Anapanasati — mindfulness of breathing — is often described as the meditation the Buddha practised on the night of his awakening. It is also the most practical starting point for a beginner, because the object of meditation is always with you.
Setting up
- Sit on a cushion or a chair with your back upright but not stiff.
- Let your hands rest in your lap. Close your eyes, or lower your gaze to the floor.
- Take three slower breaths, then let the breathing find its own rhythm.
Finding the breath
Rest your attention where the breath is clearest — usually the rim of the nostrils, or the rise and fall of the abdomen. Choose one place and stay there for the whole sitting. You are not controlling the breath; you are keeping it company.
When the mind wanders
It will wander, many times, and that is not failure. The moment you notice you have drifted is itself a moment of mindfulness. Note gently where the mind went — planning, remembering, worrying — and come back to the breath without commentary or blame.
Mindful he breathes in, mindful he breathes out.
— Anapanasati Sutta, MN 118
How long, how often
Ten minutes every morning will teach you more than an hour once a month. When ten minutes begins to feel short, add five. The measure of practice is not the depth of a single sitting, but the steadiness of the habit.
Practising with others
Sitting alone builds independence; sitting with others builds momentum. Many people find that a weekly group session carries their daily practice through the flat stretches when motivation runs low.
