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The heart of breathing practice in the Buddha’s discourses is the practice of ānāpānasati, which is usually translated as “mindfulness of breathing,” though the use of the word mindfulness here is perhaps misleading. Only the first couple steps emphasize the simple observation of the breath as it moves in the body. We think of mindfulness as bare attention, observation without intervention, open awareness. But mindfulness in its original context is a much more active and interactive way of being. At its heart, it involves the cultivation of specific states of heart and mind, not just the observation of whatever states happen to be floating through like the weather.

Mindfulness of breathing begins with noticing the in and out breath, but quickly moves to training ourselves to feel the breath in the whole body and to bring the body and breath toward a deeper stillness. These are not passive observational practices. It takes work in the energetic body to expand our perception of the breath out from the central column of the nose and lungs to include all of the extremities of the body. And it takes a very particular kind of work to still the hindrance of restlessness and somatic anxiety that so troubles our moment to moment ease. This basic energetic conditioning is the work of the first four steps of ānāpānasati, a 16 step process that is both a guideline for long-term cultivation of liberating states and a sequence you can use in a single meditation session.

The sequence begins with somatic grounding and settling into stillness, and continues the same process in the subtler layer of the mind. The second four steps begin with cultivating rapture and happiness, then bring that nourishment to the contents of the heart and mind, all with the aim to bring the churn of the mind to stillness. None of this is passive. Cultivate rapture. Cultivate joy. Connect with the material of your own narrative, then with the support of stillness, happiness, and the foundational balanced energy of the nourishing breath itself, bring the stories to stillness.

SEAN OAKES
Sean Feit Oakes, PhD (he/they, queer, Puerto Rican & English, living on Pomo ancestral land in Northern California), teaches Buddhism and somatic practice focusing on the integration of meditation, trauma resolution, and social justice. He received Insight Meditation teaching authorization from Jack Kornfield, and wrote his dissertation on extraordinary states in Buddhist meditation and experimental dance. Sean holds certifications in Somatic Experiencing (SEP, assistant), and Yoga (E-RYT 500, YACEP), and teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, East Bay Meditation Center, Insight Timer, and elsewhere.

LINKS
Website: seanfeitoakes.com
Community Page: In It To End It
YouTube channel: In It To End It
Spirit Rock: spiritrock.org/teachers/sean-oakes
Insight Timer: insighttimer.com/seanoakes

GIVING
All of Dr. Oakes’ independent teaching is offered on the model of Gift Economy, in the Buddhist tradition of dāna, inspired giving. Support of our teaching and community is gratefully received. Thank you for your generosity.

Donate:
seanfeitoakes.com/gift-economy

Blessings on your path.