BREATHING MINDFULNESS

Breathing mindfulness meditation is a cornerstone of Buddhist practice, believed to be key to the Buddha’s own enlightenment. This powerful technique fosters a harmonious blend of awareness and tranquility, guiding practitioners towards profound meditative states and deeper wisdom.

This book presents the evolution and significance of breathing mindfulness within the Pāli Buddhist tradition. It examines:

• The Ānāpānasati Sutta, the essential Buddhist scripture on breathing mindfulness;
• The systematization of the practice through the commentarial texts like Vimuttimagga (The Path to Freedom) and Visuddhimagga (The Path of Purification);
• Intriguing, lesser-known systems of esoteric Theravada breath meditation nearly lost to history;
• The integration of breath meditation into modern spiritual practices;
• The importance of breath meditation to the insight meditation (Vipassana) movement;
• The influence of breathing mindfulness across diverse spiritual paths.

‘Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile.‘

Thich Nhat Hanh