The World’s Simplest Meditation Technique

by christianna on April 20, 2010

The world’s simplest meditation technique can be stated in 5 words:

Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat.

Seriously, that’s it.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat.

I have studied and practiced many meditation techniques over the past 30 years. Some methods have been relatively simple, and some have been more complex. There are as many ways to meditate as there are reasons for meditating.

For me, the goal of meditation is simply to be present. To show up in the moment. Again. And Again.

And the best way to do this, in my experience, really comes down to the elegant simplicity of following the breath.

The beauty of this technique is that it can be done virtually any time, any place. With eyes open or eyes closed. It doesn’t matter. Wherever you find yourself, you can always find your breath.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat.

Have a radiant day!

Tagged as: meditation, mindfulness

http://www.minimalistwoman.blogspot.com Mara

this method is the basis of zazen as i learned it–once you get the hang of it, you can do it anytime/place. can't tell you how many times i've used it while standing in the checkout line at the grocery store or at a railroad crossing when the gates are down.
statebank

I like this approach. I learned TM years ago, and sometimes found myself concentrating so much on the act of meditating that I wasn't really deriving any of the benefits. Breathing, I can do that.
http://elegantsimplelife.com/ Christianna

Mara, you are so right about how applicable this technique is to common, everyday situations.

Sometimes meditation is made to seem so complicated, with strict rules about posture, timing after meals, position of hands, etc., that one questions if it's worth the effort. Your comment is a good reminder that mindfulness is always available and instantly accessible no matter where we find ourselves.
http://elegantsimplelife.com/ Christianna

Statebank, you bring up a good point. When the technique takes center stage in our attention, we have missed the point entirely.

But breathing, with awareness, is simple and requires no technique.

Thanks for writing!
http://www.minimalistwoman.blogspot.com Mara

one thing i'd like to add is the importance of breathing OUT, clearing out all the dead air from the bottom of the lungs before the mindful breathing. i get to the relaxed state much faster and feel centered much faster. the only thing is that pushing the dead air out by pulling in the diaphragm looks a little weird in the checkout line…
http://elegantsimplelife.com/ Christianna

Thank you for this helpful update I can imagine pulling in the diaphragm while expelling air, if done correctly, could be a real show-stopper in the checkout line!

This is a useful tip because it reminds us of the importance of releasing before refilling, a principle that is useful in so many situations.