Breathing Meditation

Mindful breathing is a very basic yet powerful mindfulness meditation practice. The idea is simply to focus your attention on your breathing—to its natural rhythm and flow and the way it feels on each inhale and exhale. This breathing pattern aims to reduce anxiety or help people get to sleep. It is a form of Anapana which is the practice of breath regulation.

What does Anapana mean in Buddhism?

Mindfulness of breathing Ānāpānasati (Pali; Sanskrit ānāpānasmṛti), meaning “mindfulness of breathing” (“sati” means mindfulness; “ānāpāna” refers to inhalation and exhalation), paying attention to the breath. Anapana is a simple basic meditation technique.
Anapana is the first step in the practice of all meditation. Anapana means observation of natural, normal respiration, as it comes in and as it goes out. It is an easy to learn, objective and scientific technique that helps develop concentration of the mind.
Observation of the breath is the ideal object for meditation because it is always available and it is completely non-sectarian. Anapana is very different from techniques that are based on the artificial regulation of breath. There are no rites or rituals involved in the practice or presentation of Anapana.Anapana provides a tool to deal with the fears, anxieties and pressures across all age groups. Besides helping to calm and concentrate the mind, Anapana help people to understand themselves better and gives them an insight into the workings of their own minds. Because of its simplicity, the technique is easy to understand and practice. Observing the natural breath is a universal practice. Breath is breath, not a Buddhist breath, a Hindu breath, a Muslim breath or a Christian breath. Thus, Anapana becomes universal.

 Some of the benefits reported by those practicing Anapana:

• Effective tool to deal with fear, anxiety, stress, tension, nervousness
• Increased concentration of mind
• Improved awareness and alertness of the mind
• Memory becomes sharp
• Decision-making power improves
• Increased self-confidence
• Increased capacity to work
• Better ability to understand and express oneself
• Mastery over the mind
• Mind becomes healthy, wholesome and strong
• One becomes full of good wishes for others.