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Instructions on how to find peace with Buddhist breathing techniques
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Anapanasati, which means “mindfulness of breathing,” or breath meditation, is a core contemplative practice of Buddhism. Its practice builds mindfulness and concentration through the relaxation and stilling of body, feelings, and mind. According to the Buddha, meditation’s ultimate goal is the attainment of Nibbana (Nirvana), the extinction of suffering. [1] X Research source Reaching this goal can be challenging but not impossible. Keep reading to learn how you can attain peace and find pleasure in stillness with breath-focused meditation.
How to Practice Anapanasati
- Sit upright in a comfortable cross-legged position.
- Close your eyes and focus on your inhales and exhales.
- Count your breaths in cycles of 10: inhale (1), exhale (2), and so on.
- Repeat the cycle once you’ve counted to 10.
- Let go of negative thoughts and feelings as they come up.
Steps
Section 2 of 6:
How to Practice Anapanasati Meditation
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Select a quiet and relaxing place to meditate. Meditation coach Masha Kouzmenko recommends looking for a quiet place that inspires a contemplative attitude. [5] X Expert Source Masha Kouzmenko
Meditation Coach Expert Interview. 26 March 2020. The practice of breath meditation focuses on the subtle movement of the breath, so stray noises can easily disrupt it. Bring your meditation practice to a quiet place, like a back porch or bedroom. [6] X Research source- Buddhist instructional sutras (or suttas in Pali) recommend using abandoned buildings, deep forests, or the foot of a tree for an extended period of practice.
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Sit cross-legged with your back straight and hands placed comfortably. The Buddha's instructions indicate that sitting with a straight back is the best position for Anapanasati, as this posture allows energy to flow freely. [7] X Research source So, sit up straight, roll your shoulders back, and relax. The more comfortable you feel, the better. [8] X Research source
- The traditional choice is the lotus position—seated cross-legged with the right foot tucked on top of the left thigh and the left foot on top of the right thigh. If your body cannot accommodate this, use a comfortable cross-legged posture or sit on a chair.
- If needed, gently and mindfully lay your back against a chair, wall, or tree trunk.
- Place your hands anywhere that feels comfortable. A common choice is to place them on your lap with both palms upward.
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Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Take a moment to relax your body and let go of any thoughts that may come. Then, once the mind has settled, start concentrating on your breath. You don’t need to do anything special during this step—just be aware of your breathing and try to rid all other things from your mind. [9] X Research source
- If you have difficulty concentrating just on the breath, try focusing on a part of your body, too, such as the tip of your nose or upper lip.
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Count your breaths. This step is optional, but it can be very helpful for beginners (and prevent your mind from wandering). Maintain your focus on your breath. Then, start counting the breaths as follows: 1 (inhale), 1 (exhale), then 2 (inhale), 2 (exhale), and so on up to 10. Restart the count once you get to 10. [10] X Research source
- Stop counting when your mind is focused entirely on your breathing.
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Follow the breath with your mind. Without consciously altering your breath, follow the changes in its patterns and characteristics. If you take a long breath, note that it’s long. If it’s a short breath, do the same. Notice and experience how each breath feels. [11] X Research source
- The purpose of this step is to train you to become aware of the natural transition and relaxation of the breath during meditation.
- As you maintain mindfulness, your breathing will become fine and delicate, and your body should feel more and more at ease.
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Fix your attention on mental signs. While you meditate, a mental image or sign may arise, such as a bright light, mist, or wheel. If you notice a sign, bring your attention to it as you continue to breathe. At first, the sign may appear vague or unsteady, but as you focus on it, it may become clearer as you enter a stage of deep concentration. [12] X Research source
- Attempting to shift focus from your breath to the image might cause it to disappear, but don’t worry! The more you practice, the more success you’ll have at intensifying the image.
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Turn away from negative emotions. As you meditate, you may experience intense emotions. This experience is what Buddha described as “experiencing rapture” ( PITI ), “experiencing bliss” ( sukha ), and “experiencing the mind.” [13] X Research source These are the aspects of yourself, whether pleasant or negative. Embrace the positive emotions, but do your best to mentally move away from negative ones, like greed and conceit. [14] X Research source
- Negative emotions are known as “defilements” in Buddhist tradition.
- Processing these emotions can come in 4 stages: contemplate impermanence, contemplate fading away, contemplate cessation, and contemplate relinquishment. Traditionally, successful Anapanasati is about letting go of (or relinquishing) what no longer serves you.
- Keep in mind that these stages do not come quickly or easily. But with time and practice, you can find peace. [15] X Research source
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Open your eyes and reflect. Once you’ve reached an end to your meditation, take a moment to reflect on what you’ve lost and gained—what have you learned? Consider how the breath-driven gradually stilled your body, feelings, and thoughts. [16] X Research source
- Your practice is done whenever you feel like it is! Set a timer if you’d like to aim to meditate for a specific amount of time or continue meditating until you feel satisfied or come across a mental sign.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow should I meditate as a beginner?James Brown is a San Francisco Bay Area-based teacher of Vedic Meditation, an easy and accessible form of meditation with ancient roots. James completed a rigorous 2-year study program with Vedic masters, including a 4-month immersion in the Himalayas. James has taught thousands of people, individually, and in companies such as Slack, Salesforce, and VMWare.It can help to sit with your back straight so you can focus and stay alert. Try to meditate and focus for around 10–20 minutes at a time.
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QuestionHow should I practice meditation if I'm only a beginner?Masha Kouzmenko is a Meditation Coach and the Co-Founder of Silicon Valley Wellness, a company based in the San Francisco Bay Area that provides holistic health education services such as mindfulness meditation and yoga instruction to businesses. She has over five years of meditation and yoga instruction experience and specializes in guided meditation. She has a BA in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.Just set a few minutes aside every day so you develop a consistent routine. Over time, you can meditate for longer sessions.
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QuestionHow do you tell if you are meditating correctly?Masha Kouzmenko is a Meditation Coach and the Co-Founder of Silicon Valley Wellness, a company based in the San Francisco Bay Area that provides holistic health education services such as mindfulness meditation and yoga instruction to businesses. She has over five years of meditation and yoga instruction experience and specializes in guided meditation. She has a BA in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.Let go of the idea that you have meditate in a certain way. During meditation, try to let go of control so you can have a deeper experience. I think that's actually something most people can appreciate, because at some point, everyone gets tired of controlling things and trying to hold on to everything so much.
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References
- ↑ http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books3/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Anapanasati_Mindfulness_with_Breathing.htm
- ↑ https://oxygenyogaandfitness.com/meditation-on-breathing/
- ↑ https://www.buddhistinquiry.org/article/mindfulness-of-breathing-anapanasati-sutta-mn-118/
- ↑ https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/anapanasati
- ↑ Masha Kouzmenko. Meditation Coach. Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.
- ↑ https://vipassana.com/meditation/anapanasati_meditation_on_breathing.html
- ↑ http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyadhamma/bl115.html
- ↑ https://vipassana.com/meditation/anapanasati_meditation_on_breathing.html
- ↑ https://www.buddhistinquiry.org/article/mindfulness-of-breathing-anapanasati-sutta-mn-118/
- ↑ http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/ariyadhamma/bl115.html
- ↑ https://vipassana.com/meditation/anapanasati_meditation_on_breathing.html
- ↑ http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/anapanasati.pdf
- ↑ https://ibc-elibrary.thanhsiang.org/files/public/mindfulness_traditions_compassionate.pdf
- ↑ https://trans4mind.com/personal_development/buddhist/defilements.htm
- ↑ http://www.vipassanadhura.com/whatis.htm
- ↑ https://oxygenyogaandfitness.com/meditation-on-breathing/
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/how-to-meditate-for-beginners/
- ↑ http://www.yogajournal.com/article/practice-section/breathing-lessons/
- ↑ https://plumblossomsangha.wordpress.com/mindfulness-exercises/
- ↑ https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/balance/stress-balance/a-5-minute-yoga-sequence-to-help-you-sit-still-in-meditation/
- ↑ Masha Kouzmenko. Meditation Coach. Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.
- ↑ https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation-and-mindfulness-what-you-need-to-know
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10355843/
- ↑ https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation-and-mindfulness-what-you-need-to-know
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858
- ↑ https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/buda/hd_buda.htm
- ↑ https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN118.html
- ↑ https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2023/08/30/buddhism/
- ↑ https://www.vridhamma.org/What-is-Vipassana
- ↑ https://www.vridhamma.org/What-is-Anapana#DifferencefromVipassana
About This Article
Article Summary
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Breath meditation, or Anapanasati, is a mindfulness practice that focuses on the breath. To get started, find a quiet, peaceful place and sit down with your back straight and your legs crossed. Spend a few minutes relaxing while you breathe through your nose. Once you feel relaxed, focus on the sensations of breathing. Silently count your breaths until you reach 10 inhales and 10 exhales, then start over again. This will help you stay focused. Eventually, you should be able to focus on your breaths without counting. Once this happens, allow yourself to become aware of other things you might experience during your meditation, such as mental images of bright lights or gentle mists. These are called “learning signs.” If you find yourself dwelling on negative emotions, gently and consciously let them go.
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- "This is wonderful guideline toward the insight of my mind and then my body. I think this is the one we need to learn to control and master our mind over many others out there with much narrow and incomplete way. I believe that all aspects of our life, relational, financial, and health, will only be sound and leading to happiness and success with a deep and absolute inner peace through meditation like anapanasati. I can't wait to reach the level and join the sea of the inner peace." ..." more
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"This is wonderful guideline toward the insight of my mind and then my body. I think this is the one we need to learn to control and master our mind over many others out there with much narrow and incomplete way. I believe that all aspects of our life, relational, financial, and health, will only be sound and leading to happiness and success with a deep and absolute inner peace through meditation like anapanasati. I can't wait to reach the level and join the sea of the inner peace."
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