Breath awareness meditation begins with noticing breathing as it happens. In James Traverse’s teaching, watching the breath changes it both quantitatively and qualitatively: the breathing slows and deepens as you watch it. You can begin with a few natural breaths in a comfortable chair. The breath becomes a place to rest attention, rather than a pattern you have to achieve.
Read the Demystifying Meditation transcript and explore the video by topic, including natural breathing, wandering attention and self-inquiry.
Breath awareness and breath control
Observing the breath and deliberately setting a rhythm are different intentions, yet watching the breath changes breathing: in James Traverse’s teaching, it slows and deepens. There is no need to make the breath perfectly untouched. If you choose gentle regulation, give priority to a comfortable, longer exhalation and let the next inhalation respond naturally.
You might feel air moving at the nostrils, movement in the ribs, or the abdomen rising and falling. Choose whichever is readily available. There is no need to find all three, or to make the breath stronger so you can detect it.
Lengthen the exhalation; let the inhalation follow
In James Traverse’s teaching, watching the breath changes it both quantitatively and qualitatively: the breathing slows and deepens as you watch it. You do not need to preserve a perfectly untouched breath. When gently regulating breathing, begin with the breath out: lengthen the exhalation comfortably, without pushing or trying to empty the lungs completely.
Let the next inhalation arrive by itself. James Traverse’s teaching is to make space through the exhalation and allow the inhalation to deepen naturally, rather than pulling in a bigger breath. Its depth may vary; do not force it to meet a target. Allow any pause to be easy, without a compulsory breath hold.
A five-minute natural breathing meditation
Arrive: Sit comfortably with your feet supported. Let your hands rest. Notice the chair or floor beneath you and listen to the room. Keep your eyes open or closed, as you prefer.
Find a resting point: Attend to one place where you can feel breathing. Let the exhalation release. If you choose to regulate the breath, let that release last a little longer while it remains comfortable, then allow the inhalation to arrive on its own. You do not need to synchronize with a timer or with someone else.
Recognize wandering: When a thought carries attention away, acknowledge it and return to the next sensation of breathing. Returning does not require criticism. If you have followed a story for a while, begin from the breath that is present now.
Let breathing vary: Some breaths may be easier to notice than others. There may be an ordinary pause between phases. Allow the pattern to vary without extending the pause or holding your breath.
Finish: After about five minutes, feel your hands and feet, look around, and move gently. End without deciding whether the sitting was good enough. A shorter practice is also an appropriate place to begin.
What if noticing changes my breathing?
Watching the breath changes the breathing itself. James Traverse describes this change as both quantitative and qualitative: as you watch, the breath slows and deepens. Notice that tendency without making it another problem. Let attention widen to include the room, your feet, or your hands. You can return to breathing when it feels easy to do so.
There is no test of perfectly untouched breathing. The useful question is whether you can meet what is happening with a little less demand. A breath that feels ordinary is enough for this sitting.
When another resting point is more helpful
Breathing does not have to be your focus. If attention to it feels uncomfortable, choose sounds or the contact of your feet with the floor. Open your eyes, change position, walk, or stop when needed. Do not force a breathing pattern or continue through distress.
Using the BREATHE app
The BREATHE web app includes a breath pacer labelled INHALE, PAUSE, EXHALE, PAUSE. If using its timer for regulation, choose a comfortable EXHALE that is longer than INHALE; keep pauses optional and easy. You can simply read the teachings and reflect without following a timed rhythm.
The seven-part BREATHE Framework uses breath as a contemplative bridge to identity and immediate experience. It does not require you to achieve a particular breathing pattern before you can explore its questions.
Common questions
Should I take deep breaths? You do not need to pull in a deliberately deep inhalation. If regulating the breath, gently lengthen the exhalation and allow the next inhalation to deepen naturally into the space made by breathing out. Let comfort determine the depth.
Can I practise with my eyes open? Yes. Rest your gaze comfortably and let the surroundings remain part of the experience.
What if my mind keeps wandering? Read How to Meditate With a Busy Mind. A gentle return is part of meditation, not evidence that it has failed.
Continue your exploration
For a broader introduction, visit How to Meditate. Explore the philosophical context in Breathing: the Link Between the Body and the Mind, or compare mindfulness and self-inquiry. Begin with one natural breath you can feel, without requiring it to become something else.
Leave a Reply