Take heart. Everyone can find it difficult to concentrate, and our ability to do so can vary considerably according to circumstances and from one day to another.

The good news is that concentration can be cultivated. This is one reason why the environment in which we meditate can be helpful. In a meditation hall it is quiet, there is little external distraction, movement is restricted and people are not continually coming and going. These provide supportive circumstances in which to learn.

On retreat this is taken further. The normal demands of everyday life are reduced so that there is much less to distract us. This gives practitioners an opportunity to encounter more clearly what their own Heart/Mind brings forth.

For the beginner who does not have a temple next door, it helps to find a place in one’s own home where a meditation seat can be set up. Having a regular place to sit, as well as a regular time of day, can help enormously.

Habits are strengthened by regularity. Sitting in the same corner of the room, with your cushion or chair and, if appropriate, a small shrine area, creates familiar cues associated with meditation. Over time, simply taking up the posture in that familiar place can help the body and mind settle into the practice.