How Can I Stay Focused And Avoid Distractions?

[With English interpretation] Ven. Pomnyun Sunim's (법륜스님) Answer to “How can I stay focused and avoid distractions?”
A question chosen from the weekly Sunday meditation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim(법륜스님).

Peace of mind is only one step away.
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Transcript

How can I keep focused without going through tunnels of various thoughts?

There's no way.

I guess there could be people who actually can do this.

But what I'm saying is there's no kind of prescriptive way in which I can tell you that will allow you to not have any thoughts and concentrate immediately.

Because thoughts arise automatically.

The important thing is for you not to chase after them.

So you have to go to that stage in which these thoughts,

Even if they arise automatically,

Do not bother you.

And within enough practice,

You'll get to that stage when these thoughts become ephemeral,

Or you don't chase after them,

Even if they become concrete to you.

So this question is similar to a question in which somebody asked,

How can I keep focused without going through tunnels of various thoughts?

I climb a tall mountain without my legs aching or hurting.

Basically,

You are trying to get at the end state without going through the process to get there.

That's why what I recommend is a consistent and constant practice.

And why do you need to be so anxious about or hurried in order to,

I know you're sitting down and you're not doing anything.

And what's so difficult about that?

And so all you have to do is just be comfortable and be constant and consistent.

So you feel impatient or hurried or anxious or disappointing because you're greedy.

You want to get to the result,

The end state,

Without actually going through the practice.

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