Two Introductory Exercises

Moving on

Before you move on to Steps 1 to 4 of the Anapana practice itself, I suggest you give yourself a few days to become more familiar with these two introductory exercises. Try practising them at different times and in a variety of places. They help us set aside our normal mode of thinking and interacting for a short time, and enable us to develop a more simple and more mindful form of awareness. Then decide for yourself when you are ready to move on to the first part of the Sixteen Steps. Throughout the meditative process we constantly need to strike the right balance between rushing ahead prematurely and holding back for too long. Only you can know how long to stay at each step, and how soon to move on to the next.

In the longer term

My practice always begins with these two exercises. Sometimes they become very brief, and sometimes they are barely distinguished, but they are always present. Whenever I sit, I may just sit quietly for a few moments, but then I'll begin to focus my awareness. I may think to myself, "Just hearing", and then I become consciously aware of the sounds I can hear. Almost at the same time I may notice each in-breath and each out-breath. Again I think to myself, "Hearing and breathing," and then spend a few moments consciously aware of both. On other occasions I may spend much longer with these two exercises, using them to make a deep connection with both the sounds, and my own breath. In both cases these exercises prepare me for the mindfulness of body which is to come.