Attention VERSUS Distraction: How can we face what we ignore?

There is distraction and there is awareness. Distraction comes in its unlimited forms. Awareness, not so much. According to the Oxford English dictionary, distraction is defined as – “a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else. A diversion or recreation.” It’s amusing and important to note how in the Romanian language, distracţie means distraction at the same time that it can be used to explain having fun – hai sa ne distrǎm. Etymologically, within both languages, distraction is interestingly associated to fun. Which would then imply, why is it not fun to distract oneself? What happens when we don’t ignore or don’t face certain things?

Art | @dreamermagazine @prideaux

Observer J. Krishnamurti contemplates these existential questions in one of his interviews compiled in Total Freedom. He states:

“Most of us are aware of this emptiness, and we try to run away from it. In running away from it, we establish certain securities, and then those securities become all-important to us because they are the means of escape from our particular loneliness, emptiness or anguish. Your escape may be a master, it may be thinking yourself very important, and it, therefore, we cling to it desperately.”

The global Covid pandemic is a perfect example of being forced to sit with oneself indoors when conflicting feelings of separation come up. One may feel distant especially in times when everything comes to a literal halt. When certain discomforting sensations come up, we either run away from it or distract ourselves with entertainment until even the entertainer can no longer put on the same show. YouTube and Netflix can only do so much before an individual once again sits with themselves in the unknown territory of uncertainty and confusion. However in the midst of all the delusions, there is still a uniting underlying thread. There is a oneness between all beings, at a sub-particle level. Nikola Tesla explains how feeling cut off early on in life resulted in developing introspection which helped him see and understand life much more vividly. When there is nothing stable externally, one can always find and develop the inner totem pole. He states:

“From childhood I was compelled to concentrate attention upon myself. This caused me much suffering, but to my present view, it was a blessing in disguise for it has taught me to appreciate the inestimable value of introspection in the preservation of life, as well as a means of achievement. The pressure of occupation and the incessant stream of impressions pouring into our consciousness through all the gateways of knowledge make modern existence hazardous in many ways. Most persons are so absorbed in the contemplation of the outside world that they are wholly oblivious to what is passing on within themselves. The premature death of millions is primarily traceable to this cause. Even among those who exercise care, it is a common mistake to avoid imaginary, and ignore the real dangers. And what is true of an individual also applies, more or less, to a people as a whole.”

Artwork | @dreamermagazine @framezforyou

A shift in perception happens when one has the time to go into themselves deeper with no distractions. That’s when insights bloom, when we shift what’s out there from a refreshed internal perspective. There is no person out there for that person is you. There is no bird out there for that bird is also you. The wind. The mountains and hills. As the great English lecturer and observer, Alan Watts said:

“We do not “come into” this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree. As the ocean “waves,” the universe “peoples.” Every individual is an expression of the whole realm of nature, a unique action of the total universe. This fact is rarely, if ever, experienced by most individuals. Even those who know it to be true in theory do not sense or feel it, but continue to be aware of themselves as isolated “egos” inside bags of skin.”

In the bare and naked stillness, we are forced to face the fragility of it all. That it’s just the ego which creates the division between external and internal. Facing the truth may be uncomfortable at first, but it ultimately provides the strongest foundation. What are ways in which you distract yourself? And how to you come back to your essence?

Komboloi: A Meditative Practice, One Bead At a Time

You pass by a park in Romania, you’ll hear it – tac tac tac. You pass by an elderly man sitting on a stoop in a piaţa (city center), you’ll hear it again – tac tac tac. The sound of beads being counted or twirled around one’s finger. Commonly known as, komboloi, each pair has a story to tell. It’s very common among men to compare and share the stories of their origins since it was common to pass from one generation to another. Each is made in their own unique way although amber resin and coral are often preferred. Etymologically in the Greek language, komboloi means – in every knot I say a prayer. Although the beads are used more as a way to pass time, concentrate on the present or used in horă dances, it is important to note how beads throughout many cultures were used as a meditative practice. Many also use the beads as a way to quit self-sabotaging habits like smoking since the process alleviates the nervous ticks of needing something in between one’s fingers.

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These beads go by different names throughout many cultures. Sometimes called: mala, japa, rosary, begleri, or sacred beads. In essence, all have been used as a way to remain present with one self. To process one’s thoughts. Repeat a mantra. Say a prayer to each bead or simply count. In an article, The History of Mala Beads:

The significance of beaded jewlery has been a part of humanity since the beginnings of our time on Earth. At the very southern tip of Africa, in a cave known as Blombos, nassarius shell beads were discovered to have been strung on a chord and worn as decorative ornaments. These beads are believed to be from around 70,000 BCE and have provided archeologists insights into technological advancements and the comprehension of self – awareness in early humans.

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Each piece has a certain amount of beads. The most common Komboloi to have comes with a set of 33. Mala beads, common in India, Nepal and Southeast Asia, are traditionally composed of 108 beads. Both derive from cosmological principles and the ancient practice of numerology. For example, mathemeticians of Hindu Vedic cosmology believe the number holds the basis of creation. A number representing the universe, the wholeness of existence, and ultimate consciousness. It also holds astrological significance since there are 12 houses in our birth charts and 9 planets. The multiplication of 12 and 9 makes 108. One, by itself, signifies unison while 8 sideways represents infinity. The number 3 is also a very packed symbol. It resembles the mind-body-soul triad as well as the birth-life-death cycle. In Tarot, the Empress card which is part of the major arcana is associated with the number 3, which signifies abundance and a strong inner voice. The development of a strong inner voice is important to observe since many use beads to repeat mantra to each bead one counts.

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In an article, How Sacred Bead Rosaries Are Used in Various Spiritual Traditions, Dawn Boiani writes:

A key component of Buddhism, as well as Hinduism, is meditation: the act of consciously attempting to alter the way your mind works. If fixations are inherent to human nature, then to remove fixations and become enlightened is against our nature; and therefore, to overcome it and ascend, we must consciously clear our minds and shape them by our will and spirit, not by our innate tendencies to bicker and grumble and moan. Prayer beads are used to count breaths during a meditative session, to avoid exhausting oneself by meditating for too long, and to prevent you from concentrating overmuch on how long you’ve been meditating. Meditation refers to the quieting of a human’s chaotic mind, and the act of attuning a silent, patient mind to the greater universe; make yourself aware of your flaws, dispose of the desires that cause them, and become Enlightened. Easier said than done, and according to Buddhist traditions it can take hundreds of lifetimes to accomplish. The first rule of meditation is patience.

Whichever way one uses komboloi beads, it’s important to realize that it’s no longer just for men but for anyone to use. Traditionally it was expected that only men use them, especially older ones. However, it’s modern times now and it’s fair to observe that everyone has their own worries and need for presence especially in a fast-moving technologically driven world. Beads are a great way to contemplate, strengthen awareness, meditate or simply slow down the pace of fast-moving thoughts. It does take practice and patience, but just like we take things one day at a time, we can also take things one bead at a time.