The Pause in the Breath
What should we do when the transition from inhalation to exhalation feels instantaneous?
A Meditator’s Question:
I’m practicing Following the Breath in meditation, which assumes a pause at the top of the inhale, but I don’t notice one. To me, it feels as though the direction of airflow switches instantaneously from inhalation to exhalation, while the airflow itself never seems to come to a complete stop.
Am I missing something, or can the pause truly be absent? And if it is - how should I Follow the Breath when I meditate?
Oded’s Answer:
It's more likely that the pause is just too brief for you to notice it at this time. From a physical and biological standpoint, the lungs can't immediately bounce back, like a tennis ball hitting the floor. The movement is more sinusoidal, naturally easing in and out. This also nicely demonstrates the gap between the ground truth of reality and the perception fabricated by the mind. The more we notice it, the closer we get to liberating Insight.
However - it's your experience that counts in meditation, not physics. If it feels like the pause isn't there - that's the truth of the moment. No need to compel it to be otherwise on an intellectual level. Focus on catching the point where the direction seems to "switch," and you're golden. With time, the resolution of perception is likely to increase, and then you may notice more than you expect.
Another thing to consider is the speed of your breath cycles. Many of us hyperventilate without knowing. The quicker the breath cycle, the harder it is to follow it in detail. Put it to the test: set a timer for one minute and see how many natural, unforced breath cycles you complete. The number of cycles you count can be a good indicator of whether some adjustments should be made to your practice, as hyperventilation can be rooted in a variety of causes and conditions to be explored.
With Metta,
Oded
