How to Practice Breathing Meditation

Meditation in every Breath with Easy Steps

Anapanasati or breathing meditation

Anapanasati or breathing meditation is the practice of mindful observance of one's breath. Breath awareness allows one to be anchored in the present moment and prevent thoughts about the past and future from rising. Thoughts about the past and future could generate happiness or sadness, desire or aversion, which is ultimately the source of our suffering. The practice of anapanasati or breathing meditation is a tool to free oneself from suffering generated by un-controlled thoughts. In practice, the practitioner is expected to ignore all thoughts that distract one from focus on the breath, simply observing as the thoughts rise and allowing them to dispassionately wither away. The practice of breathing meditation or Anapanasati will enable you to feel more in control of your life and train your mind not to generate unnecessary or distracting thoughts. This sounds like it generates a potentially robotic mindset, but actually it is quite the opposite. When freed from unnecessary and judgment clouding thoughts, one is able to act more spontaneously and creatively in each moment of their lives. One of the best ways to develop mindful presence is through breathing meditation practices. The following is a practice of the yoga three-part breath that I recommend to my clients.

Step 1

Place your hands on your belly. Recognize that your lungs go from the top of your chest to the lower part of your rib cage. Imagine that your lungs are like balloons that expand when air moves in and deflate when air moves out.

Step 2

Inhale deeply enough to fill the bottom of your lungs. Feel your hands rise as your belly rises with your inhale. Feel your hands fall as your belly falls with your exhale. Practice breathing into the bottom part of your lungs for 20 breaths.

Step 3

Place your hands underneath your chest. 

Step 4

Inhale only enough to push out your hands. Feel your hands rise as your diaphragm rises and expands with your inhale. Feel your hands fall as your diaphragm falls with your exhale. Practice breathing into the middle part of your lungs for 20 breaths.

Step 5

Place your hands on your chest. 

Step 6

Inhale only enough to push out your hands. This is a shallower breath. Feel your hands rise as your chest rises and expands with your inhale. Feel your hands fall as your chest falls with your exhale. Practice breathing into the upper part of your lungs for ten breaths.

Step 7

Now put the three parts of the breath together. Place your hands over your belly and your chest. Think of your body like a vase being filled with water. When you pour water into a vase, it fills the bottom, middle, and top in that order. When you pour water out of a vase, it empties from the top, middle, and finally bottom. This is how you want to breathe.

Step 8

Inhale deeply and feel your belly rise, then feel your diaphragm rise, finally feel your chest rise.

Step 9

Exhale and feel your chest fall, your diaphragm fall, and finally your belly fall. 

Step 10

Repeat this breath for five minutes. Try this breathing exercise twice a day for five minutes each sitting, build to 20 minutes twice a day. While you are breathing, you may recognize that your attention wanders. You may start thinking about what you want for lunch. Recognize that as a thought and without judgment let it pass through your mind like a cloud passing in the sky. You may remember something hurtful. Recognize that as a thought, too, and without judgment let it pass. Continue to sit and breathe.

Step 11

The purpose of this exercise is to help you train your mind to stay present and focused. With each breath, take the opportunity to open your awareness and become more mindful of your current experience. There are many other meditation techniques that can help you develop mindful presence.