Thoughts on Anapanasati

July 9th, 2008 · 2 Comments

Breathe, you are alive! Actually do we need to tell each other to breathe? The breath is automatic. Under most normal situations the breath is just a function of the living breathing person. We do not create or give thought to the fact that we are breathing. If you exert yourself or suffer lung disease you may be more aware of your breath. In meditation we take a look at the ordinary breath as a tool to calm our minds. Under normal condition we do not concentrate our minds upon our breath. It is a function of living. One very important point to remember is; because the breath is always present, we can return to that present moment by being mindful of the breath. We need so special skills to return to the moment of the breath. We merely need to watch the movement or ebb and flow of the breath, the inhalation and exhalation action of breathing.

Nature is a series of cycles and rhythms. The rhythm of our normal breathing coincides with nature. We are neither drawn to push or pull our breath. The rhythm of the breath gives us our clue. We do not need to be caught up in the flow of breathe; we merely need to watch it happen. This action of quietly sitting and watching breathing is called Anapanasati. The action itself is the tool to tranquility. With anapanasati we watch the flow of breathing without attaching any feelings of judgment to it. We simply watch the inhalation and exhalation. More specifically we watch the beginning, middle and end of the in-breath, and the beginning, middle and end of the out-breath paying particular notice to the small space in-between. Without thought of good or bad, pleasurable or non-pleasurable we quietly observe. Most of the time we find our minds are racing. The actions of the mind and the racing thoughts drag us from place to place, thought to thought. We will notice this when we loose the focus on the breath. We need to be patient with ourselves as the process of training the mind takes some time. We simply return to the breath. The deliberate action of breathing is so much slower than the actions of the mind that by focusing our attentions on the breath we find ourselves calming and resting in a quiet more relaxed state. The mind is calmed and we sit quietly expecting nothing.

The first time you place a collar and leash on a puppy he rebels and fights. Training the mind to be calm is at first like a puppy. We are not accustomed to reining in our thoughts, mental associations and judgments. We need to be gentle with ourselves and return over and over again to the starting point of the breath. Our willingness and commitment to begin over and over will bring about the tranquility we are looking for. It is in the attitude we foster that brings about an ability to be patient. Letting go of everything for those few moments, you can always go back to them if you choose. But during the meditation we have only to watch the breath, as we relax anapanasati resumes and the conditions are there to allow insight to the self.

In meditation we have no goals other than to be present. Allowing the mind to notice itself and the small thoughts that arise and fall away. Thoughts like the breath arise and fall away. We take our clue from nature in that all things arise and fall away.

We cannot expect to be able to sit quietly practice anapanasati and gain a tranquil state in the first 15 minutes of meditation. Small steps and a willingness to return to the beginning again and again will help to ensure tranquility. The process of reigning in the mind takes practice. You crawl before you walk. You walk before you run.

Mindfulness, insight and wisdom are the jewels of a good meditation practice. Mindfulness is the noticing the entire ordinary phenomenon around us. Pointing us toward watching helping us to become observers of ourselves and space we occupy. In this way we extend our mental awareness. From awareness comes insight, insight of the self through meditation is wisdom. Through self knowledge and wisdom we can become the authentic person. It is through the knowledge and acceptance of self that compassion becomes a value.

When your actions are performed, with the thought of loving the self, and without delusion, we can more readily see the cycle of life. Namely, that nothing is permanent, that all that arises will also fall away. An understanding of the impermanence of physical and mental conditions give rise to the fact we are able to see the perpetual action of samsara in our lives.

Our bodies breathe at their own paces. Luckily we do not have to tell ourselves to breathe. We can not control the breath for long periods of time. Our influences are short lived. The breath itself and the conditions of the body dictate the breath. The in-breath predicates the out-breath as likewise the out-breath shapes and forms the in-breath. Realizing this, we are watching the breath as it exists naturally. Breathing is part of our nature and part of nature itself. Being aware of this we are practicing Vipassana meditation.

Nature is the great teacher. The generating of compassion is by mindfulness, insight to ourselves and self wisdom. Wisdom does not come from books or classrooms or listening to teachers. It comes from the knowledge of self and mindful observation of the ordinary.

Breathe! You are alive!

“May All Beings Have Happy Minds”

I Wish You Peace,

Bhante Kassapa

Bhante Kassapa Bhikkhu
bhante_kassapa@yahoo.com
Buu Mon Temple
Port Arthur, Texas, 77640
409.982.9319