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Mindfulness of Breathing
​by Karla Beatty

​When you practice watching your breathing, over time your power of attention becomes really strong. With a strong mindfulness muscle, you become more perceptive about your thoughts, emotions, and actions.

You may also be interested in...
More About Meditation

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

The Link Between Mind and Body 

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Breathing, simply breathing, can be a link between the body and the mind. Sitting and paying attention to your breaths helps slow the mind and has lasting benefits of relaxation and clarity. Your mind is not separate from your body. When your mind is tense and full of racing thoughts, your body becomes tense and stressed out.

Breathing is a very special part of simply being. There are things in your body that you can control as well as things you can’t control. For example, you can control moving your hand or fingers, but you can’t control your own heartbeat. The heart controls its own beat independent of your intent. However there are a few things in a body that are both automatic and within the range of control. Blinking your eyes is an example of this. You blink your eyes automatically, without even thinking about it. Your body sets itself to blink regularly in order to keep your eyes moist. But you can also control your blinking when you try. If you try to blink “five times fast,” you can do it. Breathing is like blinking. You breathe most of the time without even thinking about it, automatically. But if you try to “take a deep breath,” you will do it, consciously.
 
In this way, the breath can be a link between your body and your mind. In fact, you may find that breathing often reflects your state of mind. For example, when you are afraid, your breathing becomes short and tight, concentrated in the chest area. When you are startled, you might take a quick, intake of breath into your throat area. These adjustments of your breathing may be automatic, but you can also control your breath consciously to affect your state of mind.
 
Try this: Place one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest. Now take a slow breath in. First, let your belly hand rise. Then, draw the air into the chest and let your chest hand rise. Now slowly breath out, letting the chest hand fall first and then letting the belly hand fall. You may feel the effects in your mind: calm, relaxed, unworried. That’s why when you are faced with an upsetting situation, you might say to yourself, “Slow down, take three deep breaths.” It really does work. Those three deep breaths can calm the mind down.
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Breathing can change how your body reacts. This is one of the reasons that watching your breath is useful in meditation. The breath becomes an anchor for your attention. It has an incredibly deep affect on the mind, letting it become calm, allowing clarity in thought. But that attention to breathing can take another leap. Your attention allows you to become mindful of your own mental states, emotions, and thoughts. Flex the mindfulness muscle and your attention becomes stronger, you are more aware, and hopefully, more open to the broad mind.

DISCLAIMER  The content on SimpleTens is for educational purposes only and designed to support minor health issues, not to replace medical or psychiatric treatment. If you are concerned about a health issue, please see a health professional. Please read the full Disclaimer.

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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 >
      • Muscle Relaxation Head and Back
      • Progressive Muscle Relaxation
      • How to Breathe
      • Breathe Deeply Health Benefits
      • High Heels Are Hurting Me
      • 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