06 September 2009

Count your breath meditation


This is simply a meditation to focus on the rhythm of your breath by counting your in and out breath. It is very easy to do, and at first you mind will start wandering around. Do not worry about it, it is quite natural. Just gently acknowledge that and shift your mind back into counting your breath again. With time, your mind will slow down and will stop wandering by itself, without any external 'nudging'.

How to dit:

1. Sit down, close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Be aware of every breathing in and breathing out.

2. Do not try to control your breathing, or try to slow it down forcefully. Just breath automatically, freely and pay attention to the air passing through your nose, lungs and goes out again.

3. After a few breaths, start counting.

4. Breathing in, one.........breathing out ,two........breathing in, three........breathing out, four... breathing in, five..... breathing out, six

5. Should you find yourself thinking of something else instead of your breathing, just acknowledge it, and return to your breathing, and start counting again

6. Now notice the sensations of your breathing. The depth, the speed, see if your breathing becomes increasingly slower and quieter, if your breathing more and more goes to your stomach or your chest, if your body becomes more relaxed through your breathing, ...etc. Try to notice this as an outsider, without stopping from counting. If you cannot, then just go back to counting

7. Breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, breathing out, etc.

8. If at any time you notice any strange feelings in your body, like twinklings, or muscle reactions, just notice that, it is quite normal. Go back to your breathing

9. Once you got to 100, slowly return to normal, open your eyes, take in everything you see in the room, get up from the chair, stretch your muscles

10. You're done!

angereflectionoitcelferegna

Keep a pocket mirror with you everywhere you go. When you become angry under any circumstances, the very moment are aware of it, take out the mirror and look at your facial expression in it. See how horrible you look and your anger will dissipate quickly. This method works like magic. This is the outer reflection of our inner being. The tricky part is being mindful enough to catch the anger, and to take out the mirror in time. There will be times when you do indeed feel anger but refuse to look in the mirror. Know what that means?

It means you are really angry! Watch it! The more you don't feel like reflecting, the more you should!