The Mind Illuminated: A Complete Meditation Guide Integrating Buddhist Wisdom and Brain Science for Greater Mindfulness

by Culadasa (John Yates)

STAGE THREE: EXTENDED ATTENTION AND OVERCOMING FORGETTING Stages Two and Three are similar, but mind-wandering gets shorter and shorter until it stops altogether. The biggest challenge during this Stage is forgetting, but sleepiness often becomes a problem as well. Goals: Overcome forgetting and falling asleep. Obstacles: Distractions, forgetting, mind-wandering, and sleepiness. Skills: Use the techniques of following the breath and connecting to extend the periods of uninterrupted attention, and become familiar with how forgetting happens. Cultivate introspective awareness through the practices of labeling and checking in. These techniques allow you to catch distractions before they lead to forgetting. Mastery: Rarely forgetting the breath or falling asleep.