Part of key topic Meditation Practices
Also a subtag of Mindfulness of body and Recollection
161 excerpts, 16:19:21 total duration
11. “Is it better to stick to one mode of breath meditation (visualizations, a mantra, etc.) for a while during the course of a 30-45 minute sit rather than jumping around to various modes?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation/General advice] [Mindfulness of breathing]
9. “In this afternoon’s talk, Ajahn Karunadhammo mentioned the benefits of the bhava that results from practice or the Eightfold Path, but he described a consciousness that doesn’t land in or on a self and results in freedom. Is that a consciousness that results in neither arising nor non-arising. Could you elaborate? The moment between in and out breaths seems to hold potential for this kind of consciousness.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Eightfold Path] [Becoming] [Unestablished consciousness] [Self-identity view] [Liberation] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Proliferation] [Consciousness] [Relinquishment] [Fear]
Quote: “You want to pay attention to the experience rather than the idea about it.” [Direct experience]
Suttas: DN 11.85, MN 49.25: Consciousness luminous all around.
Sutta: SN 12.64: Simile of the western wall. [Similes]
10. “Can you tell us what you find interesting about the breath? What insights have arisen for you from watching the breath?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Ajahn Pasanno]
22. “In the Ānāpānasati Sutta, what is meant by ‘breathing in/out tranquilizing the mental formation?’” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Volitional formations]
1. Reading: “Levels of the Breath” from Meditations Vol. 5 by Ajahn Ṭhānissaro, pp. 47-51. Read by Tan Kondañño. [Mindfulness of breathing]
2. Reading: “The Four Jhanas” from Meditations Vol. 5 by Ajahn Ṭhānissaro, pp. 52-57. Read by Tan Kondañño. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Jhāna]
5. “Can I be aware of my mind states while I am aware of my breath? It doesn’t seem so.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Mindfulness of mind] // [Right Mindfulness]
8. “In the mindful breathing sutta, what is the difference between “mind” and “mental fabrication”? And what is meant by “satisfying the mind” in step 10?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Heart/mind] [Volitional formations] [Gladdening the mind] // [Pāli]
Sutta: MN 118 Ānāpānasati Sutta. [Mindfulness of breathing]
2. “I often find it hard to stay settled on the breath. Though I’ve been meditating for some time, my mind does not seem to focus well. When things are going “well”, I feel sense of joy but my mind jumps from topic to topic quickly (as though excited it’s going well). When things aren’t going well, my mind shifts into work mode, trying to “fix” the situation and bring the joy back. This results in a lot of tension in my face and long, difficult sittings. Do you have any advice?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Meditation/General advice] [Meditation/Results]
4. “It seems I have returned to remedial meditation practice. I can’t seem to find ease in my body, let alone my breath. It feels like I’m stuck in physical pain - an invisible barrier I can’t seem to penetrate. Acceptance and loving kindness are being applied, but without much movement. I am trying to develop concentration on breath - so far no piti or sukha. What to do?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation/General advice] [Pain] [Goodwill] [Mindfulness of breathing]
12. “When I try to fully experience the body, I seem to hold the in-breath too tightly, causing tension in the abdomen. Do you have any tips for loosening up diaphragm or the belly area?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Mindfulness of body]
16. “Could you explain if the steps of the anapanasati sutta need to be experienced sequentially? Does sukha always need piti before? Or can one experience sukha after calming the mind without piti every single time?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Rapture] [Happiness]
6. “Can you suggest some ways of approaching walking meditation that you have found fruitful? Do the themes of anapanasati apply, for example? Is this an adaptable, useful structure?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Posture/Walking ] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Thai Forest Tradition] [Mindfulness of body] [Tranquility] [Buddho mantra]
13. “In the teachings on mindfulness of breathing, what does it mean “....sets her/his body erect, having established mindfulness in front of her/him”? I think “in front of” has been interpreted in different ways.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing]
24. “When I watch my breath, I have all I can do to be aware of one breath and then the next. But the Buddha said, “Know if it is long or short”. Can you give an insight into why this step beyond bare awareness? Also why long and short, vs, for example, shaky and smooth, consistent and inconsistent, belly breath or nostril breath?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Present moment awareness] // [Tranquility]
3. “You have mentioned in the morning that the meditation of breathing could help with cessation of dukkha. Could you elaborate how breathing in/out can cease dukkha?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Cessation of Suffering] // [Mindfulness] [Discernment]
11. “Will you please define bodily formations and mental formations again?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Volitional formations] // [Feeling] [Perception]
13. “I sometimes experience states in which the body is very relaxed and it is easy to become very absorbed in the breath. They are pleasurable and quite calming but is there something I should do with them?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Calming meditation] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Concentration ] [Happiness] // [Discernment] [Self-identity view]
15. “In the anapanasati sutta, how should one approach the various steps listed in the sutta? All in one sitting? Over time?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing]
Sutta: MN 118 Ānāpānasati Sutta.
2. “When I’m following my breathing, sometimes I have a compulsion to breathe deeply into my chest and hold it....Is that something you should recognize as trying to control the breath?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Meditation/Unusual experiences] // [Investigation of states] [Tranquility] [Learning]
3. “You spoke of experiencing the breath and experiencing feelings and mind. Are you suggesting that we experience the mind knowing the breath or when it’s doing other things?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Mindfulness of feeling] [Mindfulness of mind] // [Right Mindfulness] [Volitional formations] [Conditionality]
Suttas: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta; MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta [Mindfulness of breathing]
2. “On a daily basis, coming home, my mind is too distracted to pick up any of these objects of meditation. Would you recommend doing ānāpānasati first and then switching over?” Answered by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Everyday life] [Restlessness and worry] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Recollection] // [Mantra] [Recollection/Buddha]
1. “I find it very difficult to stay with the breath. After 15-20 minutes, the mind will be very bored with the breath and cannot stay with it. Could you advise what is a good meditation for an easily restless mind?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Restlessness and worry] // [Attitude] [Desire] [Meditation/Techniques] [Investigation of states] [Gladdening the mind] [Happiness]
Sutta: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta
Suttas: AN 11.1, AN 11.12, and SN 55.40 illustrate the causal chain between happiness and samādhi.
3. “Is it all right to do Buddho recitation after my mind is calm on breath meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Buddho mantra] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Recollection/Buddha] [Knowing itself] [Gladdening the mind] [Desire] [Concentration]
1. “When we meditate, we observe our breath. What should we do if we reach a state of stillness where no breath can be observed?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Calming meditation] [Concentration] [Tranquility] // [Knowing itself] [Happiness] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Mindfulness] [Buddho mantra]
7. Question about the function of mindfulness of breathing. Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Calming meditation] [Insight meditation] // [Meditation/Techniques] [Sutta] [Characteristics of existence]
15. “Could you please explain how one practices applied and sustained thought in breath meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Ajahn Chah]
1. “When my mind settles, my hands go away from my awareness. Hands feel like they are twisted or in the air. Why is this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Concentration] [Meditation/Unusual experiences] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Body scanning] [Goodwill] [Mindfulness of feeling]
2. “Can you speak more about the progression of mindfulness of breathing, how the Four Foundations of Mindfulness develop the Seven Factors of Awakening?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right Mindfulness] [Factors of Awakening] [Mindfulness of breathing ] // [Emotion] [Conditionality] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of body] [Mindfulness of feeling]
Sutta: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta. [Mindfulness] [Mindfulness of mind] [Bases of Success]
Quote: “We’re breathing in and out anyway, but taking an interest in it is a game-changer.” [Desire]
3. “Is there a time and place for intentionally breathing or using the breath as a means of calming the mind?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Volition] [Calming meditation] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Tranquility] [Energy]
Sutta: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta.
Recollection: To deal with the restless mind, Ajahn Chah taught to breath in deeply and not breathe out. [Restlessness and worry] [Ajahn Chah] [Mindfulness of breathing]
1. “After the mind has settled and I’m with the breath, the boundaries of the body disappear and the breath starts to be barely perceptible. When anxiety arises in this situation, is it a feeling or a sensation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Tranquility] [Restlessness and worry] [Feeling] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Pāli] [Emotion] [Volitional formations]
Quote: “You’re falling out of a tree. You don’t have to count all the branches as you go down. You just have to know it’s going to hurt when you hit the bottom.” Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Dependent origination] [Similes] [Suffering]
Follow-up: “So I can just feel the feeling tone as unpleasant, pleasant, or neutral...?” [Noting]
2. “In the Ānāpānasati Sutta there are many steps. Is there space in these to investigate the causes and conditions for greed, anger, and delusion?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Investigation of states] [Conditionality] [Unwholesome Roots] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Mindfulness of mind] [Heart/mind] [Calming meditation] [Hindrances] [Mindfulness of dhammas] [Impermanence]
Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: Mindfulness of breathing is not a linear process. You have to work with what’s actually helpful. [Mindfulness of breathing]
3. “I’m not clear about the third and fourth tetrads of ānāpānasati. Do you have to be able to calm the cittasaṅkhāra in order to experience the citta?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Heart/mind] [Volitional formations] [Mindfulness of breathing]
4. “If I want to see what I’m doing to keep generating certain thought patterns, does my mind need to be really calm?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Discernment] [Volitional formations] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of breathing]
Quote: “If you start investigatig and you get really interested, you’ll start to get calm.” [Investigation of states] [Desire]
5. “Breathing is connected to body, mind, and emotion. Is the sound of silence part of the body?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sound of silence] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Ajahn Pasanno] [Mindfulness of mind] [Tranquility]
6. “When will I get wisdom? How can we not get exhausted when observing the monkey mind?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Discernment] [Mindfulness of mind] [Energy] [Mindfulness of breathing] // [Knowing itself] [Mindfulness of body] [Tranquility]