Meditation is mostly about being with yourself. In this busy humdrum of life, we barely scrape through till the end of the day occupied by the day to day happenings. Let alone being able to focus on ourselves. And when I say focus on ourselves I do not mean taking care of how I look or making sure the makeup is alright. I mean being able to be with JUST ourselves. So whats the simplest way to be with ourselves to start with ?

To be with ourselves, the goal should be to get away from the clutches of the mind. We are constantly controlled by it from when we are born. For this to happen, one of the easiest methods is to use something that is available to us all the time. The Breath.

We are alive because we are breathing. Some cultures believe the breath is what connects us the physical person to the spiritual. So how do we go about this ?

Easy. Set aside 5 minutes every few hours and for just 5 minutes, focus on the air coming and going out of your nostrils. Feel the cool air as it comes in when you breathe in and the warm air that leaves you as you breathe out. Keep your mind at it. It might be difficult at first as the mind will fight back but will get easier with time. If you practice this at least 3 times a day, you will start seeing the benefits within a few days.

You can also practice this as and when needed. Like before a big meeting, before starting a big project, in between your hectic work schedule, if you are feeling apprehensive about something, experiencing fear, feeling weak, feeling tired, feeling upset or angry, before having that major discussion with your child or your loved ones, etc.

With the breath you bring peace upon yourself.