All kinds of meditation, the final purpose is aiming to transform our mind to a calm, relaxed or mindful state. However, for everyday people as we are, the state of our mind is not independent arising. Our mentality state is affected by the condition of our body. When we get very sick, our mind would be going down. That is experience we has. Verse versa, when our mind is happy or relaxed, we will feel our body is lighter or our pain in body is reduced.

Mind and body are interrelated.  Same as our breath. Whenever, the state of mind or body changes, our breath will also change to a different level: fast , or slow; long or short;  with or without sound. Body, mind, and breath all three things are interrelated. Therefore, if we want to see a good result of meditation, we need to take care three things: body, mind and breath.

How could we know our mind is in the relaxed state we want in meditation?

The easiest way is to check our breath. When our mind is in related calm, relaxed state, our breath should be subtle and tranquil.  We do not intentionally take a long in-breath or a long out-breath. We just do what actually takes place.

Generally speaking, our breath could appear in 4 kinds. They are:

Breathing with nasal sound=snort, sniff--not easy to focused, with sounding breath

Breathing without nasal sound but is not smoothly. Breathing will stop in the middle,  you hold breath in middle for short period of time, then finish in breath or out breath. --clogged

Breathing without nostril sound, is smoothly, but the amount of air passing nostril is too much. Coarser

Breathing without nostril sound, is smoothly, no stop during breath in or breath out. not too much air passing nostril .

When we are talking about counting breath, or following breath, we are talking about the breathing of no. 4. We need to practice preparation to achieve level 4 breathing, then we can get into the actually practice of meditation. Once our breath is on # 4 level, then our mind is calm. This state of mind will help us to be success in Samantha.

In order to have breathing like #4. We need to start from our body.

Meditation can be set up 3 stages.

Preparation

Actualizing

Concluding

On each of stage, we need adjust our body, breath and mind.

Preparation Meditation:

In preparing period, we need adjust according to the sequence of body, breath and mind.

Body: 

Stress is not only a  psychological phenomenon...it also shows up in the muscles and the organs of our body. It affects our whole nervous system.

One hour before meditation, do not do vigorous activity. We need pay closed attention on our body ,activity  and also our breath and mind. We can do some yoga, walking meditation, prostration. Or you can do any activity you like to smooth your body, breath and mind. It is preferred to start from your lower part of body, then work on the upper part of our body.        

Walking meditation,  we need to follow walking steps as following: slow (10 minutes to 30 minutes), fast ( 10 to 30 minutes)  and slow ( 10 to 30 minutes).

Once sitting position, move body forward and backward, 7 to 8 times;  move body  from left to right or right to left 7 to 8 times

Breath:

If your breath is  on # 1,2,3, you need to practice

Focus your attention on the the spot, which is four finger length below navel.

Practice mindfulness from lower part of your body to head. If you have high blood pressure, you can start from heat to lower part of your body.

Deep nasal breathing, then open mouth to exhale.  When open mouth to exhale, visualized air not only out from mouth, but also out from all body pores.  Air is out with the bad air which stuck on our problem areas of our body. 3 times.  

Mind:

Mind is too active. Lot of thoughts.  Focus your attention on the the spot, which is   four finger length below navel.

Want to sleep, focus your attention on your nostril tip.

Actualizing Meditation.

In actualizing period, we will adjust our body, breath and mind accordingly whenever it is needed.  There is sequences for adjusting body, breath and mind.

During this period, our mind should focus on one object we pre-setted before our meditation. But our body, breathing and mind may not go as we want to. So we need to aware of this, and to adjust accordingly.

If our mind stays away from object, it is normal. Once we realize it, we just move back our mind to the object. Again and again. As the first of all, we are doing pretty good just because we can realize that our mind is move out of the object. We keep to practice this way, eventually, our mind will stay on that object longer and longer. We become more relaxed, more mindful and more focused. We are to-warding to the right direction.

Concluding Meditation

In concluding period, we need adjust  the sequence as mind, breath and body. This sequence is opposite from it in preparation period.

Mind:

Tell yourself, you want to end this section of meditation. Take away your mind from object to whatever come to your mind.

Breath:

Deep nasal breathing, then open mouth to exhale, refer to #4 level. When open mouth to exhale, visualized air not only out from mouth, but also from all body pores out. Out with the bad air which stuck on our problem areas of our body.

Body:

Move all upper body, forward and backward, left and right. Twist head and neck, arm and legs and feet

Rub two hands, cover 2 eyes. and rub whole body from head,  face to body and leg and feet.

Do not do vigorous activity just after meditation. Do not eat cold food and touch cold water.

Wish you have a good rest of the day!