Mindful Breath Meditation (Shamatha)

This short and simple exercise will teach you to focus on your breath anytime and anywhere - stuck in traffic, waiting in line, at work or school, during your exercise routine, etc. There is no requirement for special equipment or positions. You can do this exercise standing, sitting, lying down, or whatever.

As with all the meditations found on this site, you should read all the way through this page at least once before you try to do the meditation.

Before you start:

Now, you are ready to begin...

The guided meditation track uses a chime to begin this meditation, as do most of the meditations in this series. Eventually, you may find that the chime sound alone is enough to put you into a meditative state.

• Whether you are sitting, standing, or lying down, become aware of your posture. Straighten your back, tilting your head up/back slightly and tucking in your chin so that your neck and spine are aligned.

• Place your hands in a comfortable, relaxed position, and either close your eyes, or allow them to rest in a neutral state - unfocussed, not actually looking at anything.

• It is time to allow yourself to switch from the typical mode of doing, thinking, acting, and reacting, to a mode of simply Being. Of being attentive to what is happening within your own awareness, right here and right now.
It is time to Be Here Now.
Ready?

• Start by taking a few deep breaths, and noticing how your body feels. Feel the weight of your body as it rests on the floor or chair. Become aware of any sensations it experiences - the temperature, the connection with the floor or chair, the movement of air on the skin...
Bring your awareness to any part of your body that feels tense or tight, and consciously relax those areas as you breathe.

• Now, direct your awareness to your breath. Allow your body to become still, and notice the sensations as you breathe in and out, without trying to control or manipulate the breath in any way - just noticing your breath as it enters through your nose and moves all the way down to your abdomen, and back out again, one breath following the next.

• Follow each breath from the beginning of your inhalation through the end of your exhalation. Notice where you feel the breath most in your body. Become aware of the entire cycle of breath, from the movement of the air coming in, and filling your lungs, and extending the abdomen slightly, to the movement of air going out, aware of the pauses in between the inhale and the exhale, and between the exhale and the next inhale.

• Now, bring your attention to your nose. How does the breath feel entering and leaving your nostrils? Take a few deep breaths through your nose and notice any sensations or information. Perhaps you can feel your nose move slightly, or that the breath feels slightly warmer on the exhale than on the inhale.

• Whenever your mind wanders, simply acknowledge the sensations, thoughts or feelings that arise, let them go, and gently bring your attention back to your breathing and your focal point.

• Begin breathing through your mouth now. Notice any movements or sensations you experience on your lips as air passes through them, one way and the other. What about the roof of your mouth? Where is your tongue at each portion of the breath, and what does it feel? Go back to breathing through your nose. How does that affect the sensations of your mouth? Be aware of the details and note them to yourself as you discover them.

• Next, move your concentration to your throat, as you continue to breathe. Notice how your breath feels moving up and down your throat, whether and how it changes the temperature of the skin. Perhaps there is slight dryness felt on the inhale. How do the inner and outer throat muscles move as you breathe? Try alternating between breathing through your mouth and your nose, and notice how they change the sensations in your throat.

• Now, move your attention to you shoulders. Note whether they rise and fall with each breath. Notice any sensations from their movement.

• Continue to gently redirect your attention back to the moment to moment observation of the flow of your breathing, as needed.

• Bring your awareness to your chest. Try placing one or both hands on your chest. As you inhale, observe the expansion of the lungs and the rising of the chest. As you exhale, notice the contraction of the chest and lungs. Feel and acknowledge any physical sensations in your chest as the muscles move to transport the air in and out of your lungs. See if there is a difference whether nose breathing or mouth breathing.

• Next, direct your focus down to your belly. Feel your abdomen rising with your inhale, and falling with your exhale. Place your hand on your upper abdomen, then your lower abdomen as you breathe in and out. Feel both the sensations of your hand and those of your abdomen. Can you feel the muscles working? How does it feel?

• Now, simply continue to observe your breath, overall for a few seconds, and then once again become aware of your entire body, as it is and where it is in this moment.

• Know that you can bring this awareness with you into your daily life, and remember that you can use this technique almost anywhere and any time. Even taking a single, mindful breath, if that is all there is time for, can help you remain calm and focus on the moment at hand, in the Here and Now.