Breathing, How To Breath

[Geog]

Hi,

I started to meditate recently(around 6 months now) and mostly I simple tried to follow my breath. I'm not sure how I got here, but now I have the breathing on my mind all the time. So, at the moment if I'm doing smth else I always kind of have to breath :), if that make sense. I got to a state that I have to breath consciously, i can't let the breath be by itself and focus on smth else and forget about it. This is annoying because I can't focus on smth else, breath is on my way :). There were few times when I managed, via meditation, to let go of this need to breath and it was really great, a big relief. 

 

I want to ask you guys if you met such issues during your meditation and how to overcome it? Any feedback about this is really appreciated. 

Thx a lot!

 

[AleksM]

@Geog The trick is to not manipulate breathing (but yes you can do this and at the right moment it's very beneficial - for example when a stressful situation comes, you can manipulate breathing by slowing it down). As far as I have understood your trying to manipulate breathing.

Being aware of breathing is great for deepening your meditation practice because your breathing all the time, so basicly by being aware of breathing it's totally possible to meditate all the time. Being aware of breathing does not mean to control it. It just means to observe your breathing as it's happening. When your aware of breathing, you can also at the same time focus on something else.

[Geog]

@AleksM Thx for your replay. 

 

The problem is that I can't just let the breath be and be aware of it, I have to breath :). I know it sounds strange but if I just sit quite and observe the breath I'm not breathing and at some point I'm forcing myself to breath. Currently I'm trying to not manipulate breathing but I must say I don't have any results yet. This situation makes me anxious during meditation and also does not allow me to concentrate on smth because I constantly have to switch the context between breathing and other activity I'm doing, crazy :).

 

 

 

[AlwaysBeNice]

It's not so strange, the breath is the subtle bridge to the inner body and mind/emotion are always connected to it, so when you let go, it returns to it's natural rhythm which means purging out anything that's unnatural (suppressed emotions), so yeah held in fears and stuff will come up and you have to learn to welcome them again.

Maybe just switch to self-inquiry or what ever and switch the practices when it becomes too frustrating, and of course set a timer for each practice and just do it for x amount of time so your mind doesn't weasel out so easily.

[Geog]

@AlwaysBeNice Thx,

 

I think this also has todo with me trying to breath more from the belly(as is suggested by yoga). I was not used to breath that way and now todo it all the time I have to be aware of it and consciously do the breath from the belly.

 

Once, during meditation I somehow manage to let it go and I felt such a relief. I was breathing so easily and my belly part was not tense at all. I guess now I do have some expectations during meditation about my breathing and this adds up to this frustration.    

Edited August 10, 2017 by Geog

[ThinAir]

@Geog Hi geog

i suggest u to just keep meditating, focusing on the breath sensation on the nose.

while i was on a vipassana retreat i heard someone asking the same question to the teacher.

The uncouncess mind is reacting on the intention "focus on breath" by tring to "help" by trying to control the breath, as it is the default mode to act instead of letting go.

more often it will just klick, and u will let go of controlling. Just give the mind time to rewire its habbits.

[Geog]

@ThinAir Thx for information

 

Yes, I will keep meditation and I will try to focus on sensation in the nostrils because that's the easiest way for me to focus at the moment. 

 

 

 

 

[youngshinzen]

@Geog Haha that's really messed up that you have to meditate to not be aware of your breath:D But I have done a few months of solely breathing meditation too and focused on it automatically during the day. 

Try "chaotic breathing" (Elliott Hulse) whenever you feel anxious about it, that will help to lose control and become more relaxed. 

[Dodo]

Nice breathing technique to make your body healthy!

Edited August 11, 2017 by Dodo

[Geog]

@Dodo Thx,

 

Yes I'm also thinking to try such techniques. I did try few times holotropic breathwork but I guess I need todo it consistent in order to see some results.