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Basic Breathing Meditation
A
Basic Breathing Meditation
The
first stage of meditation is to stop distractions and make
our mind clearer and more lucid. This can be accomplished
by practicing a simple breathing meditation. We choose a
quiet place to meditate and sit in a comfortable position.
We can sit in the traditional cross-legged posture or in
any other position that is comfortable. If we wish, we can
sit in a chair. The most important thing is to keep our
back straight to prevent our mind from becoming sluggish
or sleepy.
We sit with our eyes partially closed and turn our attention
to our breathing. We breathe naturally, preferably through
the nostrils, without attempting to control our breath,
and we try to become aware of the sensation of the breath
as it enters and leaves the nostrils. This sensation is
our object of meditation. We should try to concentrate on
it to the exclusion of everything else.
At first, our mind will be very busy, and we might even
feel that the meditation is making our mind busier; but
in reality we are just becoming more aware of how busy our
mind actually is. There will be a great temptation to follow
the different thoughts as they arise, but we should resist
this and remain focused single-pointedly on the sensation
of the breath. If we discover that our mind has wandered
and is following our thoughts, we should immediately return
it to the breath. We should repeat this as many times as
necessary until the mind settles on the breath.
If
we practice patiently in this way, gradually our distracting
thoughts will subside and we will experience a sense of
inner peace and relaxation. Our mind will feel lucid and
spacious and we will feel refreshed. When the sea is rough,
sediment is churned up and the water becomes murky, but
when the wind dies down the mud gradually settles and the
water becomes clear. In a similar way, when the otherwise
incessant flow of our distracting thoughts is calmed through
concentrating on the breath, our mind becomes unusually
lucid and clear. We should stay with this state of mental
calm for a while.
Even
though breathing meditation is only a preliminary stage
of meditation, it can be quite powerful. We can see from
this practice that it is possible to experience inner peace
and contentment just by controlling the mind, without having
to depend at all upon external conditions. When the turbulence
of distracting thoughts subsides and our mind becomes still,
a deep happiness and contentment naturally arises from within.
This feeling of contentment and well-being helps us to cope
with the busyness and difficulties of daily life. So much
of the stress and tension we normally experience comes from
our mind, and many of the problems we experience, including
ill health, are caused or aggravated by this stress. Just
by doing breathing meditation for ten or fifteen minutes
each day, we will be able to reduce this stress. We will
experience a calm, spacious feeling in the mind, and many
of our usual problems will fall away. Difficult situations
will become easier to deal with, we will naturally feel
warm and well disposed towards other people, and our relationships
with others will gradually improve.
PLEASE NOTE: These clearings, affirmations and meditations can be powerful, energizing, and life-changing tools for growth... but they are not intended to be a substitute for medical care. If you are dealing with any sort of mental or emotional disorder, are undergoing psychotherapy, are experiencing seizures, or have any other neurological or neurorespiratory disease, we suggest that you consult your physician or therapist.
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