Secret of Breathing - Deepen Your Stillness | Prarthana Khot

I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am.

Recently I had a secret plan to surprise a friend of mine who is an MBA grad by visiting him after a very long time. He is currently working in a well-reputed corporate firm. I didn't inform him about my visit and went to his place in South Bombay. After he came home from work, he saw me and smiled happily but was tired and not as excited as he always used to be.

I asked him, "What a cold reaction you gave after seeing me, just a small smile?"

He replied, "Hey, nothing like that! I'm very happy to see you. Just had a very hectic and tiring day at work. Yeah! So, a lot of things are going on in my mind. Comfort and luxury are all good, but the price for this is a lot of stress and a lot of struggles to meet the deadlines!"

He asked me to teach him meditation, and after practice, he told me how rejuvenated, refreshed, and energized he felt. His tiredness vanished away! This was one situation that I witnessed.

Handling the Inner Demon:

The other day, I was surprised to see the results as I researched some popular ailments. Anxiety disorders, clinical depression, mental conflicts, insomnia, and stress topped the chart, and needless to say, almost 97% of the population sometimes faces these ailments.

But folks, we don't need to worry as every problem has a solution! Here the most helpful and reliable solution is Meditation. Well, wait! wait! I know some of you get scared even after hearing the word meditation but let me make it very simple today! Just for you! You don't need to rush to the Himalayas, seclude yourself or go to a meditation retreat to practice Meditation.

Meditation, as mystical as it may sound, is simply one of the best ways to be closer to your own Self. Yes! Your True Self!

How often do we observe our bodies? Now you might say that when you wear your clothes, you always look at yourself in the mirror, which is how you always look at yourself. But do you observe or see how your clothes beautify your body? Yes! You look great in Cooper Jeans and Hilfiger Shirt, no doubt! But we do this to glorify our external selves. Do you ever turn inward and observe your inner self, feelings, and emotions?

The observation!

When you close your eyes and look inside, you actually feel your body more subtly; you also feel some minute movements, sensations, and sometimes your body's vibration. You can also feel the pain, the discomfort, the stiffness, and if you are lucky enough, even bliss in certain parts of your body.

Initially, by just focusing on your breath, if you sit quietly for some time simultaneously, you start feeling the stillness and steadiness in the body. Breath is directly connected to how mental fluctuations and how thoughts fluctuate. I don't know whether science has explored this, but in our experience, it is very much there!

If you sit still, the breath becomes deep and slow; the more still your body becomes, the less you breathe. If you bring your whole system to a certain level of stillness, not being in a hyperventilated state, your perception increases. You will naturally evolve into perceiving higher and better things.

Now you'll say, "Prarthana, all this sounds great! But it's difficult; how will I achieve this?"

Many people have told me that feeling the touch of our breath is very difficult. However, I don't think it's difficult at all. This means you have not given enough importance to your breath. Observe and feel how the touch of the air you inhale is cooler and how the touch of the air you exhale is a bit warmer inside your nostrils. Once you focus on the incoming and outgoing breath, you can witness a small miracle happening in yourself. You start feeling absolutely calm inside.

Inhalation and exhalation are the very Dharma of our body.

When you are absolutely still, you can feel that the conflicts in your mind are decreasing and your body becoming absolutely blissful.

Go more inward!

Your Belly expands and contracts with each incoming breath and outgoing breath. As you are aware of each in and outgoing breath, the pace of your breath starts slowing down gradually. Here awareness is the key. Sometimes your mind may start wandering in different directions and thoughts. But again, you have to bring your awareness to the breath. Ask yourself a few times, "Am I Here?"

Then focus on every part of your body with every inhalation and exhalation. Relax it completely as you exhale. As your awareness is steady on breath, you can experience that the mind starts getting quite peaceful, and there is a reduction in the intensity of your thoughts. You also start feeling the lightness of limbs and experience as if floating above.

When you withdraw your senses from the external, you are tuned into the internal sound and can hear the breath. If the mind wanders, let it do so. Slowly and gradually bring it back. Treat it as if you are treating a baby.

Now, does that sounds difficult? I don't think so. We all can easily do it. We have to become aware and become witness our thoughts, our feelings, and our emotions. And this is how you feel calm and peaceful inside.

Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor. ~Thich Nhat Hanh

It takes a minimum of 20 minutes to go in this relaxed state. We all deserve at least this much time for ourselves and to work on our well-being, don't we? Once you start practicing this regularly, you will automatically concentrate on your breath every moment of your life, all the time, and without extra effort!

You can make the body so pleasurable that just sitting here and Breathing is a million times more than anything than you have known – just to sit here and Breath.