"The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus." -Alexander Graham Bell

We're all too familiar with attention deficit disorder. Maybe you have it or your partner has it or your child has it. Whether officially diagnosed or not, it seems everyone these days has a little ADD. If you're in school, an inability to focus the mind can cause frequent classroom disruptions, poor academic performance, and issues with following rules or completing required tasks. If you're in the work force, mental restlessness can cause absenteeism, lateness, below-average productivity, missed deadlines, and senseless conflict.

ADD is an age-old human obstacle. Even thousands of years ago, the yogis knew that focusing the mind was quite the challenge. As the ancient text the Upanishads states, "Hold the reins of our mind, as you would hold the reins of a restive horse." This was written in a much simpler time without the over-stimulation of advertisements, ringing gadgets, and triple-shot lattes. In the craziness of the modern world, it’s harder than ever to tame the brain. Here are some thoughts (not prescriptions) on how to focus the mind naturally and enhance your grades, standing at work, and/or overall quality of life. 

1. Find your Purpose

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive." –Harold Whitman

Finding your purpose in life is not something that’s taught in school. But of the seven energy centers defined by the yogis as chakras, the very first chakra relates to finding your purpose. Just as a plant that's not rooted in the earth fails to blossom, a human being not rooted in a sense of purpose fails to grow in any particular direction. Whether you're a hyperactive eight-year-old kid or a 45-year-old struggling at work, if you're not connected with your purpose, your mind is bound to bounce off the walls. So take the time to isolate yourself from the errands, goals, phone calls, and emails in order to ask yourself the tough questions that ponder the deep issues. "What do I care most about? Am I doing what I love in life? Are my priorities out of whack?"

2. Find Your Passion

"Chase your passion, not your pension.” -Denis Waitley

How do you find your purpose? Consider getting a little more in touch with what you love most in life. There is a mental state defined as "flow." You reach a state of flow when you're doing that thing you love most…listening to music, playing with a particular toy, eating a great meal, writing a poem, running a race. Studies show that when you reach flow, you feel a sense of oneness with the environment, you lose track of time, and you are almost impossible to distract.* Granted it's difficult to always be in flow, but embracing your passions more often can do a number on a restless mind.

3. Take the Inside Lane

"We must combine the toughness of the serpent with the softness of the dove, a tough mind, and a tender heart." -Martin Luther King

I once took a Tai Chi class from a very respected teacher. He described how one should strive to move at a calmer and more controlled pace. This pace can be seen in elite athletes and advanced meditators. Scientists call it "calm hypernawareness." The Tai Chi teacher compared it to running the inside lane in a track meet. A focused mind turns a tight corner and operates with proficiency and resolve. Next time your mind is cluttered with excess thoughts that make it hard to focus, think of those excess thoughts as runners in a track meet. You want to nudge them to the outside lane and assert yourself on the inside lane.

4. The Magic Block

I normally wouldn’t tell you to go out and find yourself a yoga block, but the following is simply amazing. If you don’t have a yoga block and you want a $5 tool for relaxing the mind and melting into never-never land, try your local yoga studio or sporting good store and pick one up. Look for a block that’s relatively solid. Some blocks are soft and mushy, which makes this exercise difficult.

-With the block in hand, lie down on your back.

-Lift your hips in the air.

-Place the block underneath you. If possible, try putting the highest edge of the block facing up. If that's too much, place the block on a lower edge.

-The block should rest comfortably right at your sacrum, which is where you'd wear a belt. Relax your back against the block. This should feel wonderful. If the block is pinching or uncomfortable, keep adjusting it until you find the comfort zone.

-Relax for a few minutes and observe how it's just the right balance of sensation and relaxation in order to put the mind at ease.

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