It might seem counterintuitive, but intentionally tuning into what's distracting you can actually help strengthen your ability to focus.

In today's guided practice, meditation teacher Toby Sola introduces what he calls a "concentration algorithm." This practice will help you identify which type of sensory experience you are naturally drawn to, and then give you a structure for how to focus on it, so that you can quickly attain deep concentration.

Toby Sola is dedicated to helping you create a feedback loop between your meditation practice and your ability to make the world a better place. Toby has been teaching meditation for two decades and has refined his craft through years of monastic training and close collaboration with the world-renowned teacher Shinzen Young. He is an award-winning designer and founder of the Brightmind Meditation app.

Note that this practice includes long pauses of complete silence to give you time to spend in contemplation. If you want more time, feel free to pause the recording as you go.

The transcription of this guided meditation will be online at Mindful.org next week.

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Show Notes

Find more from Toby Sola and his company Brightmind here.

Go Deeper

Want to learn more about training your attention? Here are two articles we think you'll love:

• Paying Attention to the Space In Between
• Reclaiming Our Attention From "Convenience"

For more practice, try this 3-Part Focused Attention Meditation Series you can use to strengthen your focus when you feel distracted.

And more from Mindful here:

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