WATCH THAT BREATH

• The real problem of modern man is that he has forgotten how to breathe right.And the fast pace of life only worsens the problem.
• Most people have forgotten that sufficient inhalation is vital for healthy physical, mental and emotional life.
• People today survive on very little prana and find themselves under tremendous stress.
• They rush to vipassana classes, where they are asked to watch the coming and going of their breath.Vipassana is a very powerful meditation technique. However it must be done properly to achieve results.
• FIRST, they must learn to make their breath, long , deep and full so that their entire being comes fully alive, vibrant and healthy.
• In Vipassana, people are supposed to continually watch their breath thoughts, feelings. Instead what actually happens is a Mahabharata of emotions and they forget to watch their breath. They get caught in a cyclone of thoughts and more thoughts and their bodies become more stiff and dead. This kind of vipassana only makes you insensitive and stoic. It lulls ou into thinking that stress has vanished.
• Vipassana can only be joyful if it is full of prana.Before entering vipassana, oxidise your body through deep rhythmic breathing.Be full of energy. Then you can be ready to sit and watch the natural flow of your breath. Then you do not have to make an effort to breathe.
• Breathing happens by itself and you watch it in passive alertness. And then magic happens, Your stress evaporates and you feel very calm, but not dead or insensitive. You are more energetic, alert and alive.
• Just watch your breath going in and going out. There are four points to be watched :

1. Sitting silently, begin to see and feel the breath. The breath going in, that is the first point.
2. Then, for a split second, when the breath is in , it stops.That is the second point.
3. Then the breath turns and goes out. That is the third point.
4. When the breath goes completely out, it stops again , for a split second. That is the fourth point.
5. Then the breath starts coming in again. That completes the cycle of breath.

• If you can watch all these four points you will be amazed at the miracle of such a simple process. Your mind is not involved. Watching is not a trait of the mind, but of the soul, of consciousness. Watching is not a mental process. When you watch, your mind ceases to be.
• In the beginning, you will often forget that and the mind will come in and start playing games. When you realize this, just go back to watching your breath. Again and again, go back to watching. Slowly, the mind will interfere less and less.
• AND WHEN YOU CAN WATCH YOUR BREATH FOR 48 MINUTES CONTINUOUSLY, YOU WILL BECOME ENLIGHTENED.
• You may think it is not very difficult, just 48 minutes. It is, however,very difficult. In barely 48 seconds, you will fall victim to the mind several times over.
• inthe beginning, you will not be watchful for more than 60 seconds. In just 60 seconds you will fall asleep many times and forget about watching your breath. Sundry thoughts will take you far away and suddenly you will realize that ten seconds have passed. But slowly, it is a knack, not a practice, you imbibe it.

THOSE FEW MOMENTS WHEN YOU ARE WATCHFUL ARE OF SUCH EXQUISITE BEAUTY, THAT ONCE YOU HAVE TASTED THEM, YOU ARE LIKELY TO COME BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN, NOT FOR ANY MOTIVE, BUT FOR THE SHEER JOY OF BEING THERE, OF BEING ONE WITH YOUR BREATH.