So You Think You Can Breathe?

Sit. Notice. Breathe. Breath work made easy.

Meditation instructions are simple…and we’ve all heard of its benefits.

But creating a daily practice? That’s a lifelong project, even for those of us who’ve been sitting for years.

So how do you start, and keep it up?

Be gentle. Be willing to start again. Know you can’t do this wrong.

Gentleness in practice means being easy with yourself.

Just five minutes right when you get up, or right before you go to bed.

Maybe just three days a week.

Sit in a chair…even propped up in bed.

Instead of a chore, it’s an oasis, and if you begin to experience benefits, your practice will naturally grow.

When Disruptions Happen? Just Begin Again

As with all things in life, change is inevitable, and you may be on a meditation roll when stuff gets in the way. Even good stuff!

You may go on vacation.

Or catch a cold, and meditating with a stuffy nose is no fun.

Whatever it is, meditation has dropped from your daily life.

So be willing to start again. And again, and again.

I’ve done that more times than I can count!

Meditation is Something You Can’t Do Wrong

Finally, know that you can’t do this wrong. There are books, podcasts, videos—a wealth of guidance and instruction out there. But it really comes down to setting an intention, and then sitting, noticing and breathing without judgement. Again. And again.

I now think of breathing as one of the most amazing tools in life’s emergency toolkit.

It’s free, available every minute of every day, and yet for years, I did it tens of thousands of times a day and never thought about it. That’s because respiratory pathways in the brain stem support the most primitive forms of breathing. But when we engage with our breath, harness it, direct it…that requires higher centers in our brain. I like to think my brain is more alive, more awake because of meditation.

Meditation Techniques to Try

So you think you can breathe? Well you can, of course…but here are a few techniques that might make it a life enhancing practice.

HANDS ON BELLY BUTTON

• If you find your mind wandering as you sit, place your hands on your abdomen, and feel your breath.
• The expansion of your stomach as you inhale.
• The contraction, as you exhale.
• Play with that expansion, adding a beat to your in breath, lengthening your out breath.
• Notice the difference.

MANTRA BREATHING

• Once you’ve settled in, eyes closed….begin to direct your mind.
• Say to yourself on the inhale, “this is breathing in.”
• On the exhale, say “this is breathing out.”
• You can slow or speed up your breath by a beat or two, to match how quickly or slowly you say it.

BRAHMARI— BUZZING BEE BREATH

The 3-minute video below gives good instruction on brahmari, which is a relaxing, calming healing breath. I like to do it seven times in a row, and then rest in silence for about a minute to absorb the vibrations.

Why Close Your Eyes During Meditation?

We use our eyes just about every minute we’re awake, to observe, take in information, evaluate,and judge.

With eyes closed, we let the thinking go, and begin to rest in an internal landscape.

Taming the “Monkey Mind”

One thought after another…oh, I forgot to…what do I need at the grocery?? I can’t believe that so and so…I’m excited about this weekend…blah blah blah…

That’s perfectly normal! I can’t tell you how many grocery and to do lists I’ve written during meditation.

Mantra breathing and hands on belly button are ways to focus the mind.

But another way is simply to notice each thought as it arises, then put it aside for later, another time. Notice another thought, put it aside.

Sometimes I imagine placing the thought in a cloud, and watching it float away.

A Few Final Offerings

Meditation teachers to explore:

• Thich Nhat Hanh is a wonderful Buddhist teacher whose writings are very accessible to secular meditators. His book Silence may be of interest.
• Pema Chodron’s book How to Meditate may be of interest if you’re among those who learn by reading.
• Other teachers of meditation include Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, both of whom have written and spoken extensively on meditation.

Go to YouTube, type in their name and the word “meditation” and browse!

Meditation apps can help! I like Headspace and use the Insight Timer, but go to the App store, type in meditation, and start with anything that’s free.

Here’s to breathing. Enjoy!