Breathing Exercise by Marcus Antebi
A breathing exercise can be an excellent focus of concentration during a single meditation. This has been recognized for centuries as a valuable technique.
What I especially like about using a breathing exercise in this way is that you don’t need any accessories; you can do it wherever you are at any time. It’s an exercise you can practice while you’re in an airplane getting ready to take off and you feel frightened. It’s an exercise you can work on when you have an argument with your spouse or your partner and need to regain your center. Or you can use this exercise as your entryway into your meditation practice.
It’s interesting to keep track of how many breath cycles you can do without being distracted by a thought outside of your focus on the breath. When I first started this, I set my intention every day of trying to stay inside of 10 cycles of breathing in this manner. I couldn’t get to the end of the third cycle without being completely distracted.
That changed over time for me, and it will for you as well. It’s a good first step for getting you to the point of getting a great deal of benefit from your time spent in meditation.