Breathing and Mantras in Mindfulness

Continuing on the path of focusing and building our attention muscle, we will switch to focusing on breathing.  We can take control of breath by taking deep breaths or we cannot not take control of breath and simply notice it, either by observing the air come in and out of our nose or observing the rise and fall of our stomach.  I like to separate these two aspects of breathing, the first I would consider a concentration/letting go technique and the second could either be a concentration/letting go technique or an acceptance/letting go technique.  In later blogs we will speak about mindfulness and acceptance.

In today’s blog we will continue on the path of concentration.  When concentrating on the breath we take our attention away from our thoughts, emotions, worries, duties, responsibilities, and aspirations.  This helps us to be in the present moment and out of the past and future.  Focusing on worry and fear causes anxiety and has a physiological response. Our central nervous system will go into a stressed state and our bodies will react as if we are in danger. Our body can have the same response sitting in the safety of our home as if our life was being threatened by a predator.

We can also concentrate on internal stimuli, for example on a mantra.  A mantra is a short phrase, that is repeated over and over, such as “in out”, “let go”, “I am worthy, or any chosen phrase.  A mantra can be linked to the breath or done alone, two syllable words and two-word phrases can be synced up with the in and out breath, breathing in “let” and breathing out go, or breathing in “hap” and breathing out “py”, similar to how one can focus on one sense or two senses.  Focusing on the senses can also be synced with breathing, a mantra, or both.  The thing is to find a combination that helps to give us a break from our thoughts and our brain.  

Taking control of our breathing, slowing down our breathing, and taking deeper breaths, can counter this central nervous system response too.  When stressed, breathing is short, rapid, and shallow, and stress hormones are released, this reaffirms to our brain and body that we are encountering a stressor. When the breath is slowed and deepened the body and central nervous system gets the message that it is safe and there isn’t any threat or danger and calming hormones are released. 

In the next blog we will go over noticing thoughts, letting them go, and not judging the thoughts.