Getting caught up in the technicalities of anapanasati?

The cultivation of calm or tranquility and the development of concentration
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xGaffner
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Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2014 11:57 am

Getting caught up in the technicalities of anapanasati?

Post by xGaffner »

for some reason my fault finding mind just can not get to grips with exactly how I am supposed to be practicing anapanasati? Please forgive me for my ignorance but can someone please guide me in the exact way I am supposed to be doing this so that I can progress further. Am I supposed to
A: breathe in and out naturally and observe (feel?) the breath brush against the nostrils or the nose tip and focus on the physical feeling as my main object of the meditation
Or
B: same as above but whilst breathing in and out sort of in my minds eye picture the breath brushing against the nostrils or nose tip so that it is in sync which the physical feeling the breath is making
Or
C: ajahn brahm says focus on the experience which tells you you're breathing and to me that isn't a physical feeling at all but instead it's the sound my breath makes as I breathe in and out as I have had hay fever my whole life so there is always a hissing noise accompanying my breathing but I'm pretty sure I can't focus on the sound of my breath because I've never heard this done before

Are any of these methods correct? If not could someone please explain to me exactly what is supposed to be done in the simplest of ways as I have been studying Buddhism,the Buddhas teachings and meditation for quite sometime but I just can't get my head around this for some reason... Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
xGaffner
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Re: Getting caught up in the technicalities of anapanasati?

Post by xGaffner »

Also as I breathe in and out should I know specifically whether I am currently in the in cycle of or the out cycle during breathing? Or should I just know that I am breathing full stop? And not be concerned whether I'm currently at the in part of the breath or the out part?
daverupa
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Re: Getting caught up in the technicalities of anapanasati?

Post by daverupa »

Since anapanasati is a refined, seated satipatthana effort, it builds on the foundation of satipatthana that should already be getting emplaced by previous & ongoing efforts on the Path. Then, the various tetrads of anapanasati resolve into a specific approach to relaxing sankharas with the breath as a sort of wallpaper around that effort, each inhale or exhale bracketing the particular arena for a given span of effort.

Just as with satipatthana, any given tetrad category can obtain in awareness while this effort is undergone, but within a given tetrad the specific instructions always point to letting go, since this is the point of anapanasati - to smoothly facilitate jhana.

So, the instructions about noses and other sensations are perhaps putting the cart ahead of the horse: notice that the third instruction in that first tetrad of anapanasati calls for an encompassing awareness of the whole embodied experience, not just the abdomen or the philtrum. This whole embodied experience means that the breath can be located in any number of ways, and the trick is just notice it to the extent called for in the instructions; the way of doing that is where individual practice differs, and the breath is in fact just wallpaper-background for the effort of letting go, not in and of itself 'what one is doing'.
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
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mikenz66
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Re: Getting caught up in the technicalities of anapanasati?

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi xGaffner,

Different teachers, ancient and modern, have had different approaches to exactly what technique to apply. The Suttas don't have that level of detail, so, as far as I can see, any technique is fine if it achieves what you are trying to do. It's really a matter of experimentation, and finding a technique/teacher that makes sense to you.

The different approaches do give different "flavours" and tend to be useful in different circumstances.
There have been various discussions of this in the past, for example:
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=22101

The way I understand the various ancient and modern teachers, if you are aiming for deep concentration you need a simple "conceptual" object (Ajahn Brahm's "Just know you are breathing"). Whereas, the details the the breath is good for the development of insight into anicca, etc, but won't lead to such deep concentration. Different teachers teach the various approaches that they have found work well for them and their students. It's not that one approach is "right" and the others are "wrong".

I would always recommend picking an approach taught by a teacher you trust (real life if possible, or virtual if not) and follow that approach for a while (months, not hours or days) to get familiar with it. If you get familiar with one approach it's then easier to see the commonalities and differences of others.

See also this thread: http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=21037

:anjali:
Mike
xGaffner
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Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2014 11:57 am

Re: Getting caught up in the technicalities of anapanasati?

Post by xGaffner »

Thank you Daverupa and mikenz for the incredibly detailed replies. I apologise I should have mentioned, yes the primary aim right now is deep concentration that will eventually lead to samadhi so that I may be able to experience the three characteristic and truly be able to comprehend them. I have done much research on the subject of anapanasati and have read many different methods and styles such as ajahn brahm, ajahn chah, pa auk sayadaw, Leigh brasington etc so I'm well aware of the different methods and styles I just feel like sometimes whenever I have a session where my meditation is going not too well that I am reading into it too much and therefore over complicating each method and that I'm doing something wrong. So Dave are you saying that how exactly you watch the breath isn't really as important but what is the most important is the you're achieving calm throughout your mind and body and simultaneously Letting go?

I guess I just need to practice more and doubt myself less (I'm well aware doubt being one of the 5 hindrances)
daverupa
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Re: Getting caught up in the technicalities of anapanasati?

Post by daverupa »

xGaffner wrote:So Dave are you saying that how exactly you watch the breath isn't really as important but what is the most important is the you're achieving calm throughout your mind and body and simultaneously Letting go?
Indeed, with the breath as a sort of metronome that measures out spans for attention.

The fourth tetrad incorporates a number of different aspects of the Dhamma, but I find that hindrances v awakening factors are comprehensive. Remember, even first jhana has an aspect of thought, and this is going to be aligned with the overall letting-go effort; the awakening factors and hindrances are like scents in the the practice-room with the breath-wallpaper, if my extended simile can be followed, so the point is to air out the hindrances, light some awakening-factor-incense, and get the hell out of the way to calmly observe.

:heart:
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
xGaffner
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2014 11:57 am

Re: Getting caught up in the technicalities of anapanasati?

Post by xGaffner »

daverupa wrote:
xGaffner wrote:So Dave are you saying that how exactly you watch the breath isn't really as important but what is the most important is the you're achieving calm throughout your mind and body and simultaneously Letting go?
Indeed, with the breath as a sort of metronome that measures out spans for attention.

The fourth tetrad incorporates a number of different aspects of the Dhamma, but I find that hindrances v awakening factors are comprehensive. Remember, even first jhana has an aspect of thought, and this is going to be aligned with the overall letting-go effort; the awakening factors and hindrances are like scents in the the practice-room with the breath-wallpaper, if my extended simile can be followed, so the point is to air out the hindrances, light some awakening-factor-incense, and get the hell out of the way to calmly observe.

:heart:
I'm glad I made this thread now and finally joined this great forum. I feel like a lot of my concerns now have been alleviated so now hopefully there will be much less doubt in my practice so my practice will be able to blossom. Great simile aswell. Thank you again :bow:
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