Problem during Anapanasati Meditation

[sandip250382]

Friends,


I am practicing Anapansati meditation for last couple of years. But recently, I noticed that I am trying to control my breathing unconsciously rather than just merely observing the natural soft breathing and stress is occurring during the meditation.

Any advice to get rid of this problem will be great.


Regards,
Sandip

[Vivek]

Sandip, just the fact that yo are noticing whenever you control your breathing, is good news. That mindfulness of what you are doing from moment to moment, is more than sufficient to change this habit pattern of unconsciously controlling the breath. If you stick with mindfulness of breathing diligently, eventually the habit will dissolve and you will come out of it.

[Alex]

I had the same "problem", including the wish to get rid of it in order to meditate "the right way" or "better".
I still often forget there is nowhere to go to, nothing to achieve in meditation. I can only sit with wat is there.

So, like Vivek said: just be aware when you are controlling, maybe just just be aware when you are judging the fact that you are controlling, etc.

[Matthew]

Sandip, just the fact that yo are noticing whenever you control your breathing, is good news. That mindfulness of what you are doing from moment to moment, is more than sufficient to change this habit pattern of unconsciously controlling the breath. If you stick with mindfulness of breathing diligently, eventually the habit will dissolve and you will come out of it.

Very nicely put.