Mindfulness of Breathing
This meditation practice, in one form or another, is very widespread in the Buddhist world. The particular form taught here — in four stages — is found in the Visuddhimagga (Path of Purity) of the great Theravadin scholar, Buddhaghosa, who lived in 5th century India and Sri Lanka. It therefore has a long pedigree, even if there’s no description in the earliest Buddhist scriptures that corresponds exactly with this form of the practice.
This particular version of the Mindfulness of Breathing is mainly aimed to calm and focus the mind, and is therefore what is known as a samatha (Sanskrit, shamatha), or calming practice rather than a vipassana, or insight, one. The Sanskrit equivalent to the word vipassana is vipashyana and both words mean insight, or truly seeing the nature of reality.
The traditional name for this meditation practice is Anapanasati. This word simply means mindfulness (sati) of breathing (pana) in and out. This is a meditation practice where we use the breath as the object of attention to which we return every time we notice that the mind has wandered.
In a nutshell, this practice works mainly through us withdrawing our attention from distracting thoughts and redirecting our attention to the physical sensations of the breath. By doing so, we are putting less energy into the emotional states of restlessness, anxiety, craving, ill will, etc that drive those thoughts. Over time the mind becomes calmer and our emotional states become more balanced and positive, and our experience becomes more positive.
It’s important to note that the practice involves noticing that the mind has been wandering and bringing it back to the breath. Distractedness is an inevitable part of the process of meditating and not a sign of failure!
This step-by-step tutorial includes a number of guided meditation recordings that will help guide you through the practice. There are also readings for each stage of the practice , dealing with the most common questions and addressing the most common experiences that beginners tend to have.
Although the meditation practice as taught here takes a samatha approach it is easy to bring elements of insight into a samatha practice. Also, some degree of samatha practice is virtually indispensible as a basis for vipassana, or insight, meditation. The mind needs to be somewhat calm in order for us to be able to reflect on the impermanence of our experiences!
There are other traditional forms that are widely practiced, especially in the insight meditation traditions, but I’ve found this one to be particularly suitable for complete beginners. The first two stages especially, which involve counting, are very helpful in stabilizing the mind.
More experienced practitioners can feel free to adapt the practice to their own needs, shortening or even dropping some stages, and extending others.
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Comments
Comment from Philip Hess
Time: July 24, 2007, 9:22 am
Hello, and thank you for answering my question. Is it a good idea to practice just stage 1 for a few days or weeks, and then add stage two for a time, and continue to add stages gradually, or is it better to start with all four stages in a single sitting immediately?
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: July 24, 2007, 10:48 am
Hi Philip,
There’s a lot of merit in the idea of practicing just the first stage for at least a few days before adding the second.
I think it would be counterproductive to plunge in to doing all four stages, and I wouldn’t advise that.
All the best,
Bodhipaksa
Comment from Joey Krem
Time: June 17, 2008, 10:55 am
dear lovers of mindfulness of breathing!
I practiced meditation in Suan Mok, Thailand, Chaia in 1981 directly under influence of abot Buddhadasa Bhikkhu.
He handed me a small booklet and studying this I decided to do the first chapter as long as I do anapanasati right.
Still, 27 years later, 3 of my children educated and grown up, I’m happy in having read only this first chapter!
The right mind comes slowly and I got my entire livetime to practice.
So I’m breathing on whereever I am and whatever I do mindfully to think, speak and do right!
Joey, the ZENbold
Comment from mrsnupcup
Time: June 22, 2008, 9:48 am
hi
not sure if this relevant or not but i v gradually begining to realise that being happy is about the things we all to sadly take for granted……
and especially bein aware of them minute by minute…appreciating my good fortune for my health…spiritual…
emotional…intelectual…mental and finally physical….state of being….
Happiness is something we only truely realise we have when its gone…its discovering that we r happy when we dont
realise we have it…is the key…nothing lasts forever…
I sometimes cry…for no other reason than for my extreme good fortune…in discovering the beautiful sublime simplicity of
meditation…am doin so now…its never ever easy but i always sit with myself…no matter how i feel…
i am would not consider myself a buddhist but i am on the path…and will always remain there no matter my fears self hatred
greed selfishness…lust…is where i am….i will sit and meditate…and b grateful…for myself…and in turn become wherever i
find myself…
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Time: June 22, 2008, 4:12 pm
[...] great site where you can learn more about it is http://www.wildmind.org/mindfulness. I can’t recommend it, and the practice of mindfulness enough. It teaches you to let go and [...]
Comment from Kumar
Time: August 27, 2008, 4:34 pm
Hi,
Thank you for a wonderful site. I’m really looking forward to bringing meditation into my life!
I’ve been reading all the sections on the mindfulness of breathing but didn’t come across anything that said whether you should breathe through your nose/mouth for inhaling/exhaling. Is this not important, but if so do you have a preference? Also, i’ve heard that when you breathe during meditation, you shouldn’t pause between inhaling and exhaling. Is this important?
Thanks so much
Kumar
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: August 27, 2008, 7:34 pm
Hi Kumar,
Thanks for your kind comments. I added a little more text to this page, covering the questions you raised. Thanks for your excellent questions.
Comment from Greg
Time: September 23, 2008, 12:49 pm
Thank you for these wonderful lessons. I’m a heart patient and I’ve been learning samatha through this site. I’ve been able to lower my heart rhythm and blood pressure significantly with your program, as well as increasing my feelings of loving kindness to those around me.
Although having been an athlete my entire life, now, due to poor circulation and weakness, I have difficulty exercising and can never go for more than 10 minutes in a session. But this morning, for the first time, I began samatha as I worked on my stationary bike. In a matter of seconds my breathing became steady and the sensations to my body dropped away. I rode in complete calm, only aware of the constant breathing cadence. When I ended the session I looked at my watch and I had worked out effortlessly for 20 minutes!! As I climbed off the bike I felt that wonderful ‘burn’ which follows a great workout. It was a moving and uplifting experience. Now I know that I can recover much of the strength that I have lost in the past months.
Thank you so much!
Greg
Comment from umesh
Time: October 27, 2008, 2:52 pm
it would be so helpful to explainwhat are the stages of this meditaion and how to practise those in order for the beginners….thanx.but it was really good
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: October 27, 2008, 3:44 pm
Hi Umesh,
It seems you didn’t notice the links at the left of the page. They read:
* Introduction
* Stage 1
* Stage 2
* Stage 3
* Stage 4
Those will take you through the various stages of this practice.
All the best,
Bodhipaksa
Comment from matthew searle
Time: December 15, 2008, 1:23 pm
Hello,
I started my meditation over a year ago after stumbling across your guide, thank you very much! I practice daily and meditate for 30 mins, centering on the breath.
My question is regards progress. Each time I meditate I begin by focusing on the breath but after 10 mins or so I get a rising sensation of deep contentment/ bliss/ relaxation and with these sensations I begin to see dream like images. Sometimes the images are so clear it is as if I have my eyes open. I lose my focus on my breath but I am aware that I am not asleep as I can consciously view the images.
Sometimes the blissful feeling is so intense that I could stay there for a very long time! The feeling of bliss stays with me for a while after my meditation, however are these images merely tricks of the mind and are to be ignored or should they be explored in more depth? is this progress?
Sorry if this doesn’t make much sense but a lot of things that happen when you meditate are hard to convey!
Thanks very much Matt.
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: December 16, 2008, 10:48 am
Hi Matthew,
It sounds like things are going well. What you’re experiencing is either access concentration or dhyana/jhana — probably dhyana. Both are states of mind where you’ve eliminated the hindrances and the mind is naturally still, focused, and bright. Access is the state we get to just before dhyana arises, and in access there’s just a bit more mental instability. In moving through access it’s very common for what’s called a “nimitta” or sign to arise. The nimitta can manifest in a variety of sensory modes, but a visual one like yours is quite common. It’s also common around the same time that the breath becomes so subtle that it vanishes, and the thing to do here is to move awareness to the nimitta. Which is what you’re doing, so that’s all good. paying attention to the nimitta helps take us into the first level of dhyana, so I’d suggest that you just continue doing what you’re doing.
But there’s further to go. Eventually you’ll find that any inner chatter (which is already very quiet, I’d imagine) stops altogether, and you’ll experience an uprising of physical energy and pleasure (technically it’s called priti, or piti). You should just let this permeate the entire body. What I’m describing here is a move from first to second dhyana.
One caveat is that in access concentration there are two kinds of images that arise. The stable ones you should pay attention to. But if the image is moving or unstable (people often see colored lights) then just note that this sensation is arising and keep your attention on the breath. The moving images are a marker of remaining instability in the mind and paying attention to them will prevent progress.
I think you described your experience very clearly, by the way. As I said, things seem to be going very well and you seem to have a good instinctual feel for which direction to head in.
Comment from Samantha
Time: January 8, 2009, 3:48 am
Hi,
Thank you so much for this web site, for years I have been “starting” to meditate and “trying” to meditate. I think the problem was just not knowing how to go about it. This web site being set out into stages of learning has so far been extremely helpful. I am actually making time and doing it.
I still find myself controlling the breath a bit and having waves of anxiety come through me (which is why I need to meditate)
But I am getting closer to understanding myself, and why I have this reaction (or at least I hope so!)
I am up to the first stage and I can really see myself sticking to it this time.
So thank you.
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: January 8, 2009, 4:19 pm
I wish you all the best in establishing a meditation practice, Samantha.
Comment from Paul
Time: January 10, 2009, 10:01 am
Hi all,
Here is a little technique I use when I find myself distracted during the mindfulness of breathing.
When I become aware of myself being distracted by my thoughts, I try to in effect “think backwards.” In other words, I go back through all the thoughts that led me to the one I had when I realized I was distracted. This way I can see what led me there in the first place and it also gives me a sense of control over my own mind and it’s processes. These “mind trails” can be quite revealing.
It’s important too that after one has rewinded one’s thoughts, to let them pass and return to becoming mindful of the breath. Bodhipaksa describes it as if one is waiting at a train station and our thoughts are the trains that pass through the station. We are aware of these “trains” but never “board” them, i.e: get distracted.
But if you do get distracted, try thinking backwards for a moment and see if it can ground you again. Good luck!
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Time: January 17, 2009, 9:00 am
[...] of free resources to help you! I suggest you start on either the Meditation Posture page or the Mindfulness of Breathing [...]
Comment from matt
Time: February 16, 2009, 8:55 am
Bit of a silly question maybe but does anyone have any advice for how to do mindfulness of breathing with a blocked up nose? I’ve got a cold its a bit frustrating! Is it ok to breathe through your mouth?
Thanks
Matt
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: February 16, 2009, 9:20 am
Hi Matt,
Not a silly question at all. You gotta do what you gotta do, an if your nose is blocked then you’ll just have to pay attention to whatever other body part you’re able to breathe through. I have a cold as well. You have my sympathy!
Bodhipaksa
Comment from Rich
Time: August 3, 2009, 3:07 am
Hello Bodhipaksa,
I have been trying to practise breathing meditation in the mornings, but I am having difficulties. The first few times I attempted meditation my concentration seemed to be quite strong, but since then my thoughts seem to slip continously into waking-dream dialogues and images. From one point of view it’s quite interesting, seeing all these strange images float up like your dad’s voice, a boyfriend and girlfriend talking, even a ballet class (!) – but there seems like such a lack of ability to focus on my breathing that I wonder if there’s any point.
I get up at six o’clock to get ready so that I have an hour from 7-8 to reflect for 30 minutes and then meditate for 30 minutes. Perhaps I’m just too tired, but there really isn’t any other time I could do it. Do you have any advice?
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: August 3, 2009, 11:02 am
Hi Rich,
Usually when we’re dreaming in meditation it means that we’re tired, so that’s the first thing I’d try to sort out. Getting to sleep half an hour earlier might help. Doing some stretching rather than reflecting before your meditation could possibly be even more beneficial. The body can be rather tight first thing in the morning and so stretching can be hard work, but I’ve often found that stretching boosts my energy levels and makes me more alert.
There’s also the possibility that you need to look at your posture — sitting a little too low, or slumping, or even just having your chin tucked in a bit too much can create conditions for sleepiness to arise. If you can email me front and side pictures of you meditating then I could give you an idea if you need to make any adjustments. But stretching would be the first thing I’d try.
All the best,
Bodhipaksa
Comment from Betty
Time: August 10, 2009, 12:21 pm
Thank you for this wonderful site!
I am a first time meditator and this site is so very helpful to beginners!
I recently bought the book The Attention Revolution because I felt that my attention was constantly wandering at work and my mind was feeling dull due to it. I didn’t fully grasp the mindful breathing it suggested in the first chapter and your site has filled in some of the gaps and answered many of my questions. So again, thank you very much!
I meditated this morning for the first time for 24 minutes as directed in my book and focused on my mindful breathing. It is nearly the end of the day today and I don’t feel as tired as I normally would. I also feel a lot calmer and my brain certainly doesn’t feel as dull and tired as it normally would have had I not meditated. I’ve also found that its been easier to concentrate today and I’m not following random thoughts all over the place. I never realised how exhausting it is having such an unsettled mind!
Thank you again for this wonderful resource!
Betty
Comment from Jack K.
Time: August 19, 2009, 12:33 pm
Thank you for this site. Quick question. Though I have been sitting off and on for a few years, I still sometimes struggle with the issue of not controlling the breath. When I try to simply observe the breath, I find that I begin breathing more mechanically, and in some sense controlling it. This reminds me a bit of that notion in modern science… that by observing something, you can’t help but change it. Anyway, do you have any specific advice for us “control freaks,” in terms of letting go and simply observing the breath? Thanks.
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: August 20, 2009, 9:43 am
Hi Jack,
You’re not the first person to ask that question, and I made some suggestions in this article. Please do let me know how you get on.
Comment from Martin
Time: August 22, 2009, 6:47 pm
I found your site by searching and it has been very helpful.
Naturally I am prone to periods of anxiety which is triggered by various circumstances and they can be very intense.
I have been following the mindfullness breathing meditation for a month and it is helping me to control my anxiety. What you say in the stage instructions is so true and has helped me realise that anxious feelings should not be feared but treated as any other feeling. This new attitude and the mindful breathing has greatly increased my standard of life and I now feel that I do not need to fight anxiety but accept it as a part of me and this means that I do not fuel its existance.
I am moving on to the loving kindness also and I think this will help me accept my emotions – both nice and nasty feeling ones as part of me.
Many thanks for the help this website has offered me.
Martin
Comment from Tony Button
Time: September 2, 2009, 9:41 pm
Thanks very much for your site. I practised mindfullness of breathing with the FWBO in London in the late 70′s and have just returned to it; I’m finding it very helpful in building contentment and a positive attitude. Interestingly, 30 years ago I experienced meditation as a discipline, something I needed to do to get results, whereas now I positively enjoy it which makes it a lot easier. One question; how do you know when to move to the next stage ? Do you use a timer ? I remember in London someone would ring a bell to tell us when to move to the next stage; now I just set my radio to come on after 25 minutes, but don’t try to time the intermediate stages. (sorry to be so mechanical, I probably need to lighten up a little !)
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: September 3, 2009, 8:26 am
Hi Tony,
That’s a good question. Fortunately we have a whole page on the topic of timing the stages in meditation.
All the best,
Bodhipaksa
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Time: September 17, 2009, 8:04 am
[...] great site where you can learn more about it is http://www.wildmind.org/mindfulness. I can’t recommend it, and the practice of mindfulness enough. It teaches you to let go and [...]
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Time: October 10, 2009, 8:00 am
[...] our attention from the outside world to the same extent that we do when we are doing the Mindfulness of Breathing or Metta Bhavana(development of lovingkindness) practices. We have to be aware of things outside [...]
Comment from Dan
Time: December 16, 2009, 1:34 pm
Hi, I just wanted to say thanks for such a great website on Meditation. It really helped me start out and stay on track, I created a blog to keep a diary of my meditation, http://mindful-meditation-diary.blogspot.com/
but find I actually enjoy doing it so much that I’m no longer worried about stopping – it’s part of my life now.
I’ve been following your Mindfulness exercises over the last few months and have really felt a great benefit to my life.
Thanks again,
Dan
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Time: January 16, 2010, 2:37 pm
[...] helpful indeed when starting back more seriously into mindfulness meditation; I believe it was from Wildmind, but can’t find it right now to quote it. To paraphrase from memory, when your mind starts [...]
Comment from Boris
Time: January 16, 2010, 6:32 pm
Thanks for your great site. I have a question about my mindfulness practise. I have been doing mindfullness for more than a year and has given me great benefits. However, my mind keeps bugging me that I should also practise another meditation that I learned a long time ago when I was a child.
It’s a taoist meditation in which you focus at the point 2 inches below the navel. The dan tien or also called the hara in japanese zen meditation if I am correct.
According to what I understand from books, and from what my Tai Chi teacher tells me, focussing on that point increases your health and makes you feel very grounded. I’d say I’am quite a sensitive person and pick up on other peoples moods very easily. Sometimes that’s helpful, sometimes not at all. Especially stress. Also I suffer a lot from asthma and allergies. I know that this particular meditation will help me deal with those issues more, but since I have already started mindfulness for a year I don’t want to change all of a sudden. So I guess my question is is it possible to combine them both or will that be dangerous? Something tells me I need this meditation because it was my first spontaneous encounter with meditation. Hope I make any sense. Help is very much appreciated.
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: January 19, 2010, 1:20 pm
Hi Boris,
There’s no danger in combining different forms of meditation. I often incorporate hara meditation into my mindfulness of breathing practice. It brings a different emphasis to the practice, but it’s very grounding. I switch back and forth between keeping the centre of my focus on the hara and on the more internal sensations of the breathing even within one meditation session, sometimes, depending on what seems appropriate.
If anything, I find that mindfulness of breathing with a focus on the hara allows for a more general and “open” awareness in which I notice a wide range of perceptions, including sounds, the light around me, the body, thoughts, emotions, etc. This can be a very good way to start a meditation session, even if one later moves into a more “one-pointed” form of mindfulness of breathing where one ends up focusing on a small subset of sensations, such as the air passing over the rims of the nostrils.
The broader form of mindfulness allows us to practice acceptance, and to sort out anything that needs our attention, making it easier to do one-pointed meditation. Then again, it can be useful just to stay in that broad awareness for an entire meditation.
Does this help at all?
Comment from Boris
Time: January 19, 2010, 1:38 pm
Thanks Bodhipaksa. Yes this is very good news. I was a bit worried about combining different kinds of meditation. My Tai Chi teacher warned me for that.
I have to say that I already did some little experiments and notice a big difference when I do hara meditation first before mindfulness. There seems to be a big energy current in my head and nose sometimes almost to the point that it feels like a headache. Much stronger then when I practice solely mindfulness. Strangly it is the seem feeling I experience when I have done some intensive cycling, running or walking before minfulness. I was a bit worried that this feeling might be harmfull but I guess it’s not. Thanks again!
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Time: February 8, 2010, 2:21 pm
[...] that in mind, I started doing more sitting/lying vipassana meditation, which has been helpful in multiple ways on its own. Once I felt secure in my ability to maintain [...]
Comment from Venkat
Time: February 25, 2010, 6:35 pm
Hi Bodhipaksa,
I found this website while searching for a meditation related info. Its really wonderful and mindful info…Thanks for such a good site.
I’ve have been practicing Art of Living-Sudarsan Kriya for the past three weeks. It’s been helping me control my stress level. My questions is when you start meditation how long it will take usually take until you see a big difference? my mind is still wander around, i know its too early to ask this questions. Just wanted to see how i am progressing…
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: February 26, 2010, 12:06 am
Hi Venkat,
It varies from person to person, and it would depend on what you mean by a “big difference.” A lot of people will notice they’re calmer immediately. Sometimes it takes other people to point out to them that they’re easier to be around. Scientific studies have shown that after a few weeks people’s brains are functioning more effectively and they’re happier. Does that help?
Comment from Venkat
Time: February 26, 2010, 10:39 am
Yes. i helped. I am trying understand the changes going on after i started the meditation process. Thanks for your time to answer my question.
Comment from Lee
Time: March 30, 2010, 10:57 am
Hi there. This is a great site!!
Could you tell me what’s the difference between The Mindfulness of breathing with 4 stages and The Mindfulness of Breathing, that has no stages?
Best wishes Lee
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: April 1, 2010, 5:45 pm
Hi Lee,
It very much depends on what kind of mindfulness of breathing with no stages that you’re doing. It may be that you’re referring to the MoB being doing primarily as a vipassana (insight) practice, where here it’s more of a samatha (calming) practice.
Comment from Lee
Time: April 4, 2010, 3:04 pm
Thank you very much for your reply.
The reason for my enquiry is that my therapist has advised me to take up mindfulness meditation to help with stress/anxiety, mainly for racing thoughts. I have been informed of MBSR courses, but after purchasing your first CD and book in the UK i find the four stages approach better for wandering thoughts as it gives a focus both in meditation and daily life.
My question is would the Mindfulness of Breathing taught in the MBSR achieve the same goal as the MOB four stages or does it differ and would it be of more benefit for stress/anxiety?
Many thanks to you.
Lee
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: April 5, 2010, 9:56 am
Thanks for the extra background information. That’s most helpful.
These two styles of meditation are ultimately complimentary. As I understand the Buddhist tradition, we start with meditation practices that calm the mind (samatha practices). These enable us to more effectively reflect (vipassana). The four-stage practice is a samatha practice, bringing us towards a calm, one-pointed, and stress-free state of mind. MBSR is more of a vipassana style of meditation, helping us to appreciate the impermanence of our stressful states, and helping us to see that those states ultimately aren’t us.
Even when doing vipassana practice, however, people have to initially put in a lot of work just to stabilize the mind, so even a “vipassana” approach is really a samatha-vipassana approach (starting by developing calmness and then focusing on reflection).
Which brings us to the fact that the four-fold practice can be turned into an effective samatha-vipassana practice quite easily. The first three stages are done as usual, and as the mind stabilizes in the third stage we bring in the practice of noticing the arising of sensations, thoughts, and emotions, noting how these are impermanent and how they are ultimately not a fixed part of us. So stages 1–3 become the samatha basis upon which the fourth, vipassana, stage can be more effectively engaged with.
I’d suggest that if the four-fold practice is working for you, stick with it for now. If you later want to take up vipassana, you can regard that as an “alternative fourth stage.” Some vipassana teachers would frown upon this, because they insist that their method is the only valid one, but I think such clinging to form is contrary to the spirit of Buddhist practice. For me, whatever works, works.
Does that help?
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Time: April 5, 2010, 3:39 pm
[...] meditation is another practice I have some familiarity with. Good examples can be found here and here. Jon Kabat-Zinn is one of the most prolific authors on mindfulness meditation. WPL has a [...]
Comment from abhinav tewari
Time: April 16, 2010, 4:37 am
Hi, this site is fantastic and happy to know that its helping soo many people, and hope it resolves my issues as well.
I do not meditate regularly, infact it was my 1st time today and was hit by soo many thoughts that i forgot that i have my breath to think about.
I have a stage fright, am a nervous person with low confidence in speaking in front of public.
Wanted to know if meditation can help me and how? And also how exactly to meditate for resolving certain specific issues.
Thank you
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: April 16, 2010, 10:10 am
Hi Abhinav,
If it’s any comfort, I still have days when I forget about the breath for long periods of time. It all depends on what else is going on in my life, whether I’ve had enough sleep, etc. So what you’ve experienced is what millions of other people have experienced as well.
If you want a fancy-schmancy answer to your question, the region of yur brain known as the amygdala, which gives rise to anxiety, becomes less active when we meditate. The left-prefrontal cortex, which is connected with positive emotion, becomes more active. And these changes are long-lasting, so that you’re actually re-wiring your brain as you meditate.
A simpler answer is that every time you bring your attention away from your anxious thoughts and back to your breath, you’re weakening the hold that anxiety has on you.
You might also find that lovingkindness meditation is helpful for your stage fright. Having more appreciation of yourself, and having lovingkindness for your audience, can make it much easier to speak in public. I used to get post-traumatic stress after teaching, and I’d also sometimes get quite anxious when giving talks, but that no longer happens. I now really enjoy public speaking. In fact it’s the most enjoyable thing I do. Change can happen.
As for your question of “how to meditate for resolving certain specific issues” — I’m afraid that’s rather too broad. You’d need to give me a specific issue so that I can comment on it.
All the best,
Bodhipaksa
Comment from Blayne
Time: April 28, 2010, 5:49 pm
Hello, firstly thanks for the site, it has been very helpful. I have two questions firstly ever since i began doing this meditation, afterwards i noticed that i was a lot more focused for 10 to 20 mins after meditation, its difficult to verbalise but i could actualy feel the focus.. It illistrated quite well the word “centered”. Is this a good sign? It has practical value obviously since for that time i am much more perceptive! The second question is how many times a day should one meditate and for how long? And when is a good time to start doing the loving kindness meditation? Thank you in advance for your answer.
Comment from Bodhipaksa
Time: April 30, 2010, 9:03 pm
Hi Blayne,
Yes, that’s a good sign!
How often you should meditate each day really depends on your preferences and your schedule. I guess you need to ask yourself how often you want to or are able to meditate. And any time is a good time to start learning the lovingkindness practice! I think it’s helpful to have a couple of weeks’ familiarity with mindfulness practice first, but then after that, get cracking!
All the best,
Bodhipaksa
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