The Power of Conscious Breathing: Simple Exercises for Mindful Living
Awareness of breathing
The first exercise is very simple, but the results from doing it can be very powerful. It consists of simply recognizing that an inhalation is an inhalation and an exhalation is an exhalation. When you inhale, you realize that you are inhaling. When you exhale, you realize that it is an exhalation. Just perceive: this is an inhalation and this is an exhalation. In order for this to happen, your mind needs to return to itself. Your mind perceives that the entry of air is an inhalation, which is the object of your mind, your awareness.
Awareness is always the realization of something. If you drink your tea consciously, it can be called conscious tea drinking. When you walk and are conscious of the process of walking, it is a conscious walk. When you breathe realizing the process of breathing, it is conscious breathing. So the object of your awareness is the breath, you just focus your attention on it. As you inhale you realize that it is your inhalation and as you exhale you realize that it is your exhalation.
Doing so stops the dialog of the mind. You are no longer thinking. No effort is required to stop thinking, you shift your attention to your breathing and the inner dialog simply stops. This is the miracle of this kind of practice. You are no longer thinking about the past. You no longer think about the future. You are no longer making plans as you focus your attention, your awareness on your breath. As time goes on, things only get better. You begin to enjoy mindful breathing.
The practice can be joyful and easy. He who has died is no longer breathing. But you are alive! You - inhale and as you inhale you realize that you are alive. The breath itself is a celebration of life, and that is why it is so joyful. It takes no effort to be happy and joyful. I am alive. I am breathing. Being alive is a miracle. The greatest of all miracles is to be alive; when you breathe in, you are in touch with this miracle. In this way the very process of breathing becomes a celebration of life. The breath may last for three, four, five seconds or more. But it is a time of life, a time of savoring the breath.
There is no need to interfere with the breath. If the breath is short, let it be short. If it is long, let it be long. Do not speed up or slow down the breath. The practice consists in simply perceiving the inhalations and exhalations. And this is enough. The effect will be strong.
The first exercise is very simple, but the results from doing it can be very powerful. It consists of simply recognizing that an inhalation is an inhalation and an exhalation is an exhalation. When you inhale, you realize that you are inhaling. When you exhale, you realize that it is an exhalation. Just perceive: this is an inhalation and this is an exhalation. In order for this to happen, your mind needs to return to itself. Your mind perceives that the entry of air is an inhalation, which is the object of your mind, your awareness.
Awareness is always the realization of something. If you drink your tea consciously, it can be called conscious tea drinking. When you walk and are conscious of the process of walking, it is a conscious walk. When you breathe realizing the process of breathing, it is conscious breathing. So the object of your awareness is the breath, you just focus your attention on it. As you inhale you realize that it is your inhalation and as you exhale you realize that it is your exhalation.
Doing so stops the dialog of the mind. You are no longer thinking. No effort is required to stop thinking, you shift your attention to your breathing and the inner dialog simply stops. This is the miracle of this kind of practice. You are no longer thinking about the past. You no longer think about the future. You are no longer making plans as you focus your attention, your awareness on your breath. As time goes on, things only get better. You begin to enjoy mindful breathing.
The practice can be joyful and easy. He who has died is no longer breathing. But you are alive! You - inhale and as you inhale you realize that you are alive. The breath itself is a celebration of life, and that is why it is so joyful. It takes no effort to be happy and joyful. I am alive. I am breathing. Being alive is a miracle. The greatest of all miracles is to be alive; when you breathe in, you are in touch with this miracle. In this way the very process of breathing becomes a celebration of life. The breath may last for three, four, five seconds or more. But it is a time of life, a time of savoring the breath.
There is no need to interfere with the breath. If the breath is short, let it be short. If it is long, let it be long. Do not speed up or slow down the breath. The practice consists in simply perceiving the inhalations and exhalations. And this is enough. The effect will be strong.
Concentration
The second exercise is that as you inhale, you follow your breath from beginning to end. If the inhalation lasts for four seconds, your awareness continues for all those four seconds. Breathing in, following the inhale all the time. Breathing out is aware of the exhalation all the time. Mindfulness is always with the inhalation and always with the exhalation. In this way mindfulness becomes continuous and the quality of concentration becomes better.
So, the second exercise is to follow the inhalation and exhalation continuously and uninterruptedly. It doesn't matter whether they are short or long. What is important is that you follow the inhalations and exhalations from beginning to end.
Suppose you are inhaling, and suddenly you think, “Oh my God, I forgot to turn off the iron!” That is an interruption of awareness. And you need to stay with the breath all the time. Then awareness and concentration develops. As you go on practicing in this way, your breathing will quite naturally become deeper and more even. No effort is needed - everything happens naturally.
The second exercise is that as you inhale, you follow your breath from beginning to end. If the inhalation lasts for four seconds, your awareness continues for all those four seconds. Breathing in, following the inhale all the time. Breathing out is aware of the exhalation all the time. Mindfulness is always with the inhalation and always with the exhalation. In this way mindfulness becomes continuous and the quality of concentration becomes better.
So, the second exercise is to follow the inhalation and exhalation continuously and uninterruptedly. It doesn't matter whether they are short or long. What is important is that you follow the inhalations and exhalations from beginning to end.
Suppose you are inhaling, and suddenly you think, “Oh my God, I forgot to turn off the iron!” That is an interruption of awareness. And you need to stay with the breath all the time. Then awareness and concentration develops. As you go on practicing in this way, your breathing will quite naturally become deeper and more even. No effort is needed - everything happens naturally.
Body Awareness
The third exercise is to become aware of your body while breathing. “As I breathe in, I become aware of my whole body.” This is an advancement one step further. In the first exercises, you learn to become aware of the inhalations and exhalations. By practicing breath awareness, the power of awareness increases and can be extended to the whole body.
“Breathing in - I am aware of my whole body. Breathing out - I am aware of my whole body.” I am aware that my body is always here. This brings the mind back into the body. The mind and body become one. When your mind is together with your body, there is a return to the here-and-now. You are fully alive. You are in touch with all the available wonders in and around you. This exercise is very simple, but the effect of the unity of body and mind is tremendous.
In everyday life we are rarely in this state. Our body is here and our mind is anywhere. Our mind can be in the past, in the future, sad, doubting, grieving or rejoicing, and therefore not be in the here. Someone may well be present in the apartment with the body, but absent from it with the mind. The mind may be in plans, in dreams, but not with his family and children. You may even ask yourself, “Hey! Where are you? Are you home?” And with this question you can return back.
So the third exercise is body awareness. “By breathing in I become aware of my body.” By practicing mindful breathing, peace and harmony are brought into life, and by continuing to practice they spread and permeate the body.
The third exercise is to become aware of your body while breathing. “As I breathe in, I become aware of my whole body.” This is an advancement one step further. In the first exercises, you learn to become aware of the inhalations and exhalations. By practicing breath awareness, the power of awareness increases and can be extended to the whole body.
“Breathing in - I am aware of my whole body. Breathing out - I am aware of my whole body.” I am aware that my body is always here. This brings the mind back into the body. The mind and body become one. When your mind is together with your body, there is a return to the here-and-now. You are fully alive. You are in touch with all the available wonders in and around you. This exercise is very simple, but the effect of the unity of body and mind is tremendous.
In everyday life we are rarely in this state. Our body is here and our mind is anywhere. Our mind can be in the past, in the future, sad, doubting, grieving or rejoicing, and therefore not be in the here. Someone may well be present in the apartment with the body, but absent from it with the mind. The mind may be in plans, in dreams, but not with his family and children. You may even ask yourself, “Hey! Where are you? Are you home?” And with this question you can return back.
So the third exercise is body awareness. “By breathing in I become aware of my body.” By practicing mindful breathing, peace and harmony are brought into life, and by continuing to practice they spread and permeate the body.
Releasing tension
The fourth exercise is to release tension in the body. When the body is truly realized, attention is drawn to the tension or pain in the body. Tension and pain may have been building up for a very long time and the body suffering, but the mind has not helped to get rid of it.
Therefore, it is very important to learn how to release the tension in the body. One can be released from tension always, without regard to the position of the body: sitting, lying down or standing. One can practice the deepest, fullest relaxation sitting or lying down. When driving a car, you can pay attention to the tension in your body. You are anxious to get to your destination, but you are not enjoying the ride itself. When you stop at a red light, you look forward to it changing to green so the trip can continue. But a red light can be a signal. A reminder of the tension in yourself, the stressful anticipation of arriving at your destination as soon as possible. That red light can be used in other ways.
You can sit back and relax - use those ten seconds to consciously breathe and release bodily tension. Peace is possible in any moment. Conscious breathing can be practiced as many times as you like throughout the day. At the workplace, on the road, cooking lunch, or digging in the vegetable garden. It is always possible to free yourself from the pressure
The fourth exercise is to release tension in the body. When the body is truly realized, attention is drawn to the tension or pain in the body. Tension and pain may have been building up for a very long time and the body suffering, but the mind has not helped to get rid of it.
Therefore, it is very important to learn how to release the tension in the body. One can be released from tension always, without regard to the position of the body: sitting, lying down or standing. One can practice the deepest, fullest relaxation sitting or lying down. When driving a car, you can pay attention to the tension in your body. You are anxious to get to your destination, but you are not enjoying the ride itself. When you stop at a red light, you look forward to it changing to green so the trip can continue. But a red light can be a signal. A reminder of the tension in yourself, the stressful anticipation of arriving at your destination as soon as possible. That red light can be used in other ways.
You can sit back and relax - use those ten seconds to consciously breathe and release bodily tension. Peace is possible in any moment. Conscious breathing can be practiced as many times as you like throughout the day. At the workplace, on the road, cooking lunch, or digging in the vegetable garden. It is always possible to free yourself from the pressure
Walking Meditation
When practicing mindful breathing, we simply allow our breath to happen. We become aware of it and enjoy it. Without effort. The same is true for mindful walking. Each step is enjoyable. Each step helps us get in touch with the wonder of life. Each step is a joy. It is possible. A mindful walk requires no effort, it is pleasurable in itself. You are here, and body and mind are together. You are fully present in the here-and-now. With each step you are in touch with the wonders of life in and around you. Each step brings joy and peace because each step is a miracle. The real miracle is not being able to fly or walk on coals. The real miracle is to walk on this earth. This miracle can be touched every day. Just bring your mind back home to your body, revitalize it. And take a miraculous walk on this earth.
When practicing mindful breathing, we simply allow our breath to happen. We become aware of it and enjoy it. Without effort. The same is true for mindful walking. Each step is enjoyable. Each step helps us get in touch with the wonder of life. Each step is a joy. It is possible. A mindful walk requires no effort, it is pleasurable in itself. You are here, and body and mind are together. You are fully present in the here-and-now. With each step you are in touch with the wonders of life in and around you. Each step brings joy and peace because each step is a miracle. The real miracle is not being able to fly or walk on coals. The real miracle is to walk on this earth. This miracle can be touched every day. Just bring your mind back home to your body, revitalize it. And take a miraculous walk on this earth.
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Follow Ahamkara on:
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