In-Breath, Pause, Out-Breath

Life starts with an inhalation, therefore inhalation is life. At death, breath goes out, therefore exhalation is ‘letting go’ towards death. The last point of exhalation, where there is no exhalation or inhalation, there is a pause and that signifies death. That stop-moment is so small that it cannot be described.  Many Zen schools, who use breath as the meditation subject, will also ask the student to become sharply aware of the pause between in-breath and out-breath. We live and die with every breath. Breath is always the present reality. This is true satsang. To be aware of the breath is to be aware of the reality of the present moment. We can live life only in the present. Nature has given us such a simple tool that it goes with us wherever we go and it is so easy to use.

All the breathing gymnastics definitely will have their rewards if done correctly. We can make the process of breathing complicated or keep it as simple as just watching the breath coming in and going out. But we must always remember that the breath is a bridge that connects the mind-body.