We have all had those moments when we have been told to take a deep breath and calm down. Or, we have been told to take a deep breath and count to ten. There is a reason for that. And, that leads me back to meditation.
Breathing is the key to meditation. Notice how evenly a person breathes when asleep. The breath is regular and not strained. There are no little breaths and then a long breath. Instead, breathing is regular and even. That is what we strive for when we meditate.
One thing I have noticed with most new mediation students is that most breath from their chests. That is shallow breathing. We want to breathe deeply. That’s also one of the reasons I wear loose clothes when I meditate. I don’t want to be constrained when I breathe.
Sit straight. If you are sitting in a straight back chair, put your feet on the floor. Now, breathe. Take a deep breath. Take a really deep breath. Did your chest rise and fall or did your belly expand and contract? If you said “chest” try again. You want to breathe so that your navel moves in and out. That is deep breathing from the diaphram. That’s the kind of breathing meditation requires. Practice.
Take a deep breath in through your nose. Close your mouth! Inhale through your nose until your belly swells. Exhale.
Now, count to three or ten or whatever as you inhale through your nose, taking in as much air as you can. Puff out the diaphram so that your belly expands. Breathe out.
Try it again, counting as you inhale. When you have taken in all the air you can hold, hold it and count to the same number that you counted as you inhaled. Exhale.
Try it again, counting as you inhale, counting as you hold the breath. Now, open your mouth and exhale as you count to your magic number. Deep breathing should be slow and deliberate.
Inhale through your nose as you count to ten. Hold the air for a count to ten. Exhale through your mouth for a count of ten. You now see the reason for sitting as straight as possible. You cannot breathe deeply if you are not upright or slumping over.
When you are comfortable breathing, begin to focus on a single point and count the breath in, count the hold, and count the exhale.
I close my eyes and focus on the grey dot inside my eyelids. Inhaling through my nose… one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. I hold the breath as I focus on the inner eyelids… one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. I open my mouth and gently blow the air out… one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
If you are new to this exercise, may I suggest about ten repetitions before going about your daily business.
One other point that I must mention. Several of those I have worked with indicated that they felt “light-headed” after the exercise. Don’t get too carried away, but not to worry. Your brain is getting enough oxygen for the first time in a long, long time. And, chances are you are feeling very relaxed.
My best suggestion is that anyone wishing to learn meditation perform this exercise in the morning and in the evenings for about ten days before moving to the next step. It will become comfortable with practice over time.
Please don’t cheat and don’t take short cuts. You will just be wasting your time. Find a quiet place. Dress comfortably. Don’t rush through the exercises. Focus on counting as you inhale, hold the breath and exhale. Really focus. Keep your eyes on your focal point. Looking around the room at the dust won’t help your breathing.
During the day if you begin to feel stressed, plant your feet, straighten your back and breathe… breathe… breathe… This will become so comfortable and so easy that you will start to notice real life changes. You may not scream at the kids when they turn the soda over on the carpet. You may not snap at that really stupid comment your husband just made. You may sleep better at night.
As a word of warning: If you are really into drama, always wishing to show that you can get the last word, and always having to be right…. this is going to take some time. So, practice at every opportunity.
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