I listen to HemiSync CD's (binaural beats embedded into ambient music) before and during meditation, but where am I supposed to focus my attention? On the music, the binaural beats themselves, or my breath?

When I meditate without the CD's I focus on my breath but lately I've been using them as "training wheels" since I have ADD and difficulty focusing my attention.

I don't want to develop a dependence on the CD's, so I'm thinking I should focus on my breath like I usually do, but am concerned it won't be as effective as focusing on the beats, yet the beats fluctuate and aren't always detectable. The music would be a good option, yet it fluctuates too. What do you guys (and ladies) think?

focus on breathing, quell mental chatter

Great advice. And very hard to do.

I find a nice hot bath beforehand helps - with the sole intent of clearing the mind.

That makes sense. Thanks. Using the HemiSync seems to make it easier to concentrate. Without it it is very difficult, but I've managed to go for about 10 min straight with very little to no conscious thought activity. I try to meditate for 10-45 min, 2X/day.

The binaural beats and brainwave frequencies will work on a subconscious level whether or not you pay attention to them. If you find that you can follow them down to alpha or theta waves faster by paying more attention to them, by all means go for it.

In general, any focusing you do is just a prelude to actual meditation. It is actually a form of contemplation that gets one ready for true meditation. This is due to the fact that it is easier to let go of one thought than it is to let go of 10 (or 10,000 as the chinese say). Thus, mantras, visualizations, NLP, breathwork and even watchfullness are means to an end, rather than the end, in and of themselves.

I would play with all the focus techniques. Once you develop a strong one-pointed awareness, letting go of thought will still be a hurdle, but one that will be much easier to surmount.

Candle staring is a good contemplation... As is moon staring. The recent full moon was wicked cool for that. Especially when it was right next to jupiter in the deep AM.

If I were you, I would find a pair of light goggles to play with as it is my experience that they increase the effect of brainwave entrainment considerably over purely audio methods. Plus, the visuals are bad ass.

My final thoughts on your post are that ADD is not something one has. It is not like herpes or cancer. It is a way of talking about the current level of your ability to concentrate. There may or may not be neurochemical or hormonal reasons for your restless mind. More likely you are just hyper aware of the fact that your mind is like a busy bee. Plenty of folks who think they have no attention issues, are confronted with how ridiculously hyperactive their minds actually are when they begin trying to meditate.

Whipping the monkey mind into shape, and getting it to help the inner sage on his quest is the ultimate work of all meditation techniques. Good luck with yours SpartanII.

All the best.

Thanks HF. I had a hunch that it works subconsciously too. This is good cuz I'm a lazy bastard.

I wish I could afford a nice Mind Machine, especially one with a ganzfeld/pink noise option. I had a photosonix but the LED glasses broke.

About the ADD- I agree with you. I don't know if it's physiological or not, but my poor concentration and memory has been the biggest hurdle in my life... until I got hooked on opiates. Now I'm double-fu*ked cuz I'm stupid and addicted.

Thank you for the tips and info. I have so much work to do.