Today I want to talk about what is known as 16 breath meditation. Buddha taught this meditation in his early days and they say if you follow it, that has all the ingredients to be liberated. It is also known as Full Awareness of Breathing meditation. It allows one to generate mindfulness and develop awakening.
Here is how we practice this:
The First Breath: Breathing in a long breath, I know I am breathing in a long breath, breathing out, I know I am breathing out a long breath.
The Second Breath: Breathing in a short breath, I know I am breathing in a short breath, breathing out, I know I am breathing out a short breath.
Explanation: These two breaths remove forgetfulness and unnecessary thinking. This generates mindfulness and allows us to be in the present moment.
The Third Breath: Breathing in, I am aware of my whole body. Breathing out, I am aware of my whole body.
Explanation: This breath puts us in touch with our body making us aware of every part of our body.
The Fourth Breath: I am breathing in and making my whole body calm and at peace. I am breathing out and making my whole body calm and at peace.
Explanation: This breath allows us to realize the calmness and peace in the body and puts body and mind in harmony.
The Fifth Breath: I am breathing in and feeling joyful. I am breathing out and feeling joyful.
The Sixth Breath: I am breathing in and feeling happy. I am breathing out and feeling happy.
Explanation: These two breaths create joy and peace that nourishes body and mind. Happiness and joy arise naturally within you. By being mindful, you are able to transform neutral feelings into joyful feelings.
The Seventh Breath: I am breathing in and am aware of the activities of my mind. I am breathing out and am aware of the activities of my mind.
The Eighth Breath: I am breathing in and making the activities of my mind calm and peaceful. I am breathing out and making the activities of my mind calm and peaceful.
Explanation: These two breaths allow you to look at all the feelings that arise within you whether pleasant, neutral or unpleasant. They enable you to look at these feelings deeply into their roots and nature and make your feelings calm and at peace.
The Ninth Breath: I am breathing in and am aware of my mind. I am breathing out and am aware of my mind.
The Tenth Breath: I am breathing in and making my mind happy and at peace. I am breathing out and making my mind happy and at peace.
The Eleventh Breath: I am breathing in and concentrating my mind. I am breathing out and concentrating my mind.
The Twelfth Breath: I am breathing in and liberating my mind. I am breathing out and liberating my mind.
Explanation: With these four breaths, you recognize all states of the mind—perceptions, thinking, discrimination, happiness, sadness, and doubt. It allows you to observe the activities of the mind and release obstacles of the mind.
The Thirteenth Breath: I am breathing in and observing the impermanent nature of all phenomena. I am breathing out and observing the impermanent nature of all phenomena.
The Fourteenth Breath: I am breathing in and observing the fading nature of all phenomena. I am breathing out and observing the fading nature of all phenomena.
The Fifteenth Breath: I am breathing in and concentrating on liberation. I am breathing out and concentrating on liberation.
The Sixteenth Breath: I am breathing in and focusing on letting go. I am breathing out and focusing on letting go.
Explanation: With these four breaths, we observe true nature of Dharma. First with observation of impermanent nature of phenomena, then with observation of fading nature of phenomena, then contemplating liberation and finally contemplating letting go. Hope this all makes sense and as we develop your practice, you are able to perfect this over time.