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I find it very hard to concentrate fully during Shemoney Esray. When I concentrate on one Brocho, then my mind starts to wander soon thereafter. Why is that? If we truly believe that we are Davening to Hashem, our minds would not wander. Care to share your thoughts?
Old problem…
I think tosafos talks somewhere about an automatic modem
That and getting robot hits.
The answer is in the posuk, Raedy your heart to stand before Hashem. First you get up in the morning the correct way. Wash your hands 3 times correctly and think about what you’re doing. Getdressed and say brochos carefully. Walk out to shul and say Hoidu LaShem Ki TOv, that you are up and about. Put on tefilin with thought. Daven until shemonei esrei with thought. At Mincha and Maariv, wash your hands before davening. I’m telling you. This works.
hold your siddur up very close to your eyes. & then you will not be distracted by the people around you 7 who they are what they do etc…
I used my 30 seconds with Rav Shtienman to ask him for a brocha for this.
Concentrate on 1st Benediction of Amidah.
If we truly believe that we are Davening to Hashem we would always arrive on time at Shul, which by definition for Shacharis means 5 minutes early, so that we have Tallis & Tefillin on before commencement of services, and no cell phone would ever go off in Shul, nor would anyone ever answer a cell phone in Shul.
An extremely common problem, with many different possible solutions. The important thing is to keep trying new ways to improve. There’s a whole book about this subject, Kavanah by R’ Seth Kadish. Also, there are many long Mi Yodea answers about this subject.
Slowing down, adding petitions in your own words, closing your eyes, pausing in between each phrase to focus your attention on Hashem (or fill yourself with awe or love or yearning for Him), concentrating on the translating and saying it with feeling and expression and even hand gestures as if you’re really meaning what you’re saying, pray for a few minutes each day in your own words for Hashem to have mercy on you and help you to improve your kavanah (any time, but right before davening is a good time), etc.
That’s just a few ideas — there are many more. Try them all. Something will work.
Take a course in meditation.
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