Attention span can be conditioned with frames that include temporal options.
One good conditioning is well defining the conditions of Satisfaction for any kind of conscious effort of focus.
When we consciously focus, our subconscious should handle the attention span and keep the attention on the subject or inner work until it is enough or it is detrimental to keep going.
We can’t impose our mind to solely focus on one point, as our unconscious mind has to operate many mechanisms that are vitally important. But we can frame it around the subject that we chose while allowing it to keep its vital duties going on. Otherwise it will resist in our effort of meditation and concentration.
Some problems with directing and keeping attention on any subject, until the mind, consciousness and the energy is concentrated; arise when the target of attention is related or hold inherent stress. Which is not always felt, but time to time triggered with the energetic activation that is caused by willful attention. This should be maintained along with regular practices about stress management to have a good Attention Span and Frame.
When we use the term Attention Span, most of the time we understand it as the temporal duration of focus.
But with the term ‘Frame of Attention’ we define it as
The limitations and conditions that we put on the act of Attending. Such as;
Temporal Frame
Contextual / Semantic Frame
Frame of Depth
Temporal Frame
We can define the temporal frame according to the needs that are imposed by the nature of the problem or intention.
Temporal frame is concerned with these items; Duration, Causality-Conditionality, Rhythm-Regularity, Breaks and Period…
Time
When we should attend the target which can be a Subject, Object or Direction
Duration
How long we should keep our attention on the target to fulfill the need.
Conditionality
The periods of attention don’t have to be fit to some temporal scale such as “two times per week”, or “every day” for most subjects, but can also be conditional.
For example;
“if x happens and then I will attend to x until enough”,
“I will meditate on this subject until I can write an essay on it”
“I will meditate here and now until I have an insight / inspiration for the solution for x problem”
Regularity
Whether regularity of attention is necessary across the time
How much regularity is demanded and why?
Breaks
We need brakes to efficiently attend to anything in awake state. For most of the time waking state efficient attention span is 20 minutes as applied in Pomodoro technique.
Our level of immersion with the subject may not require frequent breaks.
But in some meditative and trance states such brakes are not needed that frequently and we can prolong our attention span.
Contextual / Semantic Frame
As attention tends to wander, we can also define some keywords to condition, this wandering around without going astray. As forcing our consciousness to solely focus on a point or object would mean extreme abstraction, which is not the purpose of understanding.
As understanding without grounding to reality would mean a futile effort of thought that goes nowhere. We can understand anything if it’s within a context [1]. This is why we should define a semantic frame so that when the mind wanders around, it will at least wander around to create the necessary connections that have true relation to the task at hand/mind. So we don't get carried away.
This framing can work wonders with people who can't properly concentrate on anything.
We should also consider the parts of mind that are tend to think in comparison as well as the parts that think in a dialectic fashion (thinking about anything with it's seemingly or true opposites). Especially for such mental parts, intending to focus on solely one target is futile, as they automatically invoke anything with it's opposite, as some things couldn’t be understood properly without the opposite
This automatic process is not something we should cancel or muffle but cherish as it has a grounding effect along with a form of relation that extends to whole universe.
The common misconception that this is a dual form of thinking is just an impractical myth that is detrimental for our meditative practice. This is actually our starting point towards uniting the opposites to have a broader understanding that extends to the far reaches of our mind in an infinite universe. This fact also makes healing, development and improvement possible along with the added creativity and acceptance.
We can also define our semantic frame with questions, acts, events, relationships and concepts that are tied to our intention or target (SOD).
Frame of Depth
When framing in terms of depth we should not over extend from our limits, but still have a connection to our innermost parts which are essential for existence and witnessing as well as thinking. This means that we should attend from the innermost along with our inner and outer senses. This needs
separate practice.
In Meditative and Healing practices we should always start with invocation of God and center to our Innermost / Divine-Spiritual Self and re-extend to
universe. This will be explained in more detail with the examples and another article of it’s own.