Breath Meditation
Silent Sitting
Take a deep breath, sounds familiar....
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Of course! we are all too familiar with it as a last resort to relieve stress and frustration. Guess what… it truly works!
Breath Meditation is a focused mediation where we focus on our breath, inhale and exhale. Mindful breathing is a very basic yet a powerful meditation practice. The idea is simply to focus your attention on your breathing to its natural rhythm and flow and the way it feels on each inhalation and exhalation.
Each tradition has different aims for meditation practices it introduces, so each will have associated ways of offering techniques for working with the breath, says Lodro Rinzler. So here, I’d like to share my ‘go to’ meditation approach that comes from Buddhism, intending to focus on the present moment – right now!! (not in the past nor in the future)
The past has gone beyond recovery and the future is a mystery
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It focuses on your natural breathing rhythm or breathing pattern. Sit easy and find a comfortable way of breathing.
Start by taking a few deep long in and out breaths. This helps your body to get ready for meditation and makes the breath easier to observe. Try and notice where you feel the sensation to know that it is an in or out breath. If you don’t feel anything, just try changing the rhythm of breaths. Experiment with different ways of breathing to see how you feel. You can make the breath shorter or longer or short in and long out or vice versa. Also, you can try deep/shallow, fast/slow breathing and discover what you like or comfortable. Its important to be relaxed and the rhythm you settle into shouldn’t cause you any tiredness or effort.
Stay with each 'in' and 'out' breath
Your attention may slip off elsewhere. If so, realise this and bring your focus back to breathing. If your focus wonders off again, bring it right back again. If it wonders 50 times, bring it back 50 times. Sometimes, this can be frustrating and make you tired. Try not to get upset with yourself or get discouraged. Notice each time you bring your breath back and, be happy about it. Knowing to bring your breath back is because you are aware that it slipped away – this is excellent mindfulness that we are trying to achieve here! With lots of practice, you will find it easier to stay with the breath, and to return to it quickly the next time your attention wonders off.
Identify where the breath sensation is clear
You can choose any spot you like, or you are comfortable with, where the breath is clearly felt, and you find it easy to stay focused. Here are a few traditional spots:
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tip of the nose
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upper lip
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breastbone navel or a point just above it
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Maintain the sense
Now, simply maintain the sense of that spot breathing throughout the remainder of your meditation.
As you get familiar with meditation and the challengers you encounter while doing it, you can adjust these steps as you see fit.
Leaving Meditation
Leave meditation skilfully and with mindfulness. Identify useful pointers for next time you meditate.
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Reflect on how your meditation session was
Think of what feelings you had during the entire session. Was there any time that you felt your mind was especially calm? If so, were you focused? What was the quality of your focus and your breath? Try to remember these facts for your next meditation session.
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Spread thoughts of goodwill
This is what ever peace and calmness you felt and dedicating to other beings: may be to someone who you know who is suffering right now or all living beings in all directions.
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Open your eyes and leave the meditation posture with mindfulness
At this stage, other thoughts may attempt to takeover. E.g., thoughts about your next activity. Try to maintain this sense of awareness for some time as much as possible. That said, you may not be able to keep track of in/out breath when you engage in other activities but try to be aware and be in the present moment.
Simply, the best way to leave meditation is not to leave it entirely. Keep it going as much and as long as you can.
