4.5.2 Exercise 2

Now decide to concentrate mentally on a cat (or other object) for five minutes. ``Look at the clock and make a note of the time. Tell yourself that you are going to keep the cat idea in mental focus for five minutes. Don't think about the time, but make a note of it. After a while you will suddenly realize that you are thinking of something else - note the time - and have forgotten the, cat in the meantime. Try to find the cause of this. Was it due to a drift beginning with milk, mouse, whiskers or any others of the hundred; direct association standing around the cat? Was it due to the intrusion into the mind of bodily discomfort, disturbed breathing, sense receptions through hearing, sight, smell or touch? Was it due to a thought of failure in your experiment, or to wondering-if-you-can, or anxiety about something, hurt pride, anger, fear, discontent, timidity, worry or anything of this kind? Do this exercise every day for at least a week and observe the increase of the period of concentration.