Volume
Vol. 4, Mental Purification
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9. Concentration
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1. Concentration
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Vol. 4, Mental Purification
9. Concentration
1. Concentration
The definition of the first grade is the fixing of one's thought upon one object. One should not concentrate upon just any object that comes along, for what one concentrates upon has an effect upon one. When one concentrates on a dead object it has the effect of deadening the soul; when one concentrates on a living object it naturally has a living effect. The secret of the teachings of all prophets and mystics is to be found in this.
The first way is by action. One makes a certain movement or performs an action which helps the mind to concentrate on a certain object.Another way is with the help of words. By the repetition of certain words one learns to think automatically of a certain object.The third way is with the help of memory. Memory is like a builder's yard. From this the builder takes anything he likes: tiles, pillars, bricks, whatever he wants. The man who concentrates in this way does the same as children who have bricks to build toy houses with. He collects things in his memory and with them he composes objects in order to concentrate on what he wishes.
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