Flight at Midnight

While practicing mindfulness, it is also possible to use an aid. There are many kinds of aids that you can use; each branch of Buddhism seems to have their preferred kind. One of the easiest to use is awareness of breathing.

In this practice you do not try to edit the content of your thoughts (restricting them to only that which is happening in the present, and avoiding those about the future or past). Instead let whatever thoughts happen just arise and fall of their own accord. However, while you are letting this happen, keep a little of your attention upon your breathing.

Just watch/feel your breath go in and out. You don’t need to concentrate upon the breathing maniacally – to the exclusion of all else - just along with everything else. It’s a bit like learning to ride a bicycle.

As you practice this, your attention will continue to have awareness of the present. So while your thoughts may seem endlessly running on, you don’t completely lose your focus of reality.

And as you practice more and more, you will find that your thoughts sometimes take a break from their ceaseless chatter. You will be more aware of these breaks and able to appreciate the quiet that accompanies these. As you become able to appreciate this peacefulness more and more, you will lose some of your incentive to mentally chatter on and on.

Yet, even in continuous stillness of mind, you will be able to practice awareness of breathing. So, it is a practice that is a part of the way of right living.