Meditating on Breath and Body Sensations
Meditating on Breath and Body Sensations
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This page is under development. Please bear with me.
If this page doesn't motivate you to try daily meditation,
you may be looking for a different approach.
Here is a quote: "When the student is ready, the right teacher, book, or an online resource appears."
And a mythological story: "Walking on gold coins, eyes closed."
This meditation practice helps you meditate every day
without taking time away from your daily activities or having to sit still.
This page explains practical ways of focusing on your breath and body sensations in simple words. You can briefly practice each step and check how you feel before and after practice.
I use this page as a guide when teaching individuals and groups in-person and online. You can use it for your daily practice.
The suggestions on this page have evolved from my personal practice and responses from people of different ages and cultures. You can modify them to suit yourself. You can continue your current meditation practice while testing these suggestions. This practice doesn't conflict with other practices and may complement them.
Some meditation dropouts could resume their daily meditation using this approach.
I suggest reading this introductory handout for a bird's-eye view of this approach to daily meditation.
I invite you to offer your comments and suggestions. My contact details are on this page.
Please read the following in the order presented before you practice.
Why Meditate - Reports by Practitioners
Why Meditate - Reports by Practitioners
Practitioners of this simple meditation on breath and body sensations have reported a wide range of benefits such as relief from anxiety, sleep problems, anger, compulsive thoughts, addictions, lack of concentration, relationship problems, lack of confidence, and lack of willpower.
Some have also described help with challenges such as phobias, grief, migraines, public speaking, and weight management.
Click the following links to read a wide variety of reports.
Mind, Body, and Relationship Benefits.
Introduction
Introduction
Listen to the Introduction in my voice <4 minutes
Young people to seniors have said that my voice calmed them.
Your breath and body sensations are your lifelong companions. You can focus on them anytime, anywhere: while sitting, standing, walking, working, or doing daily chores. This simple, practical meditation trains the mind to be aware of whatever is happening now. It also helps you develop the life-changing skill of controlling and managing your thoughts.
We have no control over all that has happened in the past. Our life tomorrow is not guaranteed. But we can train ourselves to control what we say or do at every moment today. Our tomorrow could be a little better than yesterday.
'Focusing on breath and body sensations' is an easy meditation practice that trains the mind to focus more on what is happening NOW, rather than what happened in the past or may happen in the future.
We can teach this meditation to children in an age-appropriate way. They can understand it, practice it, and benefit from it.
Let us begin the journey towards a less stressed way of living.
You started breathing the moment you were born and will continue breathing until your last breath. You have the invisible 'breathing buddy' inside you 24/7.
Likewise, you always have bodily sensations like stiffness, pain, itchiness, numbness, coldness, and warmth.
You can focus on your breathing and bodily sensations in many ways, lying, sitting, standing, walking, doing chores, and working at your desk.
Try each of the following practices for a few minutes, and compare how you felt before the practice and after.
I found that using a timer eliminates impatience and gives better results.
The suggestions on this page are based on the insights I gained from 25 years of practice and responses from over 2000 people from many cultures and religions, ranging from 4-year-old children to seniors in their nineties.
Control over your thoughts
Don't think your meditation failed if distracting thoughts pop up into your mind. When you notice that you are paying attention to a distracting thought, quickly refocus on your breathing or bodily sensations. The distracting thought will disappear.
You will have far fewer thoughts than you would without meditation. You will feel calm after a few minutes of meditation.
Read more at Thought Are Like.....
Options for 'Meditating on Breath and Body Sensations'
Options for 'Meditating on Breath and Body Sensations'
The following are some widely proven options.
Feeling the Sensations in the Nose and Body - FEELING MODE
Counting Breaths in the Mind - COUNTING MODE
Counting Breaths on Finger Tips - TIP MODE
Counting Breaths on Finger Segments - SEGMENT MODE
Focusing the Eyes - STARING MODE
Long Exhales for Quick Relief - 911 MODE
Slow Breathing at Six Breaths per Minute to Maximize Heart Rate Variability (HRV) - RESONANCE BREATHING
And MORE OPTIONS
Let us learn and briefly practice each option for a few minutes, using a timer.
Compare how you felt before practice and after.
'FEELING MODE' - Feeling the Nose and Body Sensations
In this mode, you focus on the inhalations and exhalations happening in your body and the bodily sensations. Let us do this in small steps.
Practice the following steps with your eyes closed.
Coolness in the nose
Belly movement, 'placing a hand'
Belly movement, 'without placing a hand'
Combination - 'feeling the coolness in the nose' and 'belly movement without placing a hand'.
Upgrades focusing on more bodily sensations: sitting erect on a chair, positioning the hands and fingers, keeping the tongue in touch with the roof of the mouth, and more.
Coolness in the nose
Feel the slight coolness in your nose during each inhalation and the relatively warm or neutral sensation during the exhalation. Most people readily feel the coolness. If you don't feel the coolness, try following:
Take a deep breath through your nose and blow it out through pursed lips as if blowing through an imaginary straw held between your lips. Repeat about 10 times. You will probably feel the coolness.
Practice:
Open the clock app on your phone or computer. Set it to 3 minutes.
Close your eyes.
Feel the coolness in your nose during the inhales till you hear the timer ring.
Belly movement, placing a hand
Wrap your left or right forearm around your belly with fingertips on one side of your trunk and elbow on the other.
Focus on the slight rising of your belly during the inhales and falling during exhales.
Caution:
Check whether your belly expands or contracts during inhalation. If it expands, it's fine. If your belly contracts and your chest expands during inhalation, you have an important correction to make. Read this note generated by ChatGPT on the importance of belly/abdominal breathing and the importance of sitting in an erect posture for healthy breathing.
Practice:
Open the clock app on your phone or computer. Set it to 5 minutes.
Close your eyes.
Wrap a forearm around your belly, with fingertips on one side and elbow on the other.
Feel the rising and falling of the belly till you hear the timer ring.
Belly movement without placing a hand
Focus on the ever-changing belly movements and sensations without placing a hand.
Practice:
Open the clock app on your phone or computer. Set it to 8 minutes.
Close your eyes.
Feel the movements and sensations in your belly as it rises and falls till you hear the timer.
Combination (Coolness in the nose & Belly movement)
Feel the coolness in the nose during the inhales for 3 breaths.
Feel the belly rise and fall for 3 breaths.
Repeat the above two steps.
Practice:
Open the clock app on your phone or computer. Set it to 12 minutes.
Close your eyes.
Feel the coolness in the nose and the movements and sensations in your belly as it rises and falls alternately till you hear the timer.
Upgrades focusing on more body sensations
Sitting erect on a chair
Adjust the seat height so that your hips are 1 to 2 inches higher than your knees. If necessary, place a cushion on the chair. Move forward and sit at the front edge of the chair. Let your feet rest flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Adjust their placement to keep your back comfortably erect and stable.
Or
If you have to practice sitting on a low chair, sit on the front edge and cross your legs. Sit erect.
Keep your head up without drooping forward or to the side.
Adjust these positions to be able to sit comfortably for an hour.
The importance of sitting erect for healthy breathing is explained on this page.
Hand and finger positions
Adopt one of the three options to set your hands.
Place your hands on your legs, palms up. Touch the tip of the thumb to the tip of the index finger. Stretch the other three fingers and touch each other.
OR
Rest your hands on your legs and lace the fingers of both hands, the palms facing each other and the tips of the thumbs touching.
OR
Hug yourself: Wrap your left arm around your chest, tucking your left palm inside your right armpit. Hold your left upper arm with your right palm. You will see that your shoulders drop immediately.
Keep your tongue in contact with the roof of your mouth
Keep your tongue in contact with the roof of your mouth. Let it be in this position during meditation and even other times. The tension in your jaw muscles will be automatically released.
Let your lips be in light contact with each other (not pressing or curving into your mouth).
How about an invisible smile?
Focusing on the Breath and Body sensations
Focus on the sensation you feel in each part of the body.
At each part, watch three breaths, then move to the next part.
Coolness in the nose during inhales - 3 breaths
Tongue in touch with the roof of the mouth - 3 breaths
Upper lip lightly touching the lower lip - 3 breaths
Belly rising during inhales and falling during exhales - 3 breaths
One of the three options depending on how you place your hands-
Sensations in your left and right forearms resting on the respective legs, and thumb and index fingers touching sensation and the stretch sensation in the other three fingers - 3 breaths
or
Sensations in the laced fingers - 3 breaths
or
Hugging sensations - 3 breaths
Pressure of your left and right butt and thigh on the chair - 3 breaths
Pressure of your left foot on the floor -3 breaths
Pressure of your right foot on the floor -3 breaths
Breathe three times at any other part of the body that has a strong sensation
Practice:
Open the clock app on your phone or computer. Set the timer to 18 minutes.
Close your eyes.
Practice with all the upgrades.
If your attention gets distracted by a random thought, immediately refocus on your breathing or body sensation. The habit of focusing on the present rather than the past or the future may improve your life dramatically!
Reading the articles on the page "Thoughts are like —" will help you manage your stressful thoughts better.
At the end of practice, get in 'touch' with your body
Using your left hand, gently massage all parts of your body that your hand can reach, from the top of your head to your fingers and toes.
Repeat the same with your right hand.
Rub your palms till they warm up and cup them over your eyes.
Close your eyes. Using both hands, gently wipe your eyes outward with the backs of your fingers.
You can use some more similar ideas listed on this page.
Two goals to aim for
"Total time practiced" = 20 minutes per day, EVERY DAY.
Starting: Add the minutes practiced in 'Feeling mode' using one or more of the above options while carrying out your usual daily activities. The goal is 20 minutes EVERY DAY.
Final: Practice for 20 minutes in one sitting session EVERY DAY.
"Feeling the Breath or Body sensations" - 40 or more times a day, EVERY DAY.
Focus on the coolness in your nose during inhalation, or any bodily sensation, while going about your daily activities. Focusing on even one breath or one body sensation is counted.
You can develop this new habit by attaching the breath or a bodily sensation to repetitive activities like the following.
Three game-changing daily practices while lying comfortably lying in bed
When you decide to sleep, practice the 'Feeling mode' non-stop till you fall asleep at some point. Just keep practicing without any expectation.
When your sleep is disturbed, "Practice non-stop till you fall asleep."
As soon as you wake up in the morning, practice non-stop till leaving the bed.
Every minute of practice at each of the above times will put you on the path of daily meditation.
Practicing at all three times will make a significant impact on your life in a few months.
In each of the following repetitive situations, focus on 1 to 3 breaths. The plan is to bring breath into your mind as many times as you can, throughout the day, and every day.
While walking at home or outside
Upon sitting or leaving a seat/chair/sofa
Waiting anywhere: at stoplights, stop signs, in a line, or microwave
Listening to someone speaking
Watching TV
Picking up or putting down your phone
Every time you touch the mouse while working on the computer
Doing chores like cooking, cleaning, laundry, gardening
While in the shower
Brushing teeth, shaving, dressing up
Every time you notice a traffic sign while driving or walking
Every time you notice a mailbox while driving or walking
Every time you touch a faucet
Add your ideas.........
The goal for all such practices is 40 or more.
What can you gain by achieving the two goals?
Most practitioners reported that breath sensation comes to mind automatically when they need to focus or calm themselves. And a variety of mind, body, and relationship benefits.
Change in your face
Before you practice this meditation, take a close-up picture of just your face, from the top of your head to the bottom of your chin. Make this practice happen automatically as a part of your daily routine.
Once a month, take a new picture. You will see a gradual change in your face, towards a pleasant smiling face in 4 to 6 months. I have seen such a change in many teen and adult practitioners over 25 years.
Check out this page for such reports and see pictures of four faces changing gradually in about 4 months.
Track your daily practice until you reach your two goals
"What is not defined cannot be measured. What is not measured cannot be improved. What is not improved always deteriorates."
Developing this meditation into a practice that starts from the moment you wake up in bed till you lie down and go to sleep is a challenge for anyone. The following is to help you make this dream a reality.
Open the Google Sheet "Meditation practice - Log sheet". Click 'File' and click 'Make a copy'. Save the copied file into your drive and rename it. Enter the daily data on your practice:
Page 1: Total time of practice on a given date in all the modes
Page 2: Total number of times focused on one or more breaths while engaged in routine daily activities on a given date.
Email me if you have any questions.
How long can I take to achieve the two goals?
It's up to you! You are the only person licensed to sit in the driver's seat of your life with the steering wheel in your hands and a foot on the gas pedal or brake.
People like me are like GPS, who suggest a proven route to help you achieve your goals based on experience. You can also create your own goals and explore the routes to them.
Inspiring quotes
"Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. I don't aim at perfection. I try to be progressively less stupid (or progressively smarter)."
Every morning, we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.
I added 2 and 2 and got 4. But I want 5. Can I get 5 by adding 2 and 2 again and again? No!
I have to either replace one of the '2's with a '3' (2+3=5) or bring in a new number '1' (2+2+1=5) to get 5. "Stupidity is repeating the same actions while expecting a different result."
Counting Breaths in Mind — 'COUNTING MODE'
In this mode, we count the natural breaths as they happen.
We feel the coolness during the inhales.
During the exhales, we repeat a number slowly, in the mind, like a mantra.
We count only three numbers 1,2 and 3. After counting 3, we restart counting from 1.
Step 1
During the first inhale, feel the cool sensation in the nose.
During the exhale, slowly repeat the number 'One' till the exhale ends and the inhale starts. It may go like — 'One', 'One', 'One' ... so on.
Step 2
During the next inhale, feel the cool sensation. During the exhale, slowly repeat the word 'Two' throughout: 'Two', 'Two', 'Two', ...so on.
Step 3
During the next inhale, feel the cool sensation. During the exhale, slowly repeat the word 'Three' throughout: 'Three', 'Three', 'Three', ...so on.
Repeat the above three steps as long as you like.
Tips
There is no minimum or maximum time for the practice. You can decide how long you want to practice and set the time accordingly.
It is important that you let breathing happen naturally. Don't try to change it. Let the breaths be slow or fast, deep or shallow.
During the practice sessions, speak out the numbers. At other times, count silently in your mind. You can count using your lips without making a sound.
You will feel calm within two minutes of practice.
Practice
Open the clock app on your phone or computer. Set the timer to 20 minutes.
Close your eyes.
Practice the counting mode.
Counting Breaths On Finger Tips — 'TIP MODE'
Start with any hand, say the left hand. Touch the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger.
Count three breaths as explained before.
Repeat counting three breaths at the ring finger, middle finger, and index finger.
At the thumb, place the tip of the index finger at the base of the thumb and count three breaths.
Then switch to the right hand and repeat the above steps.
Practice switching hands as long as you like.
In this mode, you will count 3 breaths at each fingertip, 15 breaths on each hand.
Practice:
Open the clock app on your phone or computer. Set the timer to 20 minutes.
Close your eyes.
Practice the Tip mode.
Counting Breaths on Finger Segments — 'SEGMENT MODE'
Start with any hand, say the left hand. Look at your fingers. Every finger has two cross lines and three segments.
Place the tip of the thumb at the top segment of the little finger and count three breaths.
Move the thumb to the middle segment of the same finger and watch three breaths.
Move the thumb to the bottom segment and count three breaths.
Release the little finger.
Repeat the same steps on the next three fingers: the ring finger, middle finger, and index finger.
When you get to the thumb, place the tip of the index finger on its segments and repeat the steps.
Then, switch to the right hand and repeat the steps.
Practice switching hands as long as you like.
In this mode, you will watch 3+3+3 breaths at each finger.
Practice
Open the clock app on your phone or computer. Set the timer to 20 minutes.
Close your eyes.
Practice the Segment mode
Focusing the Eyes — 'STARING MODE'
Keep staring at a small mark on the wall or part of an object, at eye level or lower, that is easy to focus on.
Practice the Feeling mode, Counting mode, or Tip mode.
Focusing the eyes focuses the mind and reduces stress.
Practice
Open the clock app on your phone or computer. Set the timer to 1 minute.
Practice the Staring mode.
Long Exhales For Quick Relief — '911 MODE'
This is not natural breathing. We regulate the inhales and exhales.
We practice for about a minute.
You can practice this mode with your eyes closed wherever practical. At other times, you can practice with your eyes open.
Breathe in deeply through your nose, counting slowly: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4.
Purse your lips with only a little opening in the middle, as if holding a straw between them.
Blow through the little opening, counting slowly: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6.
Repeat about 10 times until you feel some relief from acute mental or physical stress.
Use your fingers to keep count of the breaths: Fold one finger and blow once.
Release that finger.
Fold the next finger and blow again, and so on, till you feel relieved of acute stress.
Then, practice your favorite counting or feeling mode as long as needed until the acute stress no longer bothers you.
If your stress is still overwhelming, repeat the 911 mode.
Continue the alternating practice of 911 and other modes as many times as needed.
Practice
Open the clock app on your phone or computer. Set the timer to 1 minute.
Practice the 911 mode for 1 or more minutes.
More Options
Over many years, some practitioners, including me, experimented with other modes and found them helpful. Click here for the other options.
Counting Breaths Meditation BROCHURE PDF
Click this link
Resonance breathing (aka 'Coherence breathing')
In this mode, we regulate the breathing to make a deeper impact on the body and mind. Click this link.
History of 'Counting breaths meditation'
Focusing on breathing and focusing on body sensations is an ancient practice taught by the Buddha 2500 years ago. I made two adaptations of the ancient technique to help a broader population.
One adaptation is to use the fingers in place of prayer beads. Keeping the count on the fingers controls the mind better than counting breaths in the mind.
The second adaptation is to practice lying in bed at night while falling asleep, on waking up in sleep, and upon waking up. At all these times, you are lying in bed with no task list to attend to.
These adaptations make the practice ‘excuse-free’.
The bedtime practice improves sleep from day one. Whoever tries it gets better sleep and gets hooked on it. They can't help practicing at bedtime.
These adaptations made it accessible to people of all ages, cultures, and religions.
The breathing practices presented here are not related to Yogic breathing practices. Yogic breathing requires us to conform to guidelines. We have to learn from a trained teacher to avoid potential harm from incorrect practice.
In contrast, the methods presented here don't prescribe a pattern for breathing. We watch the breaths as they happen like sitting on the beach and watching the waves in the sea. .One exception is the 911 mode.
This meditation is safe, no matter how you do it.
Even children can learn and practice in a short time. They love it and benefit from it.
Questions?
Contact me through my contact page.
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