Breath or Breathing Meditation is the practice of focusing on, counting, or controlling the breath. The workings of the breath have long been associated with meditation and wellness practices. Breathing is an involuntary process can be distorted and undermined by any and all things psychological, emotional, and mental. There is an intimate relationship between the mind, the body, and breath.
Breathing can very easily become a forced or voluntary (rather than involuntary) process. We come to believe that it is not the body that breathes but we that do the breathing. This is not the case. Breath occurs quite naturally in sleep, and will occur naturally (if we allow it) in the waking state. However, in our mistaken belief (do to the presence of ego) that our body would not go on breathing with our forcing it in or out, we breathe less deeply, less completely, more shallow.
Watching the breath or following the breath is the practice of allowing the body to breathe naturally by itself, without interference. Most breathing meditation practices are aimed at breaking up the less natural patterns of interference caused by identification and ego-presence. If we can allow breath to occur naturally, a gentle push is applied to the unnatural ego, and we are set free.
There are many meditations involving the breath. In addition, there are breathing-related practices that accompany forms of meditation. Breath is paramount in some forms of Qigong standing-style meditation. Many sitting meditation exercises focus on counting the breath, allowing the breath, following the breath, etc.
Breathing Meditation Interviews
Many of those interviewed here have something to say about the breath and why it is important. The interviews conducted for this site are done by email. Interviews with practitioners and teachers have the benefit of offering personal insights into a meditation practice. Unlike a dictionary-style description, these testimonials reveal intimate details that can only come from the direct experience shared by those who meditate. If you meditate on the breath or practice a specific form of breathing meditation, please consider sharing your story by participating in a meditation interview.
Types and Forms of Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is only one of many types of meditation. Other styles or ways of meditating include sitting meditation, standing meditation, bowing meditation, and kneeling meditation. These forms focus on the position and activity (or inactivity) of the body. Other forms of meditation, less associated with the body's position (though activity-related) are breathing meditation, koan practice, empty mind meditation, insight meditation, and tantra meditation.
With the multitude of forms and approaches, one might ask what meditation is, or even what is the point of meditation. Practically anything can become a form of meditation, including surfing as meditation, art and drawing as meditation, running as meditation, life as meditation, and guided relaxation-style meditations on CD or DVD. Anything can be meditative.
Ask Questions about Meditation
If you have any nagging questions in regard to any practice of meditation, please consider posing them to this blog at this link: questions about meditation.
Thank you for visiting meditationhow.info.
