Ānāpānasati, translated as attention to the breath or meditation on the breath is one of the few meditation techniques that can be used for a variety of purposes. A practice of Buddhist origin, it can be used to strengthen mindfulness and improve concentration, insight and body awareness. So it's really a multi-use technique. If you want to get the maximum benefit from this meditation, you have to be constant in effort and concentration, because it is difficult for the mind to stay focused on the breath for very long.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Taking the First Steps
Step 1. Make the decision to meditate
The Buddhist practice of ānāpānasati can be applied by any person. In other words, you don't have to be a Buddhist to benefit from this meditation technique. This method, which focuses on breathing, allows you to enter into communication with your body and find your true place in nature. It also allows you to stay focused on the present moment. Focusing on your breath allows you to stay in the present moment and not let your mind wander into the future or the past. Finally, ānāpānasati can remove any manifestation of egocentricity from you and bring you inner peace.
Step 2. Choose a place where you will meditate
You should look for a location that will be as quiet as possible. The practice of breath meditation is based on the subtle movement caused by the breath, which is why it can be easily disturbed if there are extraneous noises. Buddhist sutras that deal with the matter recommend practicing this meditation in places like deep forests or abandoned buildings or standing at the foot of a tree if you want to do it for a while. Those who do not have access to such locations can opt for a quiet and peaceful room. You should also try to use the same spot every day until you are experienced enough to easily enter a meditative state.
Step 3. Adopt the correct posture
Buddha gave instructions on the best way to sit to gain mindfulness through breathing. You should know that at first you may not be comfortable with this pose, but you will gradually get used to it.
- Sit in the lotus position with the left foot tucked under the right thigh and vice versa. If your body cannot adjust to this position, adopt a more comfortable cross-legged posture.
- Sit upright with your back and head straight.
- Put your hands on your thighs, the left resting on the right, the palms turned towards the sky.
- The head should be slightly tilted and the eyes slightly closed.
Step 4. Relax
After you have adopted the correct posture, close your eyes and take the time to release any tension you are having, while breathing through your nose. Spend a few moments watching the tension dissolve in order to achieve awareness. It will help you focus and concentrate. Once your mind is calm, begin to focus on the point where you feel the breath touch your body. It could be your upper lip, the end of your nose, or the inside of your nostrils.
Part 2 of 4: follow the eight steps
Step 1. Do the count
The first of the 8 steps in the process of bringing you to full awareness through breath meditation is counting, also called ganana. It is particularly useful for beginners who have not mastered this practice. Pick the point in your body where you feel the breath and focus on it. It could be your lungs, your lips, or the tip of your nose. You must constantly focus on that point you have chosen. Count your breaths on each inhale and exhale as follows: 1 (on inhale), 2 (on exhale) then go to 2 (inhale), 2 (out) and so on until you reach 10. As soon as you reach this number, start over from the beginning.
Step 2. Pay attention
The second step called anubandhana involves paying attention to your breath by focusing your mind on it. So, when you breathe for a long time, you have to psychologically notice that it is long. If it's a short breath, you are doing the same in your mind. You need to think about all the characteristics of your breath, which includes its length (short, medium, long), pace (slow or fast), depth (short or deep), and pressure (weak or strong). You should also seek to identify whether the breathing is forced or natural.
Step 3. Proceed to the contact (phusana) and fixation (thapana) steps
Together, these two steps take your meditation to a whole new level. After focusing deeply on your breathing in steps 1 and 2, you should now allow your mind to focus on itself and your breathing to be more relaxed. You should feel that all the pain is dissipating from your body. Stop counting and focus on your breath. Let your mind focus on a specific object or an image in your head.
- Focus your attention on the point where you feel the breath inside your nostrils. It is this stage which is qualified as contact or phusana. You might have a mental image of a sign such as a shining light, silver chain, or mist.
- As soon as you see the psychic image forming, fix your attention on it. This is the stage of fixation or thapana. Initially, the sign might be blurry or vague, but as you focus on it it should become more noticeable.
Step 4. Observe (sallakkhana)
This step is part of inner meditation. Basically, it's all about self-examination and getting rid of any stress or pain you may have. Contemplate your life, your knowledge and your accomplishments thus far and recognize that it is all fleeting.
- Thereafter, you will have to "turn away" (vivattana) from the things of this world. It implies that you have to let go of your knowledge, your accomplishments and the like, and then recognize that these things are not the real you.
- Finally, begin a purification (or parisuddhi) of your being (this is the eighth and final step). Purifying yourself involves emptying your mind of daily worries and all thoughts about the future or the past, while keeping your mind fully grounded in the present moment.
- You should know that these steps are not going to be easy or straightforward to follow. You will have to practice them constantly and seriously to be able to apply them and reach the stage of purification.
Part 3 of 4: practicing meditation through the breath
Step 1. Continue to train your breathing
As you concentrate, focus on a psychic image or object to strengthen your concentration. As you progress in the mastery of meditation, you will be able to do various exercises which will help you to be more focused on your breath and on the various aspects of it. Some of the proven exercises that can help you take it to the next level are:
- Observe the entire flow of breath as a fixed point. The analogy that can help understand this is that of the saw. When the lumberjack is using the saw, he concentrates entirely on the point of contact between the tree and the tool which performs the back and forth. He does not follow the movements even, otherwise he could not monitor the evolution of the cut.
- Focus on the flow of energy created and used by the breath. A more experienced meditator can use the flow of energy around him to reduce pain and cool his body, which ultimately creates a feeling of pleasure.
- Using the breath to relax both the body and the mind and increase awareness as the breath becomes more subtle.
- Consider how the breath is formed versus the state of mind you are in. If you are under tension, your breathing will usually be strained too. The state of mind in which we find ourselves often conditions our breathing. By changing your state of mind, such as thinking about happy things when you are angry or conjuring up satisfying thoughts when you are sad, you can also change your breath and make it softer and calmer, which will bring your breath to life. body as well as your mind to be relaxed.
- Consider the state of mind you are in based on your breathing and your nose. People rarely breathe through both nostrils simultaneously, one usually being blocked. The breath passing through the right nostril activates the left part of the brain and vice versa.
- Become aware of the mental process that controls exhalation and inspiration in terms of non-recognition of self (anatta). The bodily and mental processes of breathing do not stop when we stop paying attention.
- Become aware of the changing and ephemeral nature of body and mind. Each breath is unique, so you will never have two breaths alike and moreover each meditation is different, which is why you will not have two identical sessions.
- Become aware of how the breath changes depending on the object on which you fix your attention, whether it is a distraction, a feeling or a thought or bodily sensations.
Step 2. Develop constant focus
When you enter meditation, your goal should be to achieve the same state of concentration each time, not one that is more or less intense. You should strive to achieve the same level of focus each session. A simple analogy to understand this is that of an audio track when your goal is to sound even and of medium intensity. If you turn the knob too hard you will increase the volume and if you do not do it enough you will decrease. Likewise, when you try too hard to meditate, the mind becomes strained and breathing becomes unstable. When you don't put in enough effort, your concentration and your breath will wither.
Step 3. Constantly keep your attention on your breath
As you exercise, you may notice that your breath becomes more and more subtle, as your calmed body will require less oxygen. It might even happen that your breath seems to go away. When exercising, it is best that you concentrate on the same point, because if you change it, the breath will quickly come back, but your concentration will be broken.
- If you want your focus to develop further, focus continuously until you clearly feel pleasure in the present moment. This is called ecstasy. If you don't feel this ecstasy, there is little chance that your mind will focus more.
- The way this ecstasy manifests itself varies from person to person. It could be a mental image, a physical sensation, a sense of movement, or something else. Most of those who practice meditation fail to feel this and there are some who will never feel it. Expecting this state depends greatly on the temperament of the person who devotes himself to meditation, his experience and his aptitudes in the matter. Other factors like where the session is performed and potential distractions or other priorities that may occupy the mind also come into play. If you can achieve this ecstasy, you should totally concentrate on it without trying to analyze its characteristics. You can indeed quickly get out of it if you don't pay it balanced attention. Breathing meditation is difficult to implement and that is why it should be practiced.
Part 4 of 4: Follow Steps to Improve Your Meditation Technique
Step 1. Stretch
Do it often and on a regular basis every day of your life. Also consider doing yoga that already includes many of the ideas and breathing techniques specific to meditation. You can incorporate this into a daily workout routine or into your active lifestyle, but whenever you do, your back should always be straight and well positioned. You should also relax and relax your tailbone as well as your stomach. You should also be able to adopt the lotus position for meditation instead of just crossing your legs.
Step 2. Exercise consistently
Do the same things each time. You should even choose to meditate in the same place each time. This trains your mind and familiarizes it with being firmly focused. Experts recommend that you start by exercising for several hours for a week, with a day when you have no obligations. A meditative retreat is ideal for this. It takes several days and sometimes several weeks or months before the mind can relax enough for the practitioner to overcome psychological blockages and enlighten his mind.
Step 3. Do not practice meditation when your stomach is too full or hungry
The body needs energy for meditation, but foods that have just been ingested cause drowsiness or distraction. You need to be focused and alert, not thinking about food.