We have looked at a couple meditation types in the (generic) mantra method and a Christian meditation.These two examples are only samples of a simple meditation style. Some other types are a little more active in their approach, some use more active concentration, some use imagery or a guided (directed) thought process.There is nothing wrong with these mentally active methods but I personally prefer the quiet methods that lead to a transcendental state of being by the simplest means. There has always been a rather basic question that presents itself when one considers the various meditation styles and that is, ” What is the common thread that runs through all the different meditative practices ?”.

It is my opinion that the most meaningful feature congruent to all of these seemingly different meditation styles is breathing. For example, whatever the method, as the meditator begins to settle down toward a calm state, his breathing naturally slows down a little. Subsequently, as one’s breathing slows down, one becomes more calmer, quieter. In turn, as one becomes even calmer, one’s breathing becomes even more relaxed, more subtle. This process continues to alternate back and forth, quieting both the mind and breath until one no longer knows which initiated the process (or even cares). Finally, with the experience of one – pointed consciousness, it often appears as if one were not breathing at all. Of course, the meditator is breathing. It is just that the inner awareness of transcendental consciousness cannot be easily separated from the experience of finer and more subtle breathing. In this one – pointed awareness, the meditator experiences that ever present “one breath” that seems to halt time and transport the meditator to an experience of mindfulness in which he is aware of everything around him and nothing at all, sitting quietly, doing nothing.

What is this mysterious connection between thought and breath? For just a moment, consider the following question. If meditation has historically been linked to religious or spiritual traditions, being used to quiet the mind in preparation for spiritual awakening or blessing, is that experience available to all human beings or just a lucky few? Consider this extremely ridiculous example. Let’s assume that somehow a person is abandoned in early infancy, raised by wombats or grizzly bears or something and never has the opportunity to listen the wise teachings of sages, saints or saviors. Is spiritual experience available to that wombat raised (but still sentient) being? I say it is (by the grace of God perhaps) by virtue of nothing more than complicated than breath (bear with me here a little). For even without any formal instruction on any subject, one at least has one’s own realization of the most natural process of life, breathing, to contemplate one’s own breath. You see, as all of these meditation methods progress to transcendence, all of these methods eventually become meditation on the breath. The breath may be inseparable from the mental device of the mantra, prayer, chanting the name of the Lord or whatever device is being employed. Because the breath, slow and steady, is always there in the background. So if it is such a common element, can it be a method by itself? It can.

This brings us to the breath meditation. The technique of breath meditation is actually the same as mantra meditation in that the breath is used in place of a (mentally) audible mantra sound. The breath as mantra does still make a sound, I guess, but it is more than that. The breath is what one would call a physical mantra in that whether or not it makes an actual sound (your choice), it always has a feeling. In breath meditation, that is the key feature. Breath used as a mental focusing device has no specific sound (unless it’s “hhhhhmmm” as one exhales) but is observed, followed, felt as it flows. As was mentioned in the previous examples of mantra and Christian meditation, the breath is not controlled but simply watched with detachment. The only noticeable aspect of inhaling and exhaling is that, for whatever reason, exhalation is usually about twice as long as inhalation (there are methods that control or time breathing but that is not the method described here).

So to practice breath meditation, use the gentle attention (no forcing) on one’s breath as the mental focusing device and follow the other mantra method steps previously described with regards to attitude, environment, technique, random thoughts, outside stimuli and so on. The only additional point to make here is the reminder that mantra meditation is probably the easiest to learn so one may want to try that for a while, gradually moving into breath meditation as it feels natural. As for the spiritual aspect of any or all of these methods, it is quite possible that spiritual expression (prayer, contemplation) may be an innate feature of consciousness development.