July 23, 2020

Breath Meditation is Fun | Guided Buddhist Meditation | Ajahn Dhammasiha | Dhammagiri | Anapanasati Mindfulness of Breathing

32 minutes

In this guided meditation, Ajahn Dhammasiha encourages us to develop the perception of beauty, joy and happiness while meditating on the breath.

Ānāpāṇasati, Mindfulness of the In and Outbreath, was the Buddha's own favourite meditation object. Fortunately, he left us extensive, detailed instructions how to develop this particular meditation.

The crucial factor is to enjoy meditating. If we only force ourselves with will power to sit on the cushion, but we actually hate what we're doing, we most likely will give up after some time. On the other hand, if we can meditate happily even just for 20 minutes, we most likely will extend that soon to 30 min, one hour, and so on... 😊

Therefore, before focussing on the breath itself, Ajahn Dhammasiha advises us to develop joy with all the fundmentals of meditation:

We learn to enjoy the present moment, relishing the freedom from not worrying about past and future

We train ourselves to be content with sitting still, not having to move the body, or to do any work

We're happy to turn our attention inside, not having to depend on any external input from the senses.

We learn to appreciate silence. We're delighted that we don't have to think about or plan anything for the period of meditation

Once we're happily settled internally - still, silent, quietly watching whatever arises in the present moment, we notice the breath naturally, all by itself.

How could we not notice the most prominent activity still happening in our body?

We're not trying to hold the breath forcefully.

Instead, we're trying to like the breath.

We perceive the breath as beautiful.

We enjoy every inbreath.

We delight in every outbreath.

We experience the breath as calming and soothing.

We feel our whole physical body with every breath.

We relax our whole body with each inbreath and outbreath.

We suffuse our whole body and mind with joy and happiness with every inbreath and outbreath.

If we train ourselves to enjoy our meditation practice, it will be much smoother and more steady than trying to push it along with sheer will power. We do not hold our meditation object like a police squad subdueing a suspect resisting arrest, but we hold it like a mother is holding her baby in her arms, with tender loving care.

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