Practice of Mindfulness of Breathing

 

• In the sitting posture, be mindful of the full breath experience.

• Experience the body expanding with the inhalation and contracting with the exhalation.

• Be mindful of breathing in and breathing out.

• If tired, keep the eyes open. If restless, breathe long and deep, relax with the out breath.

• Allow the breath to flow in and out of the body, shallow or deep.

• Be aware of any moment(s) of stillness before the next in-breath.

• Be aware of changes in the breath, of impermanence of every breath.

• Experience the air element stimulating the cells of the body.

• Relax gently with the out breath when the mind easily wanders.

• Let the brain cells become quiet.

• Air element confirms our intimacy and inter-dependence with the surrounding world.

• Feel the freedom of simply breathing in and breathing out.

• Mindfulness of breathing contributes to harmony of body and mind

• Mindfulness connects directly with organic life.

 

Seven Conditions for Stress

 

• Desire to get things done

• Fear of not getting things done

• Feeling misunderstood or rejected

• Placing expectations onto others, who do not follow through

• Placing unfulfilled expectations upon ourselves

• Projecting into a situation

• Thinking too much about something.

• Waiting for an outcome in the future

 

Mindfulness of Breathing

 

• I am breathing in

• I am breathing out

• I am breathing in a long breath

• I am breathing out a long breath

• I am aware of the breath as it comes into my body

• I am aware of the breath as it leaves my body

• I am aware of the in breath as it enters my nose

• I am aware of the breath in my lungs

• I am aware of the out breath as it departs from my lungs

• I am aware of the out breath as it departs from my nose

• I am aware of the moment(s) before the next in breath comes in

• I am aware of the coming of the breath

• I am aware of the going of the breath

• I experience the breathing in and breathing out

• Allowing myself to stay steady with each breath.

 

Five ways to understanding

 

• Acknowledge the times when you feel stuck

• Be mindful of the way things change over a period of time – short or long

• Develop the capacity bear the content of the state of mind.

• Keep interest, even if the experience itself drops away, to develop understanding

• Learn to stay with an experience for the insight to emerge.

 

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