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Meditation is an excellent way to relieve anxiety and regain your center. However, many have trouble achieving a totally clear mind. Meditating on breath refers to the technique of focusing on the pace and depth of your inhalation and exhalation. This will not only help prevent distraction but also improve your breathing. By preparing for your meditation and understanding breath awareness techniques, you will be on your way to peace of mind in no time.[1]
Steps
Find a quiet, featureless space. Find a space without loud noises or noticeable odors that might distract you.[2] You should also avoid spaces with excessive decoration or colors that might draw your attention. See what works for you best and what makes you in a peaceful state of mind.[3]- Indoor spaces are less likely to have distracting sounds but you can meditate outside if you prefer the fresh air and you have some distance from cars or other people.
Find a soft surface. Most people sit down when they meditate so find a spot where you can sit comfortably for more than 10 minutes. Plush carpeting or soft grass are ideal. You could also lay down a yoga mat or even just a towel.Advertisement
Remove distractions. Turn off or silence your phone and anything else that might make a noise. If there are other people around, tell them you plan to meditate and ask to be left alone for the next few minutes. If you have pets that may come looking for attention, put them in another room where they can’t distract you.- Tell other people in the house “Please do not disturb me for the next 30 minutes unless it’s an emergency. I will be meditating and need to maintain absolute focus.”
Sit in a comfortable position. There are many different positions you can use for meditation. The key is to choose a position that is comfortable and won’t require you to consciously prop yourself up.[4]- Some meditators purchase a zafu, a small floor pillow, or a zabuton, a small padded mat, to help prop them up.
- The most popular posture is the lotus position. Sit on the floor with your back straight. Place your left foot under your right thigh and right foot layered over the left ankle. If you are meditating for a long period of time, you may want to switch which foot goes under the thigh after a while.
- Some meditators sit in a chair. Make sure you keep your back straight and your feet flat on the ground.
Time your breaths. The purpose of any meditative technique is to take your mind off potentially distracting thoughts that may pop up as you attempt to center yourself. Exhale and then slowly inhale until your lungs feel full. Count the seconds and then try to take the same amount of time to exhale. The length of time will depend on your lung capacity but you should generally try to breathe slowly. Continue breathing on this number of seconds to prevent other thoughts from entering your mind.[5]
Hold your breath in for 2 seconds. Focus on the curve of your breath. The curve is part where you change from inhaling to exhaling and vice versa. Try not to curve your breath too quickly.[8] It may help to add a 2 second waiting period between when your lungs are full and when they are empty to slow down your curve.
Focus on your muscle reaction. Focus your mind on how parts of your body react to your breathing. Feel your diaphragm, throat muscles, and shoulders shift as you inhale and exhale to occupy your mind. This should not be a painful strain but you should feel your muscles stretching in these areas. If may help to place your hand on your diaphragm so you can feel the muscle reaction.[9]- You can also focus on the relaxed parts of your body. Leave your hands and arms in a comfortable pose that doesn’t require you work any of their muscles and keep your mind focused there.
Expert Q&A
- QuestionHow do I meditate as a beginner?
Masha KouzmenkoMasha Kouzmenko is a Meditation Coach and the Co-Founder of Silicon Valley Wellness, a company based in the San Francisco Bay Area that provides holistic health education services such as mindfulness meditation and yoga instruction to businesses. She has over five years of meditation and yoga instruction experience and specializes in guided meditation. She has a BA in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.
Meditation CoachOne of the most important things is finding a place that's quiet where you won't get distracted. You only need a minute or two every day to meditate. - QuestionWhat do you do when your mind wanders during meditation?
James BrownJames Brown is a San Francisco Bay Area-based teacher of Vedic Meditation, an easy and accessible form of meditation with ancient roots. James completed a rigorous 2-year study program with Vedic masters, including a 4-month immersion in the Himalayas. James has taught thousands of people, individually, and in companies such as Slack, Salesforce, and VMWare.
Meditation CoachIn Vedic meditation, it's OK to let your mind wander. Try this for a different approach: Try to think of meditation as something that you allow to be, rather than something you do.
Tips
References
- ↑ http://breathmeditation.org/the-breath-of-life-the-practice-of-breath-meditation
- ↑ Masha Kouzmenko. Meditation Coach. Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.
- ↑ http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/mind-body/stress/zone-out-how-to-set-up-a-quiet-space-at-home/
- ↑ http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/articles/postures-for-meditation/
- ↑ http://www.mindful.org/meditation-exploring-distracted-mind/
- ↑ http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-18512/why-you-should-practice-breathing-through-your-nose-and-not-your-mouth.html
- ↑ http://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/stress-anxiety/breathing-three-exercises/
- ↑ http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/breathmed.html
- ↑ http://www.chopra.com/articles/breathing-for-life-the-mind-body-healing-benefits-of-pranayama
- ↑ Masha Kouzmenko. Meditation Coach. Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.
- ↑ http://www.mindful.org/a-five-minute-breathing-meditation/
About This Article
Meditation is a great way to relieve anxiety and feel centered, but it can be hard to totally clear your mind. Meditating on breath is a technique that focuses on the pace and depth of your breathing, which can help prevent distractions. Find a quiet, peaceful spot and a soft surface to sit on, like a yoga mat, plush carpet, or soft grass. Sit in a way that allows you to keep your back straight, like on the edge of a small floor pillow or in a chair. Slowly bring your focus to inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Then, try to slow down your breathing, exhaling for a longer time than you inhale. Another way to focus on your breath is to note how different parts of your body react to your breathing. For example, feel your throat muscles, shoulders, and diaphragm react to each breath. To learn how to redirect your mind if it starts to wander, keep reading!
Reader Success Stories
"I though this was great. Just going down the list of the different ways to breathe, I was getting sleepy, relaxed. I'm going to do this more often so that I can do this perfectly. Thank you very much."..." more
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