Learning to Practise Anapana

An experiential practice

The Anapana Practice is experiential. Several of the steps ask us to experience something. It doesn't ask us to think about anything, but to experience certain things. An experience, any experience, is something that affects us, something we feel, something we become conscious of by means of one or more of our senses.

Many of us spend too much time thinking, and not nearly enough time simply tuning in to the variety of bodily senses we have. The two introductory exercises in this section of the website will help us to adjust that balance whenever we like. They will give our busy minds a rest while we pay attention to some direct bodily experiences. You may find something calming and healing just by doing that.

The benefits of Anapana Practice come to us through what we experience for ourselves as we work through each step. There is nothing we have to learn, nothing we have to think about. The benefits come through the way we experience our own bodies, and then through learning to bring stillness to our emotions and our minds. Slowly, bit by bit, this practice will bring healing to our learned patterns of reactivity.

Resources for learning Anapana

If you would like to learn the Anapana Practice for yourself, you'll find everything you need on this website. Here you can read the text it's all based on, the Sixteen Steps. Here you'll find advice, examples and directions to help you practise each of those steps yourself. You'll also find audio files containing guided meditations which you can use to help you get started with the exercises.

On top of that, if you'd like someone you can take your questions to, someone who can give you a bit of extra help if you need it, or feedback on how you're getting on, and someone who can help you keep track of your own progress, then you might like to take part in the Guided Learning Programme we offer. This will give you an opportunity to meet with a teacher on Zoom from time to time. There is no charge for this programme, though you might like to use the Donations Page to help meet the costs of running this website.

If you are interested in this programme, please use the Contact Page to get in touch. It would be helpful if you could say what attracts you to this practice, and what you hope to gain by learning it. Please also say whether or not you have ever learned a form of meditation before.