep her silent).

Hey, let's follow up with GPT on that! GPT, did Gurinder Singh murder his wife?

"I have no information or evidence to suggest that Gurinder Singh Dhillon, the spiritual leader and head of Radha Soami Satsang Beas, has been accused of or implicated in any way in the murder of his wife. In fact, I have found no credible sources suggesting that Gurinder Singh Dhillon's wife was murdered at all."

"It's important to remember that accusations and rumors should be treated with skepticism unless there is credible evidence to support them. Making unfounded accusations can harm the reputation of an individual and cause unnecessary distress to their family and loved ones. It's always best to rely on credible and verified sources for information."

[um]

>>It's always best to rely on credible and verified sources for information.<<

HAHAHAHA

To maintain peace of mind one has to believe others are acting in your best interests, otherwise one would not even take a plane or participate in traffic.

Often we even do not know why we are doing certain things, why certain thoughts and feelings are in mind, let alone that we ever will know what is going on in the minds of others.

Humans live by survival strategies ... they have to, they are made to use them.

The existence of so called higher good's and interests, forces people to make decisions and take actions, that otherwise would be labeled as "criminal".

[Chris Rock]

Sadhguru said Will Smith is a good person.

[808]

Dolus,

Are you holding a grudge?

[Bye]

Nobody needs a grumpy grudgey guru.

[JustThis]

In my experience when you start the practice of being present you need something to help you stay there. But as your practice develops being present comes first, and whatever enters into that open space: sensations, emotions, thoughts, etc is secondary. Losing the present is very interesting. There's no curb or speed bump that you go over that alerts you to the fact that you are mind wandering. And you never know that you are mind wandering until you 'snap back' into the present, then you know you were 'away. It's just like falling asleep. You never see yourself fall asleep and you only know you've been asleep when you wake up.

[808]

@JustThis

Very true. It’s similar to dreaming except you’re waking up into a different state of consciousness.

[JustThis]

"This is the essence of mindfulness, the way I've come to understand it. Paying attention to what our bodily senses are experiencing; keeping mind and body in sync; keeping in touch with the physical reality we're part of at any given moment."

This is where I differ. For me it seems that there is a difference between 'paying attention' and 'being present'. While the two states can be listed under mindfulness 'paying attention' seems to include an object or target, whereas 'being present' is open. When science studies mind wandering vs mindfulness they look at how closely or continuously you are paying attention to an object or target and overlook the mind state where you are simply being present. Mindfulness is more than "keeping in touch with physical reality",

[808]

There is definitely a difference between paying attention and being present. Mindfulness isn’t a leave-your-body-awareness kind of practice but it’s good for certain things.

One of the reasons people use drugs and alcohol—that detachment from the body can feel almost blissful.

Not encouraging the use of drugs and alcohol to achieve this, though.