Even when I concentrate,
I cannot feel my breath coming in and out.
Why is that?
I don't think you can't feel your breath.
Because if you just close your eyes and shift your attention to the tip of your nose,
You know you're breathing.
Because if you're alive,
You can feel your breath.
If you don't exist,
Then you probably cannot feel the breath.
It's probably the zombies over in China.
Or unless you have nerve endings that have been damaged towards the sensitive areas around your nose and mouth.
However,
Any live human beings with undamaged nerves,
As long as you shift your attention properly to the nose and the mouth,
You can feel the breath.
If you close your eyes right now,
And shift your attention and focus on the tip of your nose,
You can feel the breath coming in and out.
Unless you are overly tense,
Or your attention is actually pointed at somewhere else.
So relax your body and mind in a relaxed state.
Shift your attention to the tip of your nose.
You can feel the breath coming in and going out.
Now you can't feel it because your attention is somewhere else.
So bring your attention back and you can feel it again.
So fix your attention to the tip of your nose and sustain it.
And this is called concentration.
So in midst of the silence and relaxation,
Let's focus.
And be awake to the breath that's happening here and now.
And if your attention wanders,
Bring it back and focus again.
Without trying too hard.
Without tensing up.
Without being disappointed.
Without giving up.
Just sustain it consistently in the midst of relaxation.
If you lose the focus,
Bring it back.
If you lose it multiple times,
Bring it back multiple times.
Do not be overly excited because you sustained it for a while.
But do not be disappointed if you can't.
You're just doing it consistently and constantly.
Like someone practicing free throws,
Keep practicing even if it goes in or even if it doesn't go in.
Thank you.
