Concentration is the Sixth Factor of Awakening. Deepening our concentration and quieting our minds provide stability of attention, which is necessary to see deeply into the nature of mind and body. With a focused mind, we see more clearly the coarse and refined places of attachment. It is only through seeing that we are able to let go—and letting go is the end of clinging, the cause of suffering.

For most of us, the development of concentration, an undistracted quality of mind, takes time. There are some people who seem to have a natural ability, and can settle right into it, but from my own experience, settling into a quiet and undistracted mind doesn’t always come naturally. When the mind is quite scattered or distracted, and we’re struggling to keep bringing it back, it is very difficult to develop penetrating insight.

Through sustained practice, we are able to let go of the struggle to keep coming back; and this letting go of the struggle is our first step towards that penetrating insight. That is why developing a consistent dedicated personal practice is so important–it becomes increasingly easier to let go of the struggle. Consistency in practice is the foundation for the cultivation of this important skill. We all can develop a deepening power of concentration and attentiveness through our determination and inspiration—I invite you to be determined and inspired.