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Lesson 14 - The Practice of Concentering - p. 82

Exercises in the concentering - Shutting out outside impressions - Conquering inattention - Cultivating will power - Training the body to obey the will - Volitional control of muscular movements - Not so easy of acquirements - Sitting still exercises - Controlling muscles of the arm --- Exercises - Steadying the muscles - Exercises - Cultivate equanimity and mental and physical ease - Examples-Getting rid of ugly habits of motion - Volitional attention - Exercises developing same - Direction for additional exercise - Concentered attention upon outside object - General explanation - Miscellaneous exercises.

A. The first requisite of concentering is the ability to shut out outside thoughts, sounds and sights; to conquer inattention; to obtain perfect control over the body and mind. The body must be brought under the direct control of the mind; the mind under the direct control of the will. The Will is strong enough, but the Mind needs strengthening by being brought under the direct influence of the Will. The Mind, strengthened by the impulse of the Will, becomes a much more powerful projector of thought vibrations, than otherwise, and the vibrations have much greater force and effect.

In these exercises I will begin with training the body to readily obey the commands of the Mind.

The first exercise, and one which must be mastered before the succeeding exercises are undertaken, is the control of the muscular movements. This, at first sight, may appear very simple, but a few experiments will convince you that you have much to learn. The following exercises will be of great benefit to you in acquiring perfect control of the muscles.

1. SIT STILL. This is no easy task. It will at first try your powers of concentering, to refrain from involuntary muscular