A Gentle Intro to Breath in Meditation

Can a breath really be all that and a bag of chips when it comes to meditating? I mean you're already breathing, you've been doing it all your life, and it's not like you're doing it wrong. In meditation practices, the breath is really just a tool you can use to bring you to the present, to focus your attention on the here and now. It isn't about breathing in specific or certain way, it's about noticing what was there the whole time.

Your breath responds to how you feel (shallow when anxious, slower when relaxed). But it also works the other way around. How you breathe can gently influence how you feel. When you change your breath just a little, or even simply bring awareness to it, your body gets the message: "We're safe enough to soften."

For me, the cue to "focus on your breath" is a friendly, inclusive invitation to find a moment of presence. That's why the breath is such a common focus in meditation. Everyone has a breath. It's a tool we all have access to. No special gadgets, no particular setting or place you have to be in, no purchase necessary.

All the instructions you hear in meditation classes about counting, holding, changing the speed of the breath aren't meant to be rigid rules. And I hope you never feel that way in my meditations. The breathing cues are simply chances to become more present and grounded in the moment.

That's my favorite part: meditating on your breath gives you something you already have, something you're already doing, to gently focus on. It's a way to remember your aliveness and guide your attention, if and when chaos seems to consume you. The more little moments of presence you can sprinkle into your life, the more at peace you may find yourself in the long run.

So following the "rules" of how to breathe in a meditation is not about doing it correctly. It's more like having a tour guide who points out a few paths you could take to bring your awareness inward and be in the moment. And if focusing on the breath doesn't feel calming at all, you're still in charge. You're always allowed to choose how you want to show up. You can keep the breath part very simple, or make it just one small piece of your practice.

The breath can be a guide, an anchor, a count, or a soft little mantra you already carry with you. This is how meditation can be done anywhere and/or how any ordinary moment can be a meditative one. As long as you're breathing, you have an opportunity to choose your own adventure for how you want to become mindful and present.

So that's a little glimpse of where my head is at when we talk so much about the breath in meditation practices. Before you move on with the rest of your day and before we wrap this up in a cute little bow, just for one breath, pick an "adventure" that sounds good for you at this time, and see it through:

• Follow the airflow all the way in and all the way out.
• Feel your belly gently moving with the air.
• Count one inhale and one exhale.
• Soften any part of you craving a little relaxation.
• Notice the air coming in and going out of your nostrils.
• Sense the tiny pauses between each inhale and exhale.

That's it. One big breath in, one long breath out. Maybe you too appreciate the breath a little more now for your practice!