Meditation Postures & Mindful Breathing
by Anh-Huong Nguyen
Your breath is part of your body, so when your mind is in touch with
your breath through mindful breathing, it is also in touch with your
body. True rest and peace are the natural result of conscious breathing
in which body, breath, and mind come into unity.
To practice basic conscious breathing meditation, sit comfortably and
let your weight sink into the ground. You can also practice conscious
breathing while standing, walking, or in any other position, or even
while jogging. If you have physical limitations and cannot sit or stand
comfortably, you can lie on your back. Whether you walk or jog, sit or
stand, as long as you remain mindful of your breathing, peace and
serenity are always with you.
Sit in such a way that you can enjoy each moment of your sitting. You
can sit on a chair if sitting on a cushion is difficult for you. If you
experience a lot of restlessness or resistance in your sitting, lie down
instead.
Whether you are sitting or standing, keep your head and neck aligned
with your spinal column by dropping your shoulders completely. If you
are lying down, let your arms rest alongside your body at an angle that
enables your shoulders to fully relax. Your hands can rest on your belly
or on the floor. If you need to use a pillow, choose one that is thin
enough to support your head without tensing your neck. To loosen your
jaw, open your mouth as wide as you can three times, followed each time
by a deep breath. Now, close your eyes and allow your facial muscles to
relax completely by keeping a half-smile on your lips. A half-smile
helps bring you back to the source of love, joy, and compassion within
you. Let your breath flow naturally and allow the river of your breath
to carry your gentle smile to every part of your body.
Your elbows and wrists should be loose. Relax each of your fingers. If
you are sitting, you can place one hand on top of the other, interlock
your fingers, or let your hands rest naturally on your lap.
When you feel settled in this sitting or lying position, put your hands
on your belly and continue to breathe naturally. With your in-breath,
allow all of your thoughts to move down to the level of your abdomen and
settle there. As you breathe out, allow your whole body to feel softened
and cleansed as tensions and stresses in your body are released. As you
breathe in, quietly say “Resting” while allowing all of your mental
activities to rest in your abdomen. Then, during the whole length of
your out-breath, quietly say “Softening” as your body relaxes and
becomes as soft as a baby’s. Practice this exercise— breathing in,
“Resting”; breathing out, “Softening”—for a few minutes or as long as
you wish until you experience a sense of deep ease and calm.
Your mind has been resting on the soft pillow of your breath and because
of that your breath has become deeper, quieter, and slower. Now, give
your gentle and complete attention to your breathing and nothing else.
Place your hands on your abdomen so you can feel it rise and fall with
your in-breath and out-breath. Have you noticed that it rises as you
breathe in and falls as you breathe out? This is healthy breathing. When
we are tense or taken over by a strong emotion, our breathing becomes
short and shallow, and our belly does not move at all.
Now, as you breathe in, follow the air that enters your body through
your nose, feel the rise of your abdomen, and quietly say, “In, one.”
With your out-breath, feel the fall of your abdomen and quietly say,
“Out, one.” Say “In, two” on the second in-breath, and “Out, two” on the
second out-breath. Continue for ten full breaths. Counting your breath
in this way helps you to cultivate mindfulness and concentration, which
are crucial for nourishing peace and happiness.
At first you may find it difficult to remain mindful for as many as ten
breaths, but once you are able to take ten conscious breaths in a row,
you can continue until you reach fifteen. And if you want to do more,
you can continue until you reach twenty breaths.
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