I’d like to propose a different approach to meditation. Typically, meditation involves focusing on observing the breath—air moving in and out of your airways. However, I find it much more beneficial to observe the breathing as a whole, which is a richer experience. Observing the breathing means tuning into the entire body and noticing how it engages in and reacts to the process of air flowing in and out.
To start, try relaxing the muscles around your eyes. This adjustment changes your internal observation, allowing you to simultaneously sense a wide range of bodily sensations. If the eye muscles are tense, you’re only able to observe a small part of your body—much like how a flashlight illuminates just a small area. By relaxing, you switch to a broader awareness, like a lamp lighting up an entire room.
Once you become attuned to sensations throughout your body, you can simply rest there. Thoughts may still come, but they won’t capture your attention as much. You’ll find that less effort is needed, so it feels less like you’re actively “doing” meditation. Your practice becomes more about just being.
You can take this a step further by allowing yourself to feel as if you’re being observed by your breathing, just as much as you’re observing it. Be aware of your body as a living, breathing entity with its own intelligence. As you become attuned to the body, recognize that the body is also aware of you. Allow yourself to be seen by it.
Initially, this might feel a bit strange or uncomfortable—being observed often does. But think of this observation not visually, but as a sensory experience. Envision your body as a warm, loving presence that embraces you.
This shift allows for deeper surrender and receptivity in your meditation practice. There’s nothing to actively do; you don’t need to be present for the body because the body is always there for you. Whenever you return to mindful awareness after being distracted, you’ll find the body still sensing you, never having stopped.
This approach might seem fanciful or even absurd, but I encourage you to give it a try. It could transform your meditation practice and potentially your life.
Give it a go and see what happens—it might open up a new dimension of awareness in your meditation journey.