What is it that everybody has, is with us all time, excited when we are, relaxed when we are, that we are totally dependent on, but we seldom are aware of and appreciate?
Breath
In the beginning of the 1990’s, I attended a meditation course for beginners in the Tibetan tradition, and learned breath meditation. After 15 years trying various meditation methods and other spiritual practices, I attended the breath meditation course again at the same center.
I want to share with you what I have learned from the first day of the course.
Being aware of breath is the most recommended and useful method for meditation. Why is being aware of your breath a good meditation method?
- Everybody can be aware of their own breath.
- We can be aware of our breath everywhere and any time we want (We get better with practice).
- We do not desire it (We are attached to life itself, but in everyday life we don’t desire for breath).
- We do not fear loosing it (We die if we stop breathing, but in everyday life we don’t fear loosing breath).
- We are not attached to breath, or have aversion against breath.
- We don’t expect praise for having or using our breath.
- We don’t feel proud for having or using our breath.
- We don’t get sense pleasures from breathing.
So breathing is quite neutral and undiscriminating method to meditate.
With the more advanced meditation methods, if you are not ready, there is a danger that you compare/compete with others, and feel proud if you think you experience something that is “out of the ordinary”, or you think you know something that makes you superior to others. With breathing meditation, your are safer against your own ego’s tendencies to feel special.
How To Meditate?
Position:
- Sit comfortable on a cushion.
- One leg resting over the other (half lotus), both legs resting on the other leg (full lotus), or both legs on the floor.
- Your back supine (imagine very gentle force pulling you between heaven and earth).
- One hand resting in the other hand in front of you in the level of your navel, or let your hands rest on your knees.
- Look a little down in front of you. When you get sleepy, look a little up, and when you get tense, look a little down. Try to balance your look according to your level of concentration.
Breath:
- Breath naturally, don’t force your breath to be longer or shorter than normal.
- Be aware of your breath:
- air comes in and out of your nostrils (both or one, which one?)
- air is warmed up by your noose cavities
- air goes down your throat and your lungs
- be aware of a small pause before you exhale
- exhale with awareness
Mind:
- Be aware of your breath, not your thoughts or your emotions
- Don’t feel guilty for having thoughts or emotions
- But don’t give attention to thoughts or emotions
- When your body require attention, such as itch or pain, do not give attention to the sensations. Go back to awareness of breath.
- Thoughts, emotions and body sensations do not last long if you do not give them attention.
- Your mind is quiet
- Peace of mind is in every breath.
Even if you later do other meditation methods, you can start with breath meditation to calm down your mind.
If you have questions or comments about breath meditation or other meditation methods, you are welcome to reply to this post.
