Hit The Bullseye

The mind with its ability to focus sharply and pointedly can assist humans to achieve their goals, says Jamuna Rangachari

- Jamuna Rangachari

“The powers of the mind are like the rays of the sun. When they are concentrated, they illumine.” - Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda, while in America, once saw some boys who were standing on a bridge and trying to shoot at eggshells floating on the river. They couldn’t succeed in hitting the target however hard they tried. Then, Swamiji took their gun and aimed at the shells. He fired twelve times and every time he hit an eggshell. It was the one and only time he used a gun. The boys asked Swamiji how he did it. He replied that whatever they did, they needed to concentrate their whole mind on it. Then they would never miss. Also, while they learned their lessons, they should think only of the lesson and nothing else.

As a child, I saw how a magnifying glass could burn a piece of paper when the rays of the sun were focused through it on one point. The fire could only be ignited when the sun’s rays were concentrated on a small point. When the magnifying glass was moved too far away or too close to the paper, the rays were not focused enough and nothing happened.

This experience describes vividly how the power of concentration works. It is a skill which enables you to fix your attention on one single thought or subject while excluding from your awareness everything else. When we focus our mind, we conserve our energies and do not dissipate them on irrelevant thoughts or activities. This is why developing concentration is vital for anyone aspiring to be more efficient and take charge of their life. This skill is vital for every kind of success.

What is concentration?