the breath

That night he sat under the Bodhi tree, some 2500 years ago, Siddhārtha Gautama started his long meditation session by observing his breath…

In Asia, this mindfulness of breathing is known as "anapanasati". "Sati" means awareness, and "anapana" means "in and out".

But this “move'n breath” meditation differentiates from other techniques in that it emphasizes especially on the gap, or “pause”, that is already perceivable in each breath, at the end of the outbreath, before breathing in again, or that is going to slowly appear more and more clearly as we meditate for longer periods, thus enabling the body’s metabolism to slow down.

Caution: if one has a long outbreath and apparently no pause, observe this out-phase very attentively: if its beginning is quite strong, but then followed by a very gentle blow, this should be regarded as a pause.

(Watching the collar bone, one will see that it comes down at the beginning of the outbreath, and then rests.)

Following are the exercises that will both develop our concentration and make the pause more obvious.

first basice exercise

Close the eyes and observe the breath quietly as it enters and leaves the body, at the entrance of the nostrils.

Then place the right hand at the level of the sternum with closed fist, the left hand resting on your lap. Follow carefully the breath and open the right forefinger at the end of the out breath.

Be very cautious not to open your finger too soon. If you notice that you opened the forefinger too early, start again. Then do the same for three more breaths, opening the fingers one by one, till you reach the little finger. Finally, repeat the exercise with the left hand, counting four more breathes.

It is worth practicing this exercise in pairs. While one is doing the exercise, the other one watches and checks, by observing the rise and fall of his partner's collar bone and making sure the fingers open only once the collar bone is at rest, before rising again. This is also the best way to notice if there is clearly a pause in the breathing rhythm of someone else.

In the video clip watch carefully the rise and fall of the meditator's collar bone.

Caution: there is not always a gap after the out-breath.

Even the same person may have a gap sometimes and sometimes not.

Beware of routine !

for beginners, counting the breaths

Redo the previous exercise to check if you have a gap or not after the out-breath.

If no gap, close the eyes and say, mentaly or loudly: "in and out, no confusion"

If there is a gap, say: "in and out, no confusion, and the gap"

Put your hands on your lap, paulms facing upward...

Then have your right thumb and forefinger touch at the tip, and observe two breaths without counting them, but recognizing perfectly the three phases of each breath, or the two phases if there is no gap.

Then have your right thumb and middle-finger touch at the tip, and observe two more breaths.

Then have your right thumb and ring-finger touch at the tip, and observe two more breaths.

Then have your right thumb and little-finger touch at the tip, and observe two more breaths.

Having thus observed height breaths, do the same with your left fingers, observing height more breaths.

You have now completed a basic 16-breath sequence.

This sequence can be practiced in many situations, on a bus, while queuing or just be having a meal, or as soon as one wakes up.It is an excellent way to start a new day and if on naturally remembers to do it more and more, it is definitively a proof of progress.

the great classic approach

Choose a quiet spot, and if indoors, ideally close the shutters or curtains, to find yourself in a soft semi-darkness. Sitting up straight, close your eyes and, hands clasped, either mentally or in a low voice, ceremoniously pronounce the following phrase:

"in out no confusion, and the pause", or, if you don't have a pause:

"in out no confusion"... and then observe your natural breathing.

There's no need to focus on a specific part of the body.

You simply focus on the very experience of breathing at any given moment: either it enters you, or it leaves you, or it pauses.

Observe in this way, phase after phase, four complete breaths. Then open your eyes, pause slightly, and start again.

Take care not to exert any control over your breathing; let your body breathe naturally.

Now, without opening your eyes again, become increasingly familiar with these successive groups of four breaths, and observe four groups in a row, i.e. sixteen breaths.

Take a slight pause, ceremoniously repeat the introductory phrase, "in out no confusion and the pause", and again observe a succession of four groups of four breaths, and so on, from sixteen to sixteen breaths.

Practicing in this way allows you to quantify your effort and therefore measure your progress.

Moreover, it is also an unexpected way of dramatically increasing your concentration.

In most schools of breathing meditation, beginners are advised to mentally count their breaths one after the other, but here we prefer to get used to grouping them by four, as this will be very useful in the long run.

To help you, with your eyes closed, imagine four squares, one at the top left, the second at the top right, the third at the bottom left, and the last at the bottom right, and place four breaths at the corners of each square. With practice, you'll find that your gaze barely moves in this imaginary mandala of four squares, and yet it's enough to observe sixteen breaths in a row without having to count them.

Later, you can even place this first mandala at the top left, a second at the top right, a third at the bottom left, and a fourth at the bottom right... and you'll observe 64 breaths in a row, still without having to count them!

(The mandala sketch can be found one paragraph below).

As a second step, use a timer: set it at three or five minutes, and continue to observe the breath, from sixteen to sixteen. But if at any point you get bored or lose the thread, stop worrying about grouping the breaths together. Then observe them individually, without counting them, but always very attentive to the succession of phases of which each one is composed.

Later, and in the days that follow, you will gradually increase the set duration: 10, 15, 20, 30 minutes... always with the free choice of observing the breaths, either from sixteen to sixteen, or without grouping them any more, but extremely attentive to the succession of phases of which each one is composed, thus remaining magnificently in the present moment.

Managing intrusive thoughts

Finally, to perfect the silence of the mind that should underlie this meditation, you need to spot the departure of intrusive thoughts.

When one arises, recognize it as soon as possible by describing it with a simple verb that expresses its content. If it's a memory that comes back to you, simply make a mental note to "remember". If you're thinking about something you'll have to do later or tomorrow, mentally note "plan", and if you're imagining something, simply note "imagine". If you're writing an e-mail, note "write", and if you're having trouble labelling an intruding thought, just note "think".

If you hear a dog barking, quickly note "hear", but if you delay and comment on this disturbing sound, note "comment", or better still, "heard, comment".

If you feel pain somewhere in your body, quickly note "feels", but if you delay and comment on this disturbing sensation, note "comments", or better still, "feel, comment", or "felt, comment".

"Remember, plan, imagine, write, think...", and also "hear”, “feel", or "heard comment”, and “felt comment"…

Like this, mentally say a simple verb… and enjoy what happens next…

The virtuous circle

Having reached this stage, the initiate automatically enters a virtuous circle: as the flow of thoughts diminishes, the need for oxygen diminishes, and breathing becomes more discreet, almost imperceptible, forcing ever greater concentration.

As concentration increases, thoughts become even less frequent... and the virtuous circle begins!

One of our great contemporary meditation masters, S.N. Goenka, speaks of "distinctive awareness of the subtlest breath". By this, he means that the very distinct perception of even the subtlest breath must be maintained.

Armed with this powerful instruction, all that remains is for you to mentally self-suggest with a well-chosen phrase, for example:

"awareness of the subtlest breath".

Then, more than ever, let the body breathe as it pleases, and from breath to breath, from phase to phase, enjoy the calm that settles in, until the breath becomes a tiny, barely perceptible commotion.

Continue in this way, either observing sixteen or sixty-four subtle breaths in a row, and repeating several times, or welcoming each new breath one after the other, without grouping them in fours, for 10, 20 or even 30 minutes.

Finally, at the request of an enthusiastic meditator, here is a scribbled mandala of the breath, which allows you to observe 64 breaths with your eyes closed, without having to count them. This meditator was advised to observe 8 mandalas in a row, i.e. 512 breaths, which takes between 60 and 90 minutes, then to forget about it and observe each new breath in groups of 4, then 2, then individually, for 90 minutes, then 120, then 150 minutes, making a sitting session of up to three and a half, even four hours.

The mandala of 64 breaths...

Finally, to round off this classic approach of breath meditation, let me share how another highly motivated meditator brought richness and variety to his practice...

"I very quickly enjoyed starting my sessions by watching a 2-minute video by Ayya Khema, for whom I have great admiration. She advises us to begin any serious meditation by opening our hearts and practicing gratitude for a few moments.

(on youtube, search for "Ayya khema Listen with the heart")

In the same vein, I then join hands and recite:

"at this very moment, on this planet earth, may I be among those who are observing the breath with praiseworthy diligence."

I then recite precise instructions that will serve as a guide and inspiration throughout this retreat. The first is a phrase from Ajahn Brahm:

"You are aware of the in-breath from the very start, as it arises out of the stillness...",

I also sometimes compose a new sentence, always on the theme of this stillness, and read or recite it before taking the plunge... here are three examples:

1. I shall follow carefully this stillness, and savor it up to its breaking point, when the inhale is triggered.

2. Inhaling is experienced as an interruption of this quietude, to re-energize the body's machinery.

3. This ceaselessly renewed plunge into the stillness begins just after the exhalation is triggered."

(end of testimony)

As we return again and again to this elusive stillness, we tirelessly learn to navigate it with ease, AS IF WE WERE NEVER GOING TO INHALE AGAIN. We then realize that this amazing space is a playground like no other, one of the kind that will inexorably lead us to the firmament of spirituality…

Better still, mastering this practice will enable us to follow to the letter the advice that Siddharta Gautama, the historical Buddha, constantly gave to all his disciples who chose to meditate on breathing:

"live each new breath as if it were going to be your last"...

For once you've learned to fully appreciate that stillness that lies before each inhalation, you'll have plenty of time to see the new breath coming, and be ready to live it fully, as if it were going to be your last.

End of the classic approach

the four key sequences

Following are four key sequences to train and strengthen progressively your concentration, and to quickly feel very distinct sensations at the entrance of the nostrils, as you breath in, breath out, and while in the gap as well...

Please understand that the most famous meditation teachers of Myanmar, Pa Auk Sayadaw, Webu Sayadaw, and many others want us to get clearly the sensation of the breath as it circulates in and out of the nostrils.

As for Sunlun Sayadaw, it is a crucial prerequisite to bring up and eliminate successfully the suffering buried deep within our being.

the "wang-wang" sequence

Here, we practice according the noting of one breath cycle.

“Wang” is a little word in Thai language that means “free”, like in "free time" or "free seat".

So we start this sequence by noting “wang, wang, wang…”, until we breathe in. Then we note “rise, rise rise…” as long as we inhale. As we start breathing out, we note “fall”… and as soon as we get to the quiet phase of the out-breath or the pause, again we note “wang, wang, wang…”.

One should note “fall” ONLY ONCE, at the beginning of the out-breath, and then come back to “wang, wang, wang…”, even if one is still breathing out... But if one feels like adding a second “fall” because the out-breath is still strong, that's OK.

As for the pace of the noting, one verbal note per second is too slow, and half a second is too fast. So somewhere half-way is perfect, like a normal walking pace.
For exemple, a meditator with an average rate breath will note :
“wang, wang, wang, rise, rise, fall, wang, wang, wang, rise, rise, fall…”

Good! It is your turn now…

How many “wang” do you note before you inhale?

How many “rise” while breathing in?

If you have a gap also between the in-breath and the out-breath, how many “wang” do you note?
Are you OK with noting one “fall” only before noting “wang, wang…” again?

Finally, for you, what is the complete noting of one breath cycle?

the second sequence : "in, out, gap"

in, out, gap" is a short sentence to be said mentally or verbally, before you observe four succeeding breaths. Breath after breath, it invites you to recognize the three phases of one breath cycle...

Then mentally announce "two", and observe four more breaths, mentally announce "three" and observe four more breaths, mentally announce "four" and observe four more breaths...
Each time, make sure that you do not have to count the four breaths individually.

Make it a point to have this second sequence perfectly contrasting with the first one.

In the "wang wang" sequence, you were noting mentally and non stop each and every occurence of the breath phases. In this "in, out, gap" sequence, after the short mental injunction, as you observe four succeeding breaths, complete silence of the mind is required.

the "ramana sequence"

This sequence activates the center of the brain and put the chattering mind to rest.

Its starting point is a powerful sentence uttered by Ramana Maharshi…

"If one observes where the notion of "I" springs by directing the attention exactly where the sound of thoughts is produced, the mind will be absorbed into that. That is tapa. (right practice)"

Here is how I use it, as regard to breath mindfulness.

From this sentence, let me choose to my linking, and memorize, four pairs of syllables: “if-one, notion, the sound, will be”.

Now I sit to meditate in a dark room, the darker the better. I close the eyes, and keeping my mouth and tongue perfectly still, I mentally pronounce “if-one”… and I let my attention dive into the center of my head. There, looking and very much listening, I do my uttermost to spot exactly where the sound of my inner voice sprung from. During two succeeding breaths, I contemplate this spot where a majestic silence now prevails.

Then, in the gap that follows the second breath, I mentally pronounce “notion” and practice the same observation during two more breaths. I repeat this procedure with “the sound”, and “will be”.

Now is your turn. If you have a favourite spiritual sentence, choose four pairs of syllables and play as suggested, or make use of Ramana’s words.

Do not forget to sit in a dark room, and to keep your mouth and tongue perfectly still. Every time you mentally say a word, it must come from the center of your brain, not from your mouth.

the "potter sequence"

The ancients compared the precise observation of breathing to the potter turning on his wheel to shape a vase. The potter knows exactly when to start and stop the wheel to get the perfect shape.

Similarly, the meditator knows exactly when the inhalation starts and stops, and when the exhalation starts and stops...