Breath-Mindfulness Meditation - What, Why and How

Meditation is about quieting your mind and getting to know yourself better through silence. It's about clearing your mind of racing thoughts and tuning into the greater energy around you. Meditation helps you become more mindful in every part of your life. It's great for your overall well-being, boosts your energy, sharpens your memory, and helps you feel more connected to the people and the world around you. 

A simple meditation technique is called breath-mindfulness meditation, also known as Anapanasati meditation. All it really means is paying attention to the natural flow of your breath. Anapanasati means being one with your breath—a technique that dates all the way back to the Buddha, 2,500 years ago!

Here’s how you do it: just sit comfortably and watch your breath as it comes in and goes out. Don’t try to change or control it. If your mind starts to wander, just gently bring your focus back to your breath.

Meditation is really about calming your mind. Thoughts can scatter your energy and make you feel all over the place. But when you focus on your breath, your mind starts to quiet down. Eventually, you might even reach a point where you’re not thinking at all, and you feel deeply relaxed. As you keep practicing, you’ll start to notice new, positive experiences, both within and around you.

The human body is a very intelligent system that works tirelessly to keep us running and healthy. But we don’t always treat our bodies well. Worrisome and anxious thoughts can interfere with how the body functions by constantly releasing stress hormones. When your mind is calm and thought-free, your body can finally do its thing without interference.

Stress is essentially just a thought that sticks around and makes you feel bad. We’re always worrying about money, relationships, the future, or what people think of us. All that stress puts your body into “fight or flight” mode, and staying in that state for too long is the root of most illnesses. Meditation is a powerful way to break out of that negative thinking loop and shift into a more positive, hopeful mindset.

Most of our suffering comes from the meaning we attach to events—not the events themselves. For example, if you’re left out of a meeting at work, you might immediately think, “I’m not good enough” or “They don’t value me.” But you could just as easily think, “Hey, now I have more time to get my own work done!” Changing your perspective changes your experience—and your body responds in a healthier way. We also develop the ability to manage our emotions more effectively, allowing us to respond calmly rather than react impulsively.

Your personality and the way you see the world are built on your memories and beliefs, many of which are limiting. You might think, “I don’t deserve to be happy” or “I never have enough time.” Even if you want to change, your subconscious beliefs can hold you back. Meditation helps you notice these old patterns and beliefs. It gives you the chance to question them and, if they’re not serving you, to change them. Over time, meditation helps you focus better, become more open-minded, and let go of limiting thoughts.