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Meditation Breathing

When something is simple we often say, "It's as easy as breathing." Breathing is an important part of meditation. So, how does mindful breathing work for you?
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More About Meditation

Meditation: How To Breathe
Sitting Meditation Basics
Walking Meditation Basics
Benefits of Walking Meditation
Meditation Posture

Breathe. Let Go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.   
                            —Oprah Winfrey
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10 Simple Steps to Breathe and Meditate

Woman sitting meditation in lotus position

Meditation
practice is about slowing down. It is about letting your body relax and letting your mind become clear. Meditation breathing is an important part of that. There are many health benefits to breathing correctly and it is good to learn how to breathe well, for health. Breathing IS meditation practice, though there are also many different approaches to meditation. A good start is to follow these basic steps to learn how to breathe and meditate.


1. Attain Your Meditation Position
Sit and relax. It should be easy, but often it seems like work to get there. Most meditation is practiced in sitting position, but may also be in a standing posture or walking meditation. In meditation, you will stay in one position for long periods of time. It’s important to find the best posture that will enable you to be relaxed and comfortable. Good posture is important both for meditation and for your health. Once you have set up your meditation position, take your awareness through all the parts of your body, relaxing each area as you go.
2. Start with Natural Breaths
The start of meditation is to breathe easily. At this point, don’t control the breath, simply let it flow in and out, naturally. Ideally, inhale and exhale through the nose at this phase. You might take a few deep, long breaths to encourage the body and mind to slow down. Just a few deeper breaths; then go back to a natural easy rhythm. Mostly, just...slow...down.
3. Pay Attention to Your Breath
Meditation begins by drawing awareness to your breathing. Air comes in, air goes out—follow that movement. The practice is to let your mind be calm and pure—no world, no mind, no body. Just breathe. Slow, without strain.
4. Count the Breaths
A good practice is to simply count the breaths from one to ten, over and over again. One breath, one number: Breathe in-breathe out (1); Breathe in-breathe out (2); Breathe in-breathe out (3), and so on, until you count to ten. After you reach ten, start again at one. Begin to focus on how each breath feels. Let yourself become absorbed at how the air flows into and out of your body. Notice the sensations with each breath.
5. Focus on the abdomen.
Breathing begins and ends with the abdomen. This is a good pattern to begin with:
  1. Inhale slow through the nose.
  2. Let the abdomen rise and fill with the breath.
  3. A slight pause.
  4. Exhale slowly, through the nose or lips.
  5. Press up and out from the abdomen, slowly.
  6. A slight pause. Begin again.
The pause can be longer after the exhale. Be aware of your abdomen rising, and also your upper chest rising.
6. Be Aware of In-Breath and Out-Breath
The in-breath is slow, easy, and natural. The in-breath is usually through the nose, the out-breath may be through the lips, slightly opened. The out-breath is more forceful, yet still slow, somewhat slower than the in-breath. Draw all your awareness to this process.
7. Bring It Back to Counting
Don’t feel dismayed if your mind wanders and you lose track of the count. Just return your focus to your breathing. Bring it back to counting. Be patient with the process and gentle with yourself. It’s common for outside thoughts to arise. Bring it back to counting. Distraction is a normal part of meditation process. Bring it back to counting.
8. Check Your Posture
Occasionally check in on your posture. A good time may be at the beginning of each round of counting, sort of between ten and one. Don’t overdue it and squirm, just check that your spine is straight, head and neck are aligned. Bring it back to counting.
9. Slow Breathing—Calm Mind
As you breathe and count, you’ll notice that your body begins to relax. Allow a sense of letting go on every out-breath. After a while, your breathing will become much slower. Your pulse will actually be a little faster. As your body relaxes, your mind becomes clearer. This is meditation.
10. Practice Daily
Follow this pattern for at least 5 minutes. As the practice becomes more comfortable, extend the time longer. About 30 minutes is good. If you can keep it up and meditate every day, that is great. If not, 3-4 times a week will still bring excellent benefits.

Picture
Scientific studies of meditation help us learn more about its effects on the body. Regular meditation practice promotes relaxation and mental calming. This enhances your health and well-being. As you learn more about meditation, you can try out additional breathing patterns, follow a mantra, develop mindfulness, and focus on mind training. If sitting still turns out not to be your thing, there is also moving meditation in yoga and Tai Chi.

If you liked this Simple10s article, you might also enjoy How to Do Walking Meditation.

To learn more about basic breathing, try this article: How to Breathe For Health.

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  • Home
    • Index of Articles
    • About
    • Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
  • Meditation
    • Sitting Meditation
    • Walking Meditation Basic Techniques
    • Walking Meditation Benefits
    • Meditation Breathing
    • Meditation Posture
    • Breathing: On Counting Breaths
    • Practicing: On Meditation Practice
    • Bellows Breathing
    • Mindfulness of Breathing
    • Buddhism 101: The Grand Illusion
  • LifeStyle
    • Mind and Spirit >
      • How To Be Happy
      • Pope's Tips for a Happier Life
      • Happiness If-Onlys
      • What is Love
      • Psychic Protection in Crowds
    • Work Abundance >
      • Jobs Using the Internet
      • Be a Team Player
      • Time for a New Career?
      • Be More Productive
    • People Connection >
      • 10 Nice Things You Can Do for Your Neighbors
      • Live a Long Life
      • Mini-Tens >
        • Funny Tens >
          • Cheesy Pick Up Lines
          • Pick Up Lines for Scientists
    • Food for Life >
      • Lacy Baked Cheese Crisps
      • Healthy Snack Kale Chips
      • An Apple a Day
      • Become a Vegan
      • Tips for a Vegan Diet
      • Juice Cleanse
      • Juice Cleanse Recipes
    • Expanding World >
      • Travel First-Aid Kit
      • 10 Ways to Relieve Stress
  • Creative Arts
    • You Can Do It >
      • Oil Painting Brushes
      • How To Hold a Paint Brush
      • Painting with a Painter's Knife
      • How To Hold a Painting Knife
      • Use a Painting Knife: Textures and Marks
      • Sketchbooks for Artists
      • Be Creative With Your Photographs
      • Warm Up the Voice for Singing
      • How To Write A Haiku Poem
      • Listen to Music
    • Creativity Matters >
      • Traits of Creative People
      • Jobs for Creatives
      • Joyful Music
      • Funniest Songs
    • Arts Appreciated >
      • Vincent Van Gogh Insights into Creativity
      • Brilliant Quotes for Artists
      • History of Botanical Illustration
      • Haiku Poetry of Basho
  • Nature
    • Environment >
      • Sow Bugs in Vegetable Gardens
      • Sow Bugs and Diatomaceous Earth
      • Organic Pest Control
      • Organic Lawn Care
      • Feeding and Weeding Organic Lawn Care
      • Compost Tea
      • Making Compost Tea
      • 10 Steps to Organic Lawn Care
      • Ground Covering Plants
      • Electric Vehicles Benefits
      • Recycling Paper Benefits
      • Save Energy and Natural Resources
      • Wind Mill Turbines
    • Natural World >
      • Survive an Earthquake
      • Survive a Landslide
      • Tsunamis Start With Little Warning
      • Coyotes and People Encounters
      • Domesticated Insects
    • Your World Outdoors >
      • Spiritual Experiences in Nature
      • Natural Tick Prevention
      • Tailgate Parties Go Green
  • Well-Being
    • Self-Care Vitality >
      • High Heels Are Hurting Me
      • Muscle Relaxation Head and Back
      • Progressive Muscle Relaxation
      • How to Breathe
      • Breathe Deeply Health Benefits
      • Natural Skin Care Tips
      • Dry Brush Skin Exfoliation
    • Alternative Medicine >
      • Natural First Aid Kit
      • CoQ10 for Vibrant Health
      • Rhodiola, a Natural Herbal Alternative
      • 10 Natural Home Remedies for Bee Stings
      • Safe Tick Repellent
      • Natural Deodorants Lose Underarm Odor
    • Fitness Your Way >
      • Motivational Quotes for Fitness and Exercise
      • Cardio Exercise for the Lazy
      • Motivational Quotes to Lose Weight
      • 10 Ways to Boost Metabolism
      • Fatigue Fighters Boost Energy
    • Food As Medicine >
      • Foods That Fight Cancer
      • Honey as Medicine
    • Tens Devices >
      • TENS Units
      • Comparison of TENS and EMS
  • Contact