The first practice we began with is called 'Mindfulness of Breathing' in English, or Anapanasati in Pali, which is an ancient South Asian language in which many of the earliest Buddhist works were recorded. It's very common in a variety of traditions, from Tibetan to Zen Buddhism, as well as the more secular Mindfulness programs here in the UK.
How to do it (short form notes as a reminder):
Sit comfortably, ensuring your posture is upright, yet relaxed. It's a good idea to spend some time just working on your 'sitting posture', as it can make a big difference to the quality of your experience. Check the tabs for some guidance about posture.
It is often a good idea to do some kind of 'settling' exercise before meditating, whether this is a body scan, some yoga, or simply sitting. Do what suits you. Again, ensure you're comfortable, and begin.
Stage 1
Counting after the exhale.
The idea here is is to count each time you exhale, up until 10. Then start again at 1.
After each exhale, 'drop' in the number. For example, exhale, 1; exhale, 2; exhale, 3... and so on until 10. You may find at first that your concentration is on the counting alone (which can mean counting up to 30 or beyond!), rather than the sensations of your breathing, or that your thoughts go absolutely wild, distracting you from counting. This is ok. Gently and uncritically bring yourself back to the breath, back to the counting, starting at 1, whenever this happens.
Stage 2
Counting before the inhale.
This is a subtle shift. Instead of counting after the exhale, you count just before you inhale. Notice the difference in sensation. Again, stick to 10, and gently bring yourself back to the counting when you go astray.
Stage 3
Drop the counting.
Pay attention now to the sensations of simply breathing.
Stage 4
Now shift your attention to the point at which breath is entering and leaving your body. This should in most cases be your nose. Feel the difference in temperature, movement of the air on your lip, and so on.
Finish. Take as much time as you need to come away from your meditation. Reflect briefly on your experience.
And that's it! Get up, and try to take the experience of mindfulness with you through the day.
My deepest thanks to Abhayadevi and Padmolka, who taught me how to do this wonderful practice.
Resources:
Click here for a 20-minute guided audio meditation (complete with timings for each stage, and guidance throughout)
Click here for the same 20-minute meditation, but without guidance (bells only, to tell you when to begin each stage). There are also options for longer periods.
