Breath Meditation

In my last column I discussed how to use Diaphragmatic Breathing to relax. In this column I'll show you how to transform your Diaphragmatic Breathing into Breath Meditation. The written history of meditation dates back to the origins of the great Eastern religions of Hinduism (2500 B.C.), Buddhism (560 B.C.), Taoism (600 B.C.), and Confucianism (550 B.C.). All of these religions employed meditative techniques as a way to clear the mind and transcend the body to achieve a greater spiritual connection.

In the 1970s, the Harvard Medical School undertook a group of research studies to examine the physiological benefits of meditation. Dr Herbert Benson demystified the practice of meditation by isolating the four things you need to learn how to meditate: (1) a quiet environment, (2) a mental device, (3) a passive attitude, and (4) a comfortable position.

A quiet environment separates you from areas with people entering and leaving and from your devices (television, radio, or phone). When I started meditating as a teenager, the only quiet environment in my home was my bedroom closet. Think of your breath as your single focal point and mental device. Your breath is an easy focal point to understand and use, regardless of where you practice. A passive attitude means accepting distractions without worrying about them. You will be distracted by different noises in your environment and competing thoughts. When this happens, simply acknowledge them and refocus. Not everyone finds a full-lotus position (see my photo) a comfortable position. You can sit in a chair and achieve a comfortable position. Please do not try meditating while lying down because you’ll fall asleep.

The beach is my happy place and the biggest reason for moving to Marco Island. I meditate for 30 minutes on the beach at sunrise, two to three times a week.

How to Perform Diaphragmatic Breath Meditation

Diaphragmatic breath meditation involves noticing and paying full attention to your breath for at least 20 minutes. Use the images from my last column to visualize what is going on in your diaphragm, lungs, and chest as you breathe in and out. When you get distracted, simply return your focus to these images and continue to breathe in and out.

Instructions:

1. Wear comfortable clothing such as exercise shorts or a sweatsuit.
2. Remove your shoes or sneakers.
3. Find a private spot and prepare to spend 20 minutes of uninterrupted activity. Set a timer to let you know when your time is up.
4. Sit comfortably on a straight-backed chair or on the floor. If you sit on a chair, keep your legs uncrossed with your feet resting comfortably on the floor and your hands resting gently on your lap. If you sit on the floor, you should sit on a cushion that raises your buttocks off the ground slightly while your legs are crossed comfortably and resting on the floor. Your folded hands can remain comfortably on your lap, or you can let each hand rest on a knee, palms facing up. In both cases, sit up straight with your head, neck, and back in alignment.
5. Focus your attention on your current breathing pattern.
6. Make a mental note of the depth, pace, and regularity of your breathing.
7. Visualize a picture of your lungs and your diaphragm (Stress Less Live More column on January 22).
8. Slowly breathe in through your nose.
9. Feel your belly move out as your diaphragm pushes down against it. When you are first starting out, you can put your hands on your belly to feel this action.
10. As you breathe in through your nose, visualize your lungs inflating completely, starting from the bottom (the part closest to your diaphragm) and moving upward.
11. Let your ribs expand and shoulders gently rise as your lungs inflate.
12. When you have filled your lungs, slowly exhale through your nose. Some folks like to hold for a second before beginning to empty their lungs.
13. Feel your belly push back and your diaphragm rise back into place.
14. As you feel the movements in your belly visualize your lungs emptying.
15. Imagine all of the air leaving your lungs as they deflate.
16. As you continue to breathe in and out this way you might find that saying “in” as you inhale and “out” as you exhale makes it easier to keep your focus on your breathing.
17. You can also try counting the seconds it takes to inhale and exhale to keep focused on your breathing. I alternate between #s 16 and 17 over the course of 20 minutes.
18. Do not get upset at yourself when your thoughts stray. Simply note that this happened and re-focus on your breathing and the words in and out.
19. Continue breathing this way for at least 20 minutes.
20. At the end of the 20 minutes it will be time to come back to the present, open your eyes, and start to sit up and return to your day.

With a few months practice you will find that you can slow your breathing down and stay focused on it most of the time. In my next column, I will continue our discussion of relaxation techniques.

Learning to perform Diaphragmatic Breath Meditation takes time. Don’t rush it, enjoy the process of learning this ageless activity, and always remember to Stress Less and Live More.