Meditation basics-II

Breath Awareness

Now that you have become familiar with the posture we will move on to the next step in meditation.This is the most crucial aspect of meditation which brings you alive in the present and helps you to focus on your deep inner resources.All my teachers placed the highest value on this seemingly simple part of meditation.
You breathe throughout your life. To breath is to live and to stop breathing is the end. Our first and last breaths are the bookends of our life story. Most of us are unconscious of our moment to moment breathing and hence of the story of our life as it unfolds. Our minds are always busy with the past or the future.
Breath meditation helps to bring us back into the eternal present moment.By consciously observing our inhales and exhales we tune our awareness into the vital realm of consciousness that is alive in the here and now.
Step by step breath awareness process:

• After you have assumed to afore mentioned posture without making any effort to alter or control your breathing, simply tune into the actual physical sensation you feel inthe tip of your nose as air rushes in and out of the nostrils with every breath.

• At the same time tune into the sound created by the air rushing in and out of your nostrils as you continue focusing on your breath.

• Expand your awareness to include the sensation of physical movement in your body. Feel the rise and fall of your chest and abdomen as they rise and fall with each inhale and exhale movement of breath.

• If you still find yourself distracted by thoughts say the words "in" as you inhale and "out" as you exhale in your mind.

• To focus further you can start to count. Count your breath as you inhale and then exhale. in your mind say "one as you inhale and exhale and "two" as you inhale the next breath and so on till the count of five or ten. after that begin again at one. If your mind wanders (which it will many times) start the count again from one.

• As your focus on your breath deepens allow your awareness to expand starting from the tip of your nose to your neck, shoulders arms , fingers, your feet and toes and gradually to your whole body in the present moment awareness.Relax and enjoy the experience of effortless breathing and the meditative calm.

How to Deal with physical sensations of itching, numbing, etc?

Many times you will get an immediate urge to itch your nose or head the moment you have settled down. During prolonged period of sitting there will be discomfort and numbing of limbs. There may also be sounds which distract you constantly. Keep breathing as told above and label what ever sensation you feel and return to breath awareness. For example if your nose is itching and you want to scratch it simply keep breathing while you mentally acknowledge and label it as nose itch. You will be surprised how the sensation to itch simply vanishes once you have labeled it in your mind and returned to breath awareness.