Single pointed focus.

Oct 2010

Pre- NDE in 2011, my deteriorating health and meaningless marriage were my primary focus points. My prayers were a search for solutions to these two problems. Starting 2005 I had built up a routine of chanting slogam and/ or mantras for one hour each in the morning and evening. In the morning, I chanted to lord Ganesha and one deity each day; as in chant to goddess Lakshmi on Friday, to Hanuman on Saturday, Lord Shiva on Monday etc.  In the evening, chanting ‘mrutyam jaya’ mantra gave me lot of purpose.

The experience

Once while I was chanting in the evening, I heard a voice in my mind. It suggested that I choose one problem to solve first – health or marriage. I choose health.  After hearing this advice, my sankalpam changed from “Give me strength to handle my life” to  “I should be able to run and catch a bus.”  My physical body was quite frail. Given that regular walking was a task, running was a very huge ask.  

I believe this was Grace pointing out the importance of single pointed focus. After choosing health, the next year was tumultuous. Grace carried me through it all – the hospital visits, multiple tests, the surgery, everything.  Honestly, I do not remember the details now. The details don’t matter. What matters is the mindset. 

Looking back in 2024

Life seems to be a cauldron of thoughts, emotions and actions. Underneath all is Grace. She is a field of existence. Like gravity or magnetism, I suspect there are spiritual laws in place. These spiritual laws stay consistent across beings. It doesn’t care for religion or race or labels. It responds based on your awareness levels. 

“Ask and you shall receive” – Matthew 7:7

Meditation, as a tool set ,facilitates single pointed focus. To meditate, one needs discipline – both physical and mental. Physical discipline refers to the ability to allocate a consistent time and make an effort to sit down to meditate. Mental discipline is the ability to control your thoughts and focus on your breath or mantra. There are countless times when my mouth was chanting a mantra but the mind was locked in a story. Inevitably it is at my deepest moments of sorrow that my mind disappears and allows me to experience a true surrender to the moment. Any prayer expressed at that moment has always fructified. 

Prayer, like sleep, is also an entrance into the subconscious.

-Neville Goddard in Feeling is the Secret.

Curious about the author? Read an introduction here.