Breathing Meditation Technique - Discover The Secret to Enhanced Awareness, Concentration & Bliss Using Breath Counting!

Breathing meditation techniques are among the most basic meditation techniques, yet they are the most powerful. Even a few minutes of meditation breathing can provide deep relaxation and stress relief in our busy life.

Breathing Meditation Techniques

Breathing meditation is a form of passive meditation. You can choose one out of these 3 forms of breath meditation. It basically involves watching one of the following -

1) The rise and fall of the belly/abdomen as we breathe.

2) The inward and outward movement of the chest as we breathe.

3) The inflow and outflow of the breath through our nostrils.

Choose any one of the above 3 breathing meditation techniques in which you are comfortable. You can begin with a meditation session of 15-20 minutes in the beginning and then increase the time gradually.

You can also shift from one form of breath awareness to another form in the course of meditation. The object of awareness does not really matter too much, just make sure to not change it too frequently as you meditate.

Alternatively, you can include breath counting into breathing meditation. It improves the awareness levels and makes it easier to focus the mind from distractions.

Here is an easy breathing meditation technique that uses breath counting to achieve sharper concentration and enhanced awareness. It is very effective to calm the mind and bring it back from the numerous thoughts and distractions that make it restless, anxious and fatigued.

Breathing Meditation Technique Using Breath Counting

1) Watch the breath inhalation. Close your eyes. Sit down in a comfortable posture. Watch your breath entering through your nostrils and going its way down till your lungs.

2) Watch the "gaps". There are two points where our body is neither inhaling nor exhaling. After the completion of each inhalation, our body is at a point of rest for some time, and then it exhales. Similarly, after each breath exhalation, there is a gap of a few seconds (or milliseconds) before we inhale again.

These are the points of gaps or "still points". They are of great importance. Watch these gaps too as they arise after each inhalation and each exhalation.

3) Watch the breath exhalation. Then watch the exhalation as your breath moves outwards through the nostrils. Notice the warm sensations that arise.

4) Be with the breath. Repeat this process a few times. Watch the breath moving inward and outward and the gaps that arise at the end of each inhalation and exhalation.

Maintain the natural rhythm of breathing throughout the meditation. Your breathing will automatically and naturally become deeper as you meditate.

5) Start counting the breath. Now, you can start counting the inhalations from 1 to 10. For example, count 1 as you inhale and then count 2 up till 10. Don't count the exhalations. After you reach 10, start counting backwards towards 1 again.

6) Come back when you slip off. Initially, you might forget to count the breath and be aware of the breathing process as your mind wanders off into various distractions. But, this is nothing to worry about as it is quite natural.

As you realize that the mind has wandered, gently bring it back towards the breath with awareness. Start counting from 1 again. If you realize that you have gone beyond 10, start again counting from 1.

7) Cultivate one-pointed awareness. Continue with the breath counting and focusing on the breath till you achieve one-pointed awareness. Slowly, your mind shall calm down. You shall achieve deep relaxation and stress relief.

You shall also be able to witness your thoughts, negative emotions and anxiety from a distance and can be free of them by letting them go.

Benefits of Breathing Meditation Technique

After practicing breath meditation for a couple of weeks, you can forego the counting of the breath. Now, you can simply follow the breath with awareness.

As you regularly practice breath meditation, you shall easily achieve enhanced awareness of the still points or gaps that arise within breaths.

Then gradually you advance to a level where you do not just experience that stillness as discrete gaps arising in between the breaths, but as a more continuous and ongoing experience.

This experience helps to cultivate the awareness of stillness - that is present not just in the gaps between the breath but also in the midst of the activities in our day to day life. It gives rise to immense peace and tranquility within.