To enter a state of meditation it’s very important to breathe properly. Breathing concentration is an ancient practice, helps to gradually turn off and achieve inner peace. Breathe deep through your nose, don’t take long breaks between inhalation and exhalation and never hold your breath. Let your breath flow freely, calm down, and this will allow you to achieve the spiritual peace necessary for meditation.

Focus on your breath, then you’ll be freed from thoughts. You can observe or count your breaths. Count always from 1-10, and then again from the beginning. Odd numbers – one, three, five, seven, nine – inhalation, even numbers: two, four, six, eight, ten – exhaust.

You can count only inspirations– this prevents distraction, or just expirations – it helps to overcome drowsiness. If you focus on breathing without counting, while breathing in focus only on inhalation and while breathing out, concentrate fully on exhalation. While you’re counting your breaths – nothing is more important than it!

Proper breathing :

• When you breathe, don’t think about anything, focus on your belly and feel like the air is going deeper and deeper.
• Don’t take a break during exhalation. Slowly let it out and with it- all your thoughts.
• Remember that odd numbers are inhalations, and even numbers are exhalations.
• If it’s hard for you to chase off your thoughts, counting only inhalations can help you.
• If you’re drowsy, try to count only the exhausts.

The article written on the basis of the book “The practice of ZEN meditation” by Hugo M. Enomiya~Lassalle