Anapanasati, the art of breathing meditation with the cultivation of deep awareness, is a central Buddhist practice that is described in the basic texts of Buddhism such as the “Discourse on Conscious Breathing In and Breathing Out” (Pali Canon, Collection of Medieval Discourses, No. 118, Anapanasati Sutta) and the Satipatthana Discourse. This practice uses the breath as an anchor to clear the consciousness and to find a subtle understanding of being thanks to the mindfulness that arises.

Breath awareness is developed in 4 stages with a total of 16 steps. In the beginning, we simply observe the breath as it flows in and out. Then we expand our awareness to encompass the whole body and feel the breath in every part of our being. Through this breath observation, we can calm the mind and stay present.

An important aspect of this practice is accepting the breath as it is in each moment. We allow awareness to ride on the breath without controlling or changing it. At the same time, we learn to accept our thoughts and emotions without judgment and develop clarity and serenity.

Anapanasati is a fundamental Buddhist practice that helps us to get to know ourselves better and train the mind. Our experience of the present moment deepens through increased awareness of the breath and increased mindfulness of all mental processes occurring simultaneously. We free ourselves from being entangled with the past and the future and find a state of inner peace and clarity.

The Buddha sees breathing meditation as an excellent method for developing an awareness of the true nature of all experiences and thereby realizing awakening. Breathing is a wonderful support for awareness because it is a self-perpetuating process that mirrors our sensations and in which body and mind are connected. So we take something completely familiar as a basis for practice.

The Buddha was not concerned with concentrating on the breath, but the breath simply accompanies the entire process of awareness and serves as an anchor for undistracted being.

The instructions for the breathing meditation of the Anapanasati Sutta are available as a text download in the media library. Guided breathing meditations based on the Buddha’s meditation instructions for awareness of the breath are available as videos.

The complete discourse and the following meditation in 4 videos or as MP3 are available for download in the media below.

In the central passage of the Anapanasati Sutta, the Buddha says the following:

“How do we unfold and practice awareness with the breath? Now we go into the forest, to the foot of a tree or into an empty hut, sit down and cross our legs. Keeping the upper body upright, we anchor mindfulness in front of us. We breathe in mindfully and breathe out mindfully.

1. breathing in for a long time, I know: I am breathing in for a long time. – Breathing out long, I know: I am breathing out long.

2. breathing in short I know: I am breathing in short. – Breathing out briefly, I know: I am breathing out briefly.

3. breathing in, I experience the whole body. – Breathing out, I experience the whole body.

4. breathing in, I calm the physical formations. – Breathing out, I calm the bodily formations.

5. breathing in, I experience joy. – Breathing out, I experience joy.

6. breathing in, I experience happiness. – Breathing out I experience happiness.

7. inhaling I experience the mental formations. – Breathing out I experience the mental formations.

8. Breathing in, I calm the mental fabrications. – Breathing out, I calm the mental formations.

9. breathing in, I experience the spirit. – Breathing out, I experience the mind.

10. inhaling I delight the mind. – Breathing out, I delight the mind.

11. inhaling I gather the mind. – Breathing out, I gather the mind.

12. breathing in, I release the mind. – Breathing out, I release the mind.

13. breathing in, I see impermanence. – Breathing out, I see inconstancy.

14. Breathing in, I see the letting go (of clinging). – Breathing out, I see the letting go.

15. Breathing in, I see cessation. – Breathing out, I see cessation.

16. Breathing in, I see complete detachment. – Breathing out, I see complete release.

This is how awareness is developed and practiced with the breath, that it is of great fruit and great benefit.”