Introduction To Chanting Meditation #15 Breath Counting

Welcome to session 15 of our 30-session Introduction to Meditation course.

You're halfway through the course.

First,

A deep bow of congratulations from me to you in appreciation of your commitment and hard work learning a new skill.

Meditating is a wonderful gift of self-care and it is easy.

However,

It can be very hard to sustain as we were just talking about.

I'm truly in awe of all that you have stuck with this over the last 15 weeks.

This session we conclude our concentration module.

Concentration is the mental muscle that allows us to sustain our awareness and focus in the moment.

Whether we're formally meditating or engaged in a various aspect of our life,

Work,

Play,

Friends,

Family,

Hobbies.

Last session we explored a few different points of focus or as we called home base to help us stay aware and focused.

We experimented with breath,

Body sensations,

Sound,

Vibrations and visualizations and we added to that using labels which can help us concentrate even further.

This session we learned breath counting,

Another tool to help us focus.

It can be a particularly powerful technique when we find our minds are very active and restless.

Breath counting sounds easy and it is.

However,

There are deep subtleties in breath counting.

So I want to share some opening thoughts to set the stage.

Please bear with me as I talk a little bit more than normal.

First,

Allow each breath to come naturally without trying to breathe in any particular way.

The aim is to experience the breath exactly as it is without trying to control.

If you have learned other breathing techniques and for instance yoga's pranayama,

You may remember techniques like three stage breathing or breathing in and out for a certain sustained count.

In this style of meditation our objective is to just observe the tone of the breath without trying to manage it or change it.

We allow the breaths to be as they are in the moment and just notice the feeling of it.

Is it short or long?

Is it up in the chest or down in the belly?

Is it audible,

Raspy or gusty?

Or is it smooth,

Soft and hardly perceptible?

Knowing that by experiencing each breath just as it is,

You are practicing correctly.

Our aim is not to breathe well or any particular way,

But to use the breath as a point of focus to help us develop our concentration muscle.

And ironically,

Just like observing our thoughts in insight meditation soothes them and changes them,

Just the process of observing and feeling your breath does in fact change it.

The breath smooths out and you become calmer.

So the basic instruction in this meditation is to stay at the present moment,

Experiencing and observing the feeling of the breath in the body.

The breath counting itself begins by counting each full breath cycle in and out at the end of each complete breath.

Counting from 1 to 10.

And when you reach 10,

You begin again at 1.

So it might look something like this.

In,

Out,

1.

In,

Out,

2.

And then so on.

After a bit,

We'll then move to counting each full breath cycle at the beginning of each breath.

Again,

Counting from 1 to 10.

And when you reach 10,

Beginning again at 1.

So it'd look like this.

1,

Out,

2.

In,

Out,

And so on.

The difference is very,

Very subtle.

And you're invited to focus deep inside to observe the feeling tone of each method.

It may feel the same.

It may feel different.

Every learn each method,

You can then mix them up at your discretion.

You can use one method or the other,

Depending on how you feel,

And resonate to each method.

Both are fine.

As always in any meditation,

The general guidance is employing the method that works best for you at the time that you are sitting.

Don't be rigid about any method.

When counting,

You may have heard that if you lose count,

You have to restart back at 1.

I don't much care for that.

It feels a bit punitive to me.

That's just me,

Of course.

Some people like it.

However,

For me,

It feels like some weird meditation game of chutes and ladders.

You climb up and then slip back to the beginning again.

Remember,

We strive for a judgment-free,

Criticism-free meditation space where we can heal,

Feel safe,

And at ease.

So keep things positive,

Light,

Loving,

Gentle,

And compassionate.

If you lose count,

Just continue with the last count you do remember.

And if you can't remember,

Starting at 1 is okay.

But always remember the counting itself is arbitrary.

There's no magic to the number 10.

And finally,

This session's third meditation will be a little different.

In honor and recognition of you guys' great progress in completing the first half of this course,

Our third period,

We're just going to sit silently for 10 minutes with no guidance from me,

During which practice your breath counting.

This fully silent period is a celebration of how far you have all come over the last 15 weeks.

I hope it gives you the powerful,

Awe-inspiring realization of just how far you've come and the confidence that you can do this on your own.

So how do we count our breath?

Let's find out.

Enjoy the meditation.

Entering into our meditation.

Setting your intention to be here,

Present,

And alert.

Finding your favorite meditation posture.

Sitting as tall as you can with the least amount of effort.

Present.

Back straight.

Aligned.

Body relaxed.

At ease.

And resilient.

In the balance between effort and ease.

Your posture embodies a sense of dignity and presence.

Beginning with three deep,

Calming breaths.

In through your nose and out through your mouth.

Closing your mouth and continuing to breathe in and out through your nose.

Gently ease your attention to the sensation of breathing.

The cool sensation of the air as it enters your nose.

The warm,

Soft sensation of the air as it passes out.

The rise and fall of your belly.

Breathing.

In between each breath,

A pause.

A peaceful sense of rest.

Aware of the subtle sensations of movement throughout your whole body as you breathe.

A gentle swaying and shifting with each breath.

A sense of ease and resilience.

When your mind wanders,

Which it will because that's just what minds do,

Notice it wandered.

Smile for noticing.

And then ease your attention back to the sensations of breath moving throughout the body.

Breathing in.

I know I am breathing in.

Breathing out.

I know I am breathing out.

Breathing out.

In.

Lightly begin counting your breaths at the end of each complete breath cycle.

From 1 to 10.

When you reach 10,

Begin again at 1.

Lightly begin counting your breaths at the end of each complete breath cycle.

From 1 to 10.

When you reach 10,

Begin again at 1.

Now allow the counting to fade away.

Simply do nothing at all.

Just coast.

Namo Myoho Renge Kyo Returning to breath.

Slowly and gradually beginning to emerge from your meditation.

Releasing and relaxing your meditation posture.

Wiggling your toes and fingers.

Rubbing your legs.

Rocking side to side.

Bringing a bit of motion back into your bodies.

Taking a deep breath in and as you do that,

Stretching up your arms toward the sky in a nice big stretch.

And as you lower your arms,

Letting out a sigh.

Reaching behind to your lower back.

Giving your lower back a massage.

Bringing your hands around to your lower belly.

Gently holding your lower belly.

Offering your affirmations of Metta loving kindness to yourself.

Beginning with,

I am well.

Sliding your hands over your heart.

Feeling the kindness and compassion for yourself.

The warmth of your hands.

Repeating,

I am happy.

Loved and loving.

Crossing your arms.

Putting your hands on your opposite shoulders.

Giving yourself a hug.

And as you lightly stroke down your arm from shoulder to elbow a few times.

As you repeat to yourself,

I am safe.

At home.

In my body.

With my breath.

And caressing your face.

Your forehead.

Your eyes.

Your nose.

Your cheeks.

Your jaw.

Through your hair.

Over your head.

Around to the back of your neck.

Pausing to give your neck and shoulders a massage.

Hands back to your heart.

And back to your belly.

Repeating,

I am peaceful.

And at ease.

Take a moment to thank yourself for coming today and giving yourself this gift of self-care.

And coming together as a group to share it with each other.

And take these good feelings with you into the rest of your day and into holidays.

Rubbing the palms of your hands together to warm them.

Lightly cupping them over your eyes.

Feeling the warmth of your hands on your face.

With the next in-breath,

As you breathe in,

Opening your eyes into your hands.

And as you breathe out,

Slowly lowering your hands.

Returning your awareness.

To the room around you.

And please join me for sharing the merit of today's practice to all beings.

May the spiritual energy of wisdom and compassion cultivated from our practice benefit all beings.

Near and far.

Known and unknown.

May it bring peace,

Happiness,

And awakening to all.

May this sharing of merit be a reminder we are all interconnected.

Inspiring loving-kindness,

Compassion,

Sympathetic joy,

And equanimity in our daily lives.

Increasing our gratitude for what others have given and offered us.

And increasing our mindfulness how our thoughts,

Words,

And actions benefit others.

We pray for our ancestors,

Friends,

And all those who have deceased.

The Four Great Vows Sentient beings are infinite.

I vow to liberate them all.

Defilements are innumerable.

I vow to quench them all.

Dharmagates are inexhaustible.

I vow to enter them all.

The way of the Buddha is unsurpassed.

I vow to manifest it.

Venerable ones,

Thank you for coming.

Be as you wish.

Remember us and please come again out of your compassion for us.

And now,

Let the Jeweled Stupa return to its former state.

Thank you,

Everyone.