Ānāpānasati Sutta Meditation

A meditation on the "Mindfulness of Breath" as expressed within the Ānāpānasati Sutta.

The meditation includes sixteen steps of practice, and is aimed at experienced meditators. The 16 steps are arranged in 4 Tetrads, Body, Vedana, Citta and Dharmas.

Transcript

So the ānāpana sati sutta meditation in 16 steps.

So first of all the basic preparation.

Firstly seclusion.

We go to a forest.

The root of a tree.

An empty hut.

Thereby deliberately reducing input.

And then our inner seclusion.

Letting go of worries,

Concerns.

And telling ourselves now is not the time for planning or making decisions.

Checking in if any hindrance is particularly pronounced.

Bringing that into our awareness.

And checking our posture.

Making it grounded.

Stable.

Erect.

But at the same time relaxed.

Checking our motivation.

May I progress for my own benefit.

But also for the benefit of others.

Particularly those closest to me,

Around me.

So bringing in a joyful altruistic dimension.

A compassionate intention.

And just checking our intentions for this practice.

We'll be attending to the breath.

And particularly the inhalations and exhalations.

Towards the end we'll be reflecting on impermanence.

Through the breath out into all things.

And insight.

It's an insight practice.

And leading us away from suffering.

Towards freedom.

The whole practice is invitational.

So please adapt my instructions for your particular conditions.

And we're not issuing commands to ourselves.

But rather inviting something to manifest on its own.

And if nothing much happens at all,

That's okay as well.

We're just opening up to the possibility.

So the first step.

Mindfulness of breathing.

Just grounding our experience down on something stable.

Some anchor.

Like the breath.

Or some other anchor if the breath is not so available to you today.

The contact with the ground.

Touching the ground.

The sound of my voice.

Other sounds in the room.

Anything which helps us ground,

Which helps us anchor back.

So starting by bringing our attention onto the breath.

Breathing in.

And breathing out.

Noticing the sensations of the breath as it enters and leaves.

Internally saying to ourselves.

Breathing in.

I know I'm breathing in.

Breathing out.

I know I'm breathing out.

In the second step.

Deepening our awareness of the breath.

Maybe paying attention to the full cycle of each breath.

From the start to the finish.

Practicing noticing the subtle changes.

The subtle sensations around the breath.

The diaphragm.

Inhaling.

Expansion.

Exhaling.

Coming back.

Saying to ourselves.

Breathing in.

I experience the whole breath.

Breathing out.

I experience the whole breath.

In the third step.

Expanding our awareness.

And experiencing the whole body breathing.

The whole body breathing.

Each and every cell breathing.

Right out to the skin.

Feeling how the breath moves through the body.

The energy.

Tingling.

Sensations in the body.

Breathing in.

I'm aware of my whole body breathing.

Breathing out.

I'm aware of my whole body.

In the fourth step.

Calming.

Calming the body and the breath.

So with each breath.

Inviting in a sense of calmness.

Calmness to flow through the body.

Sitting back.

Relaxing.

Just noticing the whole body.

Breathing the whole body.

Calming.

Breathing in.

Calming.

Breathing out.

Letting go of any tensions.

Breathing in.

Calming the body.

Calming the body.

Breathing out.

Calming the body.

Letting go of tensions.

Now gently moving into the second Tetrug.

Step five.

Inviting in pleasant Vedana.

Noticing the energy.

The relaxed nature of the body.

The calm body.

Maybe energy bubbling up around the heart.

Maybe inviting a sense of joy.

Inner generated joy.

Not dependent on externals.

But coming from internal.

From the Vedana in the body.

Noticing any feelings of joy that arise.

And allowing ourselves to savour these moments.

However subtle they may be.

And if there's no joy,

That's okay as well.

Just opening up to the possibility.

The intention.

Gently held.

No striving.

Breathing in.

May I feel joy.

Breathing out.

May I feel joy.

Step eight.

Allowing this to mellow.

To develop.

Allowing in any feelings of happiness.

Contented.

I'm okay with how things are.

I'm happy with how things are.

No need for anything else.

Allowing it to fill our awareness.

And allowing ourselves to truly experience this state.

Giving ourselves permission.

Everything's okay.

Breathing in.

May I feel happiness.

Breathe out.

May I be content.

Breathing in.

May I feel happy.

Breathing out.

Practicing contentment.

There's nothing to do.

There's nowhere to go.

This is it.

Everything is okay.

Happy.

And content.

Step seven.

Noticing mental formations.

Just becoming aware of any thoughts or emotions that come up.

And just practicing observing them.

Without judgment or attachment.

Practicing looking at thoughts.

Labeling emotions.

The process of thinking and feeling.

Everything calming and going.

Breathing in.

May I just observe my thoughts and emotions.

Breathing out.

I see you.

I know you.

Breathing in.

Hello thought.

Hello emotion.

Breathing out.

Goodbye.

Goodbye.

Step eight.

Calming these thoughts and emotions.

Gently soothing.

Bringing a sense of peace to our mind and heart.

Imagine each breath calming and settling your mind.

Each breath calming and settling our emotions.

Breathing in.

Calming my thoughts.

Breathing out.

Calming the emotions.

Not pushing them away.

More of a meta-awareness.

They're there.

I see you.

But I'm not as involved.

I have perspective.

Moving into the third tetra.

Mindfulness of citta.

The shape of our heart and mind.

Step nine.

Awareness of the mind.

Just turning our attention to the state of the mind.

The state of our heart.

Noticing if it's calm,

Restless,

Happy or sad.

Just practicing observing.

No need to change.

Acceptance precedes change.

Breathing in.

May I notice my mind,

My heart.

Breathing out.

Noticing my mind,

My heart.

Step ten.

Brightening the mind,

Brightening the heart.

Just bringing to mind things that make you feel light and happy.

A sense of gladness.

And let these feelings fill your awareness.

Tranquility.

Joy.

Contentment.

Filling our awareness.

Gladdening the mind and the heart.

Breathing in.

May I brighten my mind and heart.

Breathing out.

Brightening my mind,

My heart.

Moving gently into step eleven.

Concentrating the mind.

Maybe bringing our mind to a point of focus.

A clarity.

Direction.

Harmony and direction.

Breathing in.

May I concentrate my mind.

Breathing out.

May I concentrate my mind.

Step twelve.

Freeing the mind.

Freeing the mind.

Practicing letting go of any mental burdens or worries.

Imagining our mind free.

Light.

Like a clear blue sky.

Open.

Expansive.

Free.

A clear blue mind stretching in all directions.

Free to move.

Inner freedom.

Inner peace.

Breathing in.

May I free my mind.

Breathing out.

May I liberate the mind.

And moving gently into the fourth tetrad.

Awareness of dharmas.

And particularly impermanence.

Reflecting on impermanence in step thirteen.

How everything is always changing.

Our thoughts,

Our breath,

The world around us.

May I embrace change with stillness and calm.

May I deeply accept this moment just as it is.

May my home be a house of balance and spaciousness.

Just stepping back again.

Just watching the ever-changing nature of experience.

Just watching the ever-changing nature of experience.

How the breath changes.

How the body changes.

How our thoughts are constantly changing.

Our emotions ebbing and flowing.

Gain and loss.

Pleasure and pain.

Success and failure.

Praise and blame.

All ceaselessly changing.

May I embrace change with stillness and calm.

Breathing in.

Bringing to mind.

Change.

Breathing out.

Seeing impermanence.

Step fourteen.

Fading away.

Just observing how attachments and cravings can diminish over time.

The fading away of aversions,

Of desires.

As we continue to breathe mindfully.

Aspects of the breath fading away.

Aspects of the body fading away.

That thought fading away.

This emotion fading away.

This too shall pass.

Keep calmly knowing change.

Breathing in.

I see things fading away.

Breathing out.

I see things fading away.

In step fifteen.

Contemplating cessation.

Bringing to mind that suffering and stress can end.

Imagining what it would feel like to let go of all suffering.

This breath will end.

This body will cease.

This thought will end.

That emotion will end.

May I embrace change with stillness and calm.

May I see the natural cycle of all things.

And the sixteenth and final step.

Letting go.

Letting go.

Practice letting go of all attachments,

Worries and fears.

As we breathe out,

Imagine releasing everything that weighs you down.

Breathing in.

I let go.

Breathing out.

I let go.

Letting go.

Letting go into non-attachment.

Letting go into freedom.

Letting go into the deep blue sky.

Letting go.

Letting go of this breath.

Letting go.

Letting go.

Reviews

Thank you 🙏

I'm very grateful for this meditation, thanks a lot.

Excellent guided meditation.

Thank you, Bodhin 🙏🏽

Thank you Bodhin 🙏