#27 End of Inhaled Breath Meditation

Absorb the mind completely at the center of one’s body, where the inhaled breath ends. From steadiness in concentration, one becomes steady in mind, and then one’s true nature is perceived.

Verse 50

How to do this technique

In the previous meditation, one had to concentrate within, in the heart, to find God. In this practice, another point within the body is focussed on. The place where the inhaled breath ends. It is a very subtle point in the body that has to be felt

• One has to concentrate there, on that very point. Do not follow your breath.
• Once you feel the place within, where the breath ends, maintain your awareness only on that very place.
• The meditation should be done with eyes closed. The breath is energy, energy vital for life. Energy comes from God and returns to ·God.
• In this practice, one has to focus on the Source within – the center where the breath ends. It is at this center that you will find God.
• There are two centers concerning the breath where one finds God. The center between the inhaled breath and the exhaled breath, and the center between the exhaled breath and the inhaled breath.
• One center is internal and the other is external. In the other practices concerning the breath, one has to maintain awareness of the breath, and more particularly the center or gap between two breaths. One has to follow the cycle of the breath and pay particular attention to the gap between two breaths.
• In this practice, one does not have to follow the breath.

• One has to feel the point inside the body where the inhaled breath ends. Then, one has to remain aware of that point in the body. Different people may feel their inhaled breath ending at different points in the body.
• Some may feel it in the heart, some may feel it in the throat. Others may find it in the eyebrow center. It varies from individual to individual. Once you identify the point in your body where the inhaled breath ends, remain focussed on that point.
• Maintain one pointed awareness on that point. From steadiness in concentration, one becomes steady in mind, and then one’s true nature is perceived. This is true for all sitting meditations.
• Sometimes when we start a meditation practice, our mind keeps wandering. The benefits of the meditation practice are less in this case. Gradually, our concentration improves. We can maintain awareness for longer periods. Our mind becomes calm, and fewer thoughts arise.
• Our awareness keeps increasing. The mind becomes more and more steady (fewer thoughts) until finally, all thoughts stop. Then, our true nature is perceived.