English Literature – Articles ☆ Meditate Like The Buddha #4: Relax Your Body ☆ Mr. Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

☆ Meditate Like The Buddha #4 : Relax Your Body ☆ Mr. Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

Lesson 3

You have been practising watching your breath for some time now. Throughout the course of meditation, the practice of mindfulness on the incoming and outgoing breath remains essential.

• Ever mindful, breathe in. Mindful, breathe out.

Building on Previous Steps

Meditation is a systematic practice, learned step by step. These steps are not isolated; each builds upon the foundation laid by the previous ones.

Always begin by sitting with your legs folded crosswise, maintaining a stable posture, and watching your breath. Gradually, we will integrate new layers into this practice.

Becoming Aware of Your Body

As you breathe in and out, bring awareness to your entire body.

• Breathe in, experiencing the whole body. Breathe out, experiencing the whole body.

Keeping your eyes closed, scan your body inwardly, moving your awareness from the top of your head to the tips of your toes, and back again.

• As you breathe in, observe the body parts from top to bottom, and then from bottom to top.
• As you breathe out, repeat the process.

Do not linger or concentrate on any specific part. Simply let your awareness move slowly and steadily. Throughout this process, maintain mindfulness of your breath—both incoming and outgoing.

Relaxing the Body

As your awareness moves through the body:

• Breathe in, relaxing the whole body. Breathe out, relaxing the whole body.

When transitioning from one body part to another, consciously relax the area. Let go of any tension.

• Relaxing your body, breathe in. Relaxing your body, breathe out.

Integration

By now, you should be able to observe your entire body inwardly, with your eyes closed, while simultaneously watching your breath. As you breathe in and out, cultivate the ability to relax your body completely.

Practice this exercise for 10 to 15 minutes.

• Ever mindful, breathe in. Mindful, breathe out.

Exiting the Practice

When you are ready, gently open your eyes and emerge from meditation.

Structuring Your Practice

As you advance in your practice, you may divide your meditation session as follows:

1. Sitting in a stable position with eyes closed: 5 minutes
2. Watching your breath: 10 minutes
3. Becoming aware of your whole body: 5 minutes
4. Relaxing your whole body: 10 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

This is a suggested framework for beginners. Feel free to adjust it to suit your comfort and progress. Flexibility is key.

© Jagat Singh Bisht