Dear Beth, thank you for your videos; they are wonderfully helpful. I recently heard a teaching by Sayadaw U Revata where he spoke of the importance of being sure that you are actually observing the breath itself rather than the sensations of the breath touching the skin (which would lead to doing four elements meditation rather than ānāpānasati). Could you please speak on how to tell the difference? I find it very confusing. Thank you so much.
I was taught that the focus is on the sensation of the breath on the skin, nostrils and around the upper lip. To observe the breath you most notice the sensation at some point or other. There is no other way to notice it if not by the sensation somewhere in or on the body. By all means you can notice the breath at the abdomen as well.
Hello, thank you for the question. This is an area in which it is common for meditators to get confused. I will make a separate video on this topic in the future. In the meantime, please feel free to book an appointment with me to discuss your meditation in more detail.
Hello Ms. Beth. I am William Andrea age 24 from Indonesia. I have watched some of your videos on youtube and they are very inspiring and helpful to me. I have been doing meditation regularly for two years since I was diagnosed with panic attacks which I now think I have recovered from because of consistent meditation. I really hope to have an online discussion with you to discuss the progress of meditation that I have been doing lately. Hopefully we will have the opportunity to meet online. Thank you.
A question: I read a book by Ajahn Brahm who teaches that you don't need to feel breathing anywhere in your body, but that it is enough to know that you are breathing. Is this method right? And can it lead up to jhanas?
Hello, thank you for the question. I will make a separate video on this topic in the future, as this question comes up quite a lot. In the meantime, I would suggest that you continue with whichever practice leaves you feeling the most peaceful and balanced. Please feel free to book an appointment with me to discuss your meditation in more detail.
@@bethupton1286 Thanks Beth for the reply, it's an honor for me. I would really like to take lessons from you but unfortunately at the moment I don't know English well but I'm learning it, (I'm using google translate), I'm Italian. In the meantime, thank you for your answer: in the last few days I have increased my samatha practice sessions and I have noticed that breathing in the abdomen helps me a lot with anxiety at certain times. At other times, however, I feel it in my nostrils. I think you're right about recommending different methods based on the conditions at the time, I understood it firsthand. Thanks again. I hope in the future you will make that video to clarify the issue better. Thanks for all! 🙏
Hello, Beth, I'd like to ask you this: If a person were to concentrate, for example, on the sensation caused by the air at the beginning of the nostrils when breathing, how many hours a day and how many years would he or she have to practice this before he would stop hearing ambient sounds and stop seeing with their eyes open? Aleš
Hello, Thank you for the question. I am sure this is a question that many people would love an answer to, but unfortunately it is not easy to answer. The length of time it takes for the meditation practice to deepen varies widely from one person to another depending on many causes and conditions.
@@bethupton1286 Thank you for your kind reply. One should probably meditate because it is the right thing to do (I have this idea that the reduction of distractions makes room in the mind for God's action), not to gain something. Do you think that can be the case? (I'm always afraid I'll get something wrong, because English is not my first language.)
Thank you, Beth. Your videos are so helpful.
Thank you Beth.. Instructions you provide are very clear and concise 🙏🙏🙏
Thanks Beth. Keep ‘em coming.
This is perfect, thank you.
Less striving with breath.
Thanks.
Thanks Beth. Really clear instruction.
Nice Beth Thankyou ❤️
Dear Beth, thank you for your videos; they are wonderfully helpful. I recently heard a teaching by Sayadaw U Revata where he spoke of the importance of being sure that you are actually observing the breath itself rather than the sensations of the breath touching the skin (which would lead to doing four elements meditation rather than ānāpānasati). Could you please speak on how to tell the difference? I find it very confusing. Thank you so much.
I was taught that the focus is on the sensation of the breath on the skin, nostrils and around the upper lip. To observe the breath you most notice the sensation at some point or other. There is no other way to notice it if not by the sensation somewhere in or on the body. By all means you can notice the breath at the abdomen as well.
Hello, thank you for the question. This is an area in which it is common for meditators to get confused. I will make a separate video on this topic in the future. In the meantime, please feel free to book an appointment with me to discuss your meditation in more detail.
Hello Ms. Beth.
I am William Andrea age 24 from Indonesia.
I have watched some of your videos on youtube and they are very inspiring and helpful to me.
I have been doing meditation regularly for two years since I was diagnosed with panic attacks which I now think I have recovered from because of consistent meditation.
I really hope to have an online discussion with you to discuss the progress of meditation that I have been doing lately.
Hopefully we will have the opportunity to meet online.
Thank you.
hello,
If you end up looking at this comment, could you make a video on doubt? thank you
Hello Rohan, will do! Thanks for the suggestion.
A question: I read a book by Ajahn Brahm who teaches that you don't need to feel breathing anywhere in your body, but that it is enough to know that you are breathing. Is this method right? And can it lead up to jhanas?
Hello, thank you for the question. I will make a separate video on this topic in the future, as this question comes up quite a lot. In the meantime, I would suggest that you continue with whichever practice leaves you feeling the most peaceful and balanced. Please feel free to book an appointment with me to discuss your meditation in more detail.
@@bethupton1286 Thanks Beth for the reply, it's an honor for me. I would really like to take lessons from you but unfortunately at the moment I don't know English well but I'm learning it, (I'm using google translate), I'm Italian. In the meantime, thank you for your answer: in the last few days I have increased my samatha practice sessions and I have noticed that breathing in the abdomen helps me a lot with anxiety at certain times. At other times, however, I feel it in my nostrils.
I think you're right about recommending different methods based on the conditions at the time, I understood it firsthand. Thanks again. I hope in the future you will make that video to clarify the issue better. Thanks for all! 🙏
Transcription for this video is available at:
samathavipassanabhavana.wordpress.com/2024/01/12/practicing-mindfulness-of-breathing/
Hello, Beth, I'd like to ask you this: If a person were to concentrate, for example, on the sensation caused by the air at the beginning of the nostrils when breathing, how many hours a day and how many years would he or she have to practice this before he would stop hearing ambient sounds and stop seeing with their eyes open? Aleš
Hello, Thank you for the question. I am sure this is a question that many people would love an answer to, but unfortunately it is not easy to answer. The length of time it takes for the meditation practice to deepen varies widely from one person to another depending on many causes and conditions.
@@bethupton1286 Thank you for your kind reply. One should probably meditate because it is the right thing to do (I have this idea that the reduction of distractions makes room in the mind for God's action), not to gain something. Do you think that can be the case? (I'm always afraid I'll get something wrong, because English is not my first language.)