In his book, A New Earth, spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle tells a story of someone who brings him the catalogue from a large spiritual center, seeking advice on which course to take. To this Tolle responds, “I don’t know. They all look so interesting. But I do know this: be aware of your breathing as often as you are able, whenever you remember. Do that for one year, and it will be more powerfully transformative than attending all of these courses. And it’s free.”

Tolle is right. Each of us has ready access to one of the most transformative tools available-breath awareness. Most of the time we neglect this valuable resource. Instead we look to our careers, families, dream homes, relationships, upcoming vacations or some indistinct time in the future for fulfillment. Sure, these things can make us happy; but only for a short while. Sooner or later they will change or come to an end, and some degree of dissatisfaction will return. There is no doubt about it: as long as we seek happiness outside of ourselves, we will be disappointed.

This information is nothing new. The Buddha knew this more than 2,500 years ago when, after much diligence, he successfully found lasting happiness by extinguishing the root of all suffering within himself. The Buddha then dedicated the rest of his life to teaching and spreading a non-dogmatic, systematic method to inner liberation, which he called Vipassana Meditation (Vipassana means “Insight” in Pali, the canonical language of Southeast Asia’s Theravada Buddhism). During the time since, this method has since proliferated drastically; today its presence spans around the world.

Vipassana Meditation can be divided into two stages: mindfulness of breathing (or anapanasati in Pali) and insight. In the first stage one simply sits and observes the breath. When the mind wanders-which it invariably does-one continually returns to watching the breath. It only takes a few moments of sitting in meditation to realize that one’s inner world consists of relentless mental chatter. One aims not to quiet this chatter (although that may happen at times on its own). Rather, one aims just to stay sitting, aware and accepting of all arising phenomena, whether they be a mind busy making plans, back pain, negative emotions, or the sound of a jackhammer outside. When one allows each moment to be as it is, without trying to cling to, reject, judge or change it in any way, inner freedom takes root.

This first stage, anapanasati, can be outlined and succinctly instructed, as this is the part of the practice that one can actually do, practically and willfully. The second component, insight, arises out of the firm foundation of anapanasiti like an act of grace. Insight into the true, unwavering nature of reality happens spontaneously over time when the mind settles into deeper states of acceptance and concentration.

Even if one does not turn to meditation for self-realization, the practice holds innumerable benefits. Meditation can reduce stress and therefore fortify the immune system. It also improves mental concentration and memory. In addition, one may notice an increased capacity to stay calm, peaceful, relaxed for oneself and others, even under trying circumstances. With practice, one attains a balance of mind to face the ups and downs of life with ever-increasing skillfullness. We all want to be happy and to reduce suffering. Over time, one discovers that meditation makes this possible.

But don’t take my word for it. Take a seat and close your eyes. The Buddha himself invites you when he said, “Ehi passiko,” meaning, “You need not believe what I tell you. Practice and find out for yourself. Then you can accept or reject. Come and see.”

Basic Meditation Instructions:

Allocate a special space, seat, and time of day just for meditation. Although you can meditate anywhere and at any time, consistency ensures a greater likelihood of success. Begin with sitting for 15 minutes a day. First thing in the morning or just before bed are good times when external disturbances are likely to be minimal. You decide what works best for your life. If it feels appropriate after some time, you can gradually increase the duration of your practice to 30, 45 or 60 minutes.

Meditation practice is a rich journey best approached with patience, persistence, curiosity and no expectations! Over time, meditating with a group on occasion and seeking guidance from a skilled teacher can greatly support your practice.

1. Sit on a cushion on the floor with your legs crossed. If this is not possible, sit on a chair. In order to have good concentration, it is important not to be in pain. However you sit, be sure that your spine is straight.

2. Place your hands either palms down over your knees, or the more traditional way is to cradle the back of your right or left hand in the palm of the other hand, with both palms up and resting on the feet. The tips of the thumbs touch below the navel.

3. Close your eyes and first bring your awareness to the sensation of sitting. Feel your seat and your legs. Feel the support beneath you. Don’t try to visualize anything. Just notice what is there. Do this for a few minutes, until a feeling of physical and mental steadiness and presence arise.

4. Next, bring your awareness to your lower belly, just below the navel. Notice the sensation of the breath, the rise and fall of the abdomen with each in and out breath. Notice the length and depth of your breath without judgment or manipulation. After several minutes you can also bring your awareness to the natural gaps between the in and out-breaths. If you can, stay alert to the entire cycle of the breath.

5. If the mind is very distracted and you are finding it difficult to follow the breath, you can count your breaths until the mind becomes more focused.

6. When a thought arises, label it “Thinking.” When a sensation arises, label it “Feeling.” When a sound arises, label it “Hearing.” Notice how the act of labeling something decreases its power to distract you. Do this and gently, relentlessly bring your awareness back to your breath. There is nowhere to go, nothing to do. Just sit, watching your breath. The key to greater inner freedom is your unwavering commitment to return to awareness, again and again.

7. At the end of your allotted practice time, slowly open your eyes. Stand up when you are ready. At some point you may notice that the mindfulness that you have cultivated on your cushion has seeped into all that you think, do and say.

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