“[A] state in which cognitive resources are focused on certain aspects of the environment rather than on others and the central nervous system is in a state of readiness to respond to stimuli” (APA, 2024). A Buddhist definition: “Attention has the unique function of causing the mind, along with its concomitant and associated processes, to remain focused on its object without forgetting (or losing) it. Intentionality moves towards an object in general, while attention moves the mind towards the particularities of an object and holds it there, so they are not the same. Attention is the basis for mindfulness and introspection, through its function of firmly holding its object of focus without moving to something else. It is also the unique cause for increase in the power of familiarization. Attention can be divided into two types: wrong attention and authentic attention.” (Gyatso, p. 131) A person achieves attentional balance when their attention avoids the imbalances of hyperactivity, deficit, and dysfunction. A person achieves attentional balance by cultivating and employing their attentional intelligence.

American Psychological Association. (2024). Attention. APA Dictionary of Psychology. Retrieved March 25, 2024 from https://dictionary.apa.org/attention

Gyatso, Lobsang. A Compendium of Key Points on the Modes of Cognition (Rigs lam che ba blo rigs kyi rnam gzhag nyer mkho kun btus). In Mkhas dbang blo bzang rgya mtsho’i blo rigs, by Phu khang dge bshes blo bzang rgya mtsho. Lhasa: Ser gtsug nang bstan dpe rnying ’tshol bsdu phyogs sgrig khang, 2009.