Being Present to the Breath

Being Present to the Breath
a multi-part electronic class by Himayat Inayati
©2003, Himayat Inayati; All Rights Reserved.

Part One

The next set of classes shall be structured around practices and your questions, comments, results. Hazrat Inayat Khan said that our lessons: "Begin with the breath and end with the breath." I shall do my best to create a set of practices simple to do but rich in possibilities. There are only two catches: 1) you must do the practices at least three times in a week and 2) you must be willing to share with us the results. I cannot be helpful to you if you don't practice and share.

Practice:
(There are various ways to be "present". When I say "be present" it is enough for now that you understand this to mean "focus your mind upon" or "pay attention to".)

Be present to your breath as it flows in and out of your nostrils. Your breath will respond to this presence. It may slow down, become more refined (subtle) and eventually you may be aware of it increasing in intensity (magnetism). This intensity can be experienced as a vibration in the breath which develops as you stay aware of it, gathering greater life and a positive charge in the breath. Once you are aware of this you may be aware of the vibration being reflected in your physical structure. Additionally, as the mind gains greater magnetism it is oriented toward its natural condition of being at rest, focused, and lucid.

Do this practice at least three times this week for a period of three to five minutes each time.

Part Two

For those of you who have reported long stops in your breath, either at the end or at the beginning, practice being present to your breath for shorter periods of time (1 - 2 minutes only). Do this at least twice daily for a lunar month. Let's see if the breath won't move itself toward a more even flow. For those who have experienced painful or irritating disturbances in the body when you are present to the breath, stop being present to the breath for a moment and be present to the area of the physical body calling you. You may find that by being present to that area the pain or irritation will soften, as it releases clinging energy. Make sure you release this energy systemically by breathing it out (on exhalation) your feet into the Earth. You may stay present further to see what emerges as the area softens and releases, or you may go back to being present to your breath. The content that calls to you might not be physical, it might be emotional. Again, a difference from Mindfulness Meditation (Buddhist approach) and this mode of meditation (Sufism) is that we are not letting go of distractions from physical body, emotional body, mental body, or moral body in order to deepen and strengthen our presence to the breath. Rather we will use the presence to the breath to illuminate areas of distress that are hidden within us. We can only gain information from these areas as we allow ourselves to be present to them. Hazrat Inayat Khan said that breath is life and light (Pasi Anfas). We can use this mode of light to access information regarding our inner and outer environments as well as our relationships with others.

Practice 1: As you are present to the breath can you experience the magnetism (positive charge) it gathers? You might experience this as a vibration. You might experience this as four vibrations that become one central vibration. Or, you might simply experience this as a magnification of life. This vibrational quality can be experienced as reflected within the physical structure. It is as though every cell reflects this vibration. It can be experienced as reflected outside the physical structure ( reflected within your electromagnetic field). It can be experienced in the emotional body (field). Emotions become clear, vivid, fluid. It can be experienced in the mental body. Murshid said that the molecules of the mind disperse when they lose their magnetism. The opposite is equally true. When the mind gains in magnetism, as you are present to the breath, it collects itself to a place of rest, peace, focus, and lucidity -its natural condition

Question: Have you experienced the magnetism grow in the breath through presence?

Question: Have you experienced your mind move toward its natural condition as this magnetism grows?

Practice 2: Be present to your breath. Close your eyes. Allow the color deep red to flood your body and mind. Watch what your breath does with this. Be present to you breath. Close your eyes. Allow the color forest green to flood your body and mind. Watch what your breath does with this. Be present to your breath. Close your eyes. Allow the color sky blue to flood your body and mind. Watch what your breath does with this.

Question: Is the breath the same as you are present to these three colors? If the breath is different, then can you say how so?

Practice 3: Be present to your breath. Hold in your mind's eye the image of some one you have been having problems with. Watch what your breath does. Be present to your breath. Hold in your mind's eye the image of some one you love very much. Watch what your breath does. Be present to your breath. Hold in your mind's eye the image of some one you hold as a sacred ideal. Watch what your breath does.

Question: Is the breath the same as you are present to these three images? If the breath is different, then can you say how so?

Part Three

Questions & Reflections:
One student had a question regarding "magnetism". It appears, in just reviewing her short comment on magnetism that there are either various forms of magnetism to be developed or that "magnetism" may be a loose phrase for various subtle interactions. We know, in reading "The Sufi Message" volumes of HIK that Murshid earmarks various forms of magnetism, i.e. physical, mental, heart, soul. In our class I have attempted to orient us to magnetism by being aware of its impact upon the breath, or the physical, emotional, mental, or moral domains (bodies) of our existence. As that which is "magnetism" grows within us, in whatever manner it may manifest, its impact upon us (and eventually upon others) becomes more obvious. For example, as we are present to it in our breath we may experience it as vibrations (or vibration). As we are present to it in the flesh we can experience a reflection of this vibration within our cells and throughout our electromagnetic field. As we are present to it in the emotional body our emotions become more vivid, fluid, awake. As we are present to it in our mental body we can experience our mind collecting itself to a place of rest, focus, lucidity. As we are present to it in our moral body we can experience it is an ever-deepening of connection with life, inner as well as outer. At first, this is best observed in the silence. As our realization grows, we can experience it in the midst of everyday life. However, we will always experience this as a continuous discussion. That which is "magnetism" is incessantly orienting us toward greater integrity of being as well as toward greater capacity for fulfillment of the Divine Desire. As such, "life" may not always be the most obvious aspect of this discussion. At times, places of "non-allowance of greater life" may actually be what is the most obvious. As you have already noted, at times you have become aware of distressful points in your physical body as your breath responded to your presence. These areas of "non-allowance" can be experienced throughout the above mentioned bodies. Presence, brings "allowance" to these areas. As you have already experienced, presence can soften the distress and magnetism can begin to flow as it is intended.

One student states: "Yes the breath is different, and I cannot really say it is just the breath because my whole body responds to these different visualizations." My answer is: This causes me to ask: "Why not see what you are seeing? What is your ‘breath’?"

Practice: