| Sit comfortably,
on cushions on the floor or in a chair, and turn your attention to your breathing
Breathe naturally, preferably through the nostrils, without attempting
to control your breath
Try to become aware of the sensation of the breath
as it enters and leaves the nostrils
This sensation is your object of
meditation - try to concentrate on it to the exclusion of everything else
At first your mind will probably be very busy, and you might even feel that
the meditation is making it busier; but in reality you are just becoming more
aware of how busy your mind actually is
There will be a great temptation
to follow the different thoughts as they arise, but you should resist this and
remain focused single-pointedly on the sensation of the breath
If you
discover that your mind has wandered and is following your thoughts, return it
gently to the breath
Repeat this as many times as necessary until the
mind settles on the breath
Eventually you will experience a calm, spacious
feeling in the mind
Stay with this feeling for as long as you wish
Breathing meditation is only a preliminary stage of meditation, but
nevertheless it can be quite powerful. We can see from this practice that it is
possible to experience inner peace and contentment just by controlling our 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 business and difficulties of daily life.
If we practise this meditation regularly, problems become easier to deal with,
we naturally feel warm and well-disposed towards other people, and our relationships
with others gradually improve. |
