Breathing Meditation

Mindfulness of Breathing Meditation

Beginners to meditation often assume that timing how long they are meditating for will be very distracting. They sometimes wonder if they should use an alarm clock, or some other mechanical method. Actually, an alarm clock or beeper might be rather jarring and unpleasant. Most meditators just have a clock or watch sitting in front of them. They'll open their eyes from time to time and see how long they've been sitting.
It really isn't a great distraction. Just make sure to place your clock or watch somewhere that you can see it without having to change the angle of your head or move your eyes.

Start with adjusting your posture

Adjust your cushion height so that your back is relatively straight, and also relaxed make sure that your hands are supported relax your shoulders, letting them roll back to open your chest
adjust the angle of your head, so that the back of your neck is relaxed, long and open, and your chin is slightly tucked in. Let your eyes close.

You're now ready to begin working on body awareness and relaxation.

Take your awareness through your body, from your feet to your head, becoming aware of every muscle, and relaxing it as much as you can. If your awareness wanders, just come back to your body. Once you've scanned through your entire body from your feet to your head, then be aware of your body as a whole, continuing to make sure your posture is open and upright, and that you are continuing to relax.

Then notice the sensations of your breathing -- right in the center of your experience. Let your awareness fill your breathing, and let your breathing fill your awareness. Just keep on bringing your awareness back into your breathing, and let the relaxed rhythmic movements of your breathing have a calming effect on your mind.

You can continue doing this for several minutes, or you can go onto Stage 1 of the practice, which involves counting your exhalations.

Stage 1 - Counting the Breath
Once you've taken a tour of your whole body, begin to focus on the physical sensations of your breath. Let yourself become absorbed in the sensations of the breath flowing in and out of your body. Notice how the sensations are always changing.

Then begin counting (internally) after every out-breath:
Breathe in - breathe out - 1
Breathe in - breathe out - 2
Breathe in - breathe out - 3
Breathe in - breathe out - 4
Breathe in - breathe out - 5
... and so on until you reach ten. Once you get to ten, start again at one. Keep following the breath, and counting, for at least five minutes.

Stage Two
In the second stage of the practice we continue to count in cycles of ten breaths, the difference being that this time we count just before each inhalation. Whenever you regain your awareness after being distracted, take your mind gently back to the breath.

Stage Three
In the third stage of the practice, drop the counting, and just follow the breathing coming in and out

Stage 4
In the fourth and final stage of this practice, begin to narrow the focus of your awareness, so that you're focusing more and more on the sensations where the breath first passes over the rims of the nostrils. You may even notice the sensations where the breath passes over the upper lip. If any of these sensations are hard to find, just notice the breath at the first place you can feel it as it enters and leaves the body.

You may even notice the sensations where the breath passes over the upper lip. But if any of these sensations are hard to find, just notice the breath at the first place you can feel it as it enters and leaves the body.