I do not know where I need to put my hands.
Wherever I put them,
I feel distracted from being focused on the top of my nose.
Wherever you put your hands and not being able to focus on the tip of your nose are not directly related.
All you have to do is put your hands where it won't interfere with you focusing on the tip of your nose.
Then put your hands where it's most restful and comfortable for you.
The most comfortable position for most is that once you have set in your posture,
Proper posture,
Gather your both hands in front of you,
Lay one on top of the other and just rest them.
In the most natural way,
Just put one hand above the other.
So you don't want to hold them up and use your muscles because that creates tension.
So you want to rest them where it doesn't create any effort on your part.
Of course,
The length of the arm differs by individuals.
So depending on the length of your arms,
Your hands may be overlaid for a little more or a little less.
Whatever is most natural and comfortable for you.
So usually,
Traditionally,
What's being taught is that once you overlaid your hands on top of each other,
You let your thumbs kind of face each other and touch.
But whether your thumbs actually meet there in the middle is not that important.
But if the cushion is too high in the back or if your arms are shorter compared to the length of your upper body,
Your hands sometimes doesn't reach all the way to your legs.
So in that case,
If you want to reach your legs,
Then you might have to bend over slightly.
But if you lift up and straighten out your back,
Then your hands can't really rest on your legs.
In that case,
You can separate your hands.
You don't have to have one on top of each other and just lay them on their respective knees.
So whatever comes to you most naturally.
So if you go to meditation centers,
They might teach you that the proper way to place your hands is this way or that way or this way or this way.
That's not that important where you place your hands.
It's most important to place your hands where it creates the least amount of tension and you're most relaxed and comfortable in that position.
And there's no way to place your hands in which to facilitate or to help you become more mindful.
In the state of total relaxation of your body and mind,
If you're totally at peace without any intent,
Then consequently you will become aware of the breath.
And if you have thoughts about the past,
It's saying that you're still clinging about the past.
If you have thoughts about the future,
It means that you're anxious about the future.
And that is because you still feel as if you have something to do.
But if you have nothing,
Absolutely nothing to do,
Then you don't imbue meaning neither on your past nor in the future.
In that case,
Even if thoughts arise,
If you don't imbue them with any meaning,
You can maintain your focus on the breath.
Because you have a desire to do something,
You're constantly trying to do something,
That's why you're being distracted by the thoughts.
So what's important is for you to exhibit or to manifest an idle mind in which you have nothing to do.
Instead of trying to make an effort to be aware of the breath,
With an idle mind will come an awareness of the breath naturally.
Focusing on the tip of your nose,
Becoming aware of the breath,
You can't get there by making an effort,
Intention towards it.
Now,
Let us pause there.
