 Mindfulness Breathing Can Ease Your Mind
Mindfulness breathing is an exercise that studies the process of inhaling and exhaling. The aim is to teach people to breathe correctly through practice, and learn to focus on the breath.
When mindfulness breathing is taught, the instructor generally has the pupils breathe in, breathe out with sufficient slow arm movements to mimic opening and closing the heart and lungs, and most often using the count of ten for each inward or outward breath.
Mindfulness breathing has its roots in 5th century India and Sri Lanka, when Buddhaghosa lived, and is widespread in the Buddhist world. Buddha taught the original mindfulness breathing sutras, and they were passed on to monks by Buddha himself.
The method that is commonly referred to as mindfulness breathing is used mostly to calm and focus your mind. These types of sutras are known as a samatha or shamatha, which literally means calming practice. The Sanskrit name for this variation is Anapanasati, which translates literally to mindfulness breathing.
The basic premise is that mindfulness breathing works through our withdrawing our attention from things that might distract our focus, and instead making our center of attention the physical sensations of our breath. This laser beam focus puts less energy into the emotional states of restlessness, anxiety, and ill will, etc, and eventually the mind becomes calmer and our emotions more in balance and positive.
Of utmost importance is being aware when the mind has wandered, and bringing it directly back to the breath. Being distracted is a mostly inevitable part of learning this process and not a failure of any kind.
Here is a basic primer for beginners wishing to partake in mindfulness breathing:
- First decide on the place where you will do it, be the least distracted, and the most comfortable in your physical position for at least 20 minutes or so.
- Next is your posture. In mindfulness breathing this isn’t a big consideration, just find a position you can remain comfortable in. Some people find sitting in a chair best, others kneel with a cushion under their behind. Pick what works for you.
- Relax. Do a relaxation exercise. Start at the bottom of your feet, try to feel each toe, and relax it. Move up the legs, doing the same as you go, until you get all the way to the top of your head. This will help you to focus and clear your mind chatter.
- Move on to Step 1: In this first part, counting to ten before the breath, during the pause, is what you are after. Counting focuses your mind on the breath.
- In Step 2, you will change to counting after the breath. Breathe then count, breathe then count.
- During Step 3, stop counting altogether, and focus entirely on the breath.
- Step 4 focus should be on the breath at the point where it actually enters the body. (Inside your nose.) This is actually the hardest to do since you are focusing on a single point.
The first few times you attempt mindfulness breathing, you will experience your body and mind fighting for control. You’ll be uncomfortable, and will want to move and scratch. Ignore these things- they will go away. Your mind will start to drift into idle chatter. Purposefully let the distraction go and return your focus to the breath, your single point. Struggle through first few sessions, and you will gain an inner calm, sharper mind, and greater ability to concentrate.
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