Chapter 5 - Not Only Breathing

THERE ARE many meditation objects to start with such as breathing, abdominal movements, the four elements, visualising colours or the Buddha. These objects are physical and are mostly given as a starting point to a beginner. One learns how to develop concentration using one of these objects. It depends on the teacher which object one is given. Breathing is perhaps the most common one. One develops concentration gradually if one continues to focus on, for example, breathing.

Consequently one develops an idea that meditation means focussing on breathing. This is not necessarily wrong, but our human tendency is such that one may come to associate meditation only with concentrating on breathing in and out. One does not consider anything, other than breathing in and out, a meditation object. Unknowingly one starts feeling uncomfortable with other objects like sensation especially pain and numbness. Equally uncomfortable for such a meditator are mental objects such as thoughts, emotions and a wandering mind. He does not think he is meditating any longer if he finds his mind on any object other than breathing. The desire to get rid of pain, numbness, emotions and thoughts can get stronger. This repulsive desire becomes a hindrance in learning how to accept things as they really are. Instead of accepting, one is rejecting. In this case, the mind is blocked by the idea that meditation means focussing on breathing. It is an opinion born out of genuine efforts to acquire concentration. Such an opinion is a very subtle attachment we can experience. Mind that is cloudy with a factor such as attachment is not flexible any more. It rejects. It creates a judgement of like and dislike and is caught up in them. This may hinder the effort to build up mindfulness and concentration itself.

Some people can focus on breathing for a very long time but find it difficult to deal with their emotions outside intensive meditation practice. They can be easily dragged on by their emotions. This is due to the inflexible factors of the practice. They emphasise concentration more than mindful ness. Meditation can become only a feel good factor for such people. It is no longer a mental training that helps one face daily life with an energetic outlook. Concentration developed by focussing on breathing makes one calm at times but rigid at the other. The mindfulness factor needs to be developed in such a situation by observing more than one object. Pay more attention to any sensation or mental object that arises at the present moment. Regard them as a good a meditation object as breathing. Do not see them as distractions but as useful objects that one can meditate on.

It is not only breathing which is a good meditation object. And it is not only abdominal movements, four elements, colours or the picture of the Buddha that one can meditate on. Any thought, emotion or sound that we perceive through one of the six senses is a meditation object, too. If there is a problem with observing objects other than breathing, before we start meditating, we should remind ourselves that breathing is not the only meditation object, and meditation is more than focussing on breathing. It is about developing mindfulness and trying to look at our daily life in the way we have never bothered to before. That is to look at our daily activities as they are with an attitude to accept rather than to reject. It is about seeing them as they happen rather than wanting them to be in the way we imagine.

Breathing is not everything about meditation. Meditation has as its objective to observe and penetrate into the real nature of our daily life. Mindfulness meditation does not aim to separate you from your daily routine but to increase the ability to enjoy them as they are. Do not define meditation as an exercise that needs to focus on breathing alone.