Breath awareness meditation is an important foundational meditation that will support all other types and forms of meditation. Including breath awareness meditation at the start of all other meditations will help your concentrated awareness focus and be directed to the meditative object in this present moment.
― Stephen Snyder, Demystifying Awakening
What is ānāpānasati?
Ānāpānasati is a Pali word which is translated as breath awareness meditation. It is one of the oldest forms of meditation and was practiced by the Buddha.
What are the three levels of concentration?
- Momentary concentration
- Access concentration
- Jhāna or absorption
What is jhāna?
Jhāna (absorption) concentration is the highest level of meditative concentration possible. In jhāna our awareness and consciousness completely and seamlessly merge into, and with, the meditative object as a function of the source, the Absolute. Steeping our consciousness and awareness in a quality of the Absolute purifies the mind while attuning us to deeper intimacy with the Absolute.
This talk that Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi gave to Mountain Cloud Zen Center provides a good introduction.
What are the benefits of breath awareness meditation?
How do you deepen breath awareness meditation?
What is Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi’s background with this practice?
In 2005, while on a 2-month retreat, Mugen was one of the first Western lay practitioners (i.e. non-monks) to complete the traditional concentration practices of Pa Auk Sayadaw – a well-regarded Burmese jhana master. This eventually led to him being authorized to teach Theravada Samatha meditations in 2007 and then co-authoring the book Practicing the Jhānas. He has been leading retreats on this practice since then.
The beginning of this video provides a narration of events:
What is a nimitta?
What are the five jhāna factors?
The five jhāna factors are byproducts of concentration. They are:
- Applied attention (Vitakka)
- Sustained attention (Vicāra)
- Joy or Rapture (Pīti)
- Bliss or happiness (Sukha)
- One-pointedness (Ekaggatā)
This video discusses the five jhāna factors in relation to the three levels of concentration.
How do you manage energy and concentration when doing breath awareness meditation?
How do I learn this practice?
Watching the videos on this page, and/or reading the the book Practicing the Jhānas is helpful but it is important to learn by doing.
Joining the Soothing the Longing Heart Mentoring Group which is focused on jhāna every other month would be a great way to receive direct instruction and get group support. Additionally, single-day online Jhāna courses are offered periodically.
To really learn the practice, eventually you’ll want to attend an in-person jhāna retreat which are offered about once per year. Attend the Practicing the Jhanas Meditation Retreat in Michigan.