During breath awareness meditation you feel the effects greatly. After you are done with the meditation you lose most of the effects. Practicing continual breath awareness meditation helps you maintain the effects all day. The following will be discussed for you to better understand it:
How to practice continual breath awareness.
When to do continual breath awareness and when not to.
How to come back to your breath during continual breath awareness when you fall off.
How to turn continual breath awareness into a permanent effortless habit.
What to do when you cannot practice continual breath awareness.
How to practice continual breath awareness.
You practice continual breath awareness meditation all day. You practice it during your breath awareness meditation session and after. All day does not mean you do not take breaks or must do continual meditation no matter what even if you must be fully conscious. It means you practice it as much as you can throughout the day. Become aware of the inhale and exhale of air through your nose. Anytime you feel any random thought causing you to get distracted from an activity, gently bring your attention back to the inhale an exhale of air through your nose while simultaneously focusing on the activity.
When to do continual breath awareness and when not to.
Continual breath awareness meditation requires you to bring your attention back to the inhale and exhale of air through your nose anytime you get distracted. It gets rid of negative thoughts, but it also gets rid of the right thoughts. In situations that require you to be fully aware of your thoughts, so you make the right decision at the right time be extra couscous. You should not do it when you are doing any activity that demands your full attention like driving a car or operating heavy machinery. If you are having racing thoughts that are distracting you from an activity, repeatedly focusing on the inhale and exhale of air through your nose will help. Then focus on the activity. If you are waiting in the lobby of a building, a passenger of a car, eating, watching television, or going for a walk it is the perfect time to practice this type of action.
How to come back to your breath during continual breath awareness when you fall off.
In continual breath awareness meditation, you exhale and inhale air through your nose gently and rhythmically. This causes you to pay more attention to the inhale and exhale of air through your nose. If you are distracted by thought, it is okay. Bring your attention back to the inhale and exhale of air through your nose. If you get uncomfortable after doing it for a long time, take a break. You can use it to form islands of safety during a stressful activity. If it is blocking your thoughts from an activity stop momentarily and continue when you do not need to process thought.
How to turn continual breath awareness into a permanent effortless habit.
Set your intention in the morning that you are going to practice continual breath awareness during the day. Start out a little bit a day and slowly progress. Slower changes make longer lasting habits, and it takes a while of inactivity to undo the habit learned. Once you build a habit it becomes easier, harder to break, and you can take it to the next level. It will become more natural to you, and you will remember to do it more often. Have a minimum amount so you start and a maximum amount so you do not get burn out. The more you do this practice the more you do not want to do it. It is okay to take a break. Do not practice this type of action all the time just during certain activities. It is important that you do not practice continual breath awareness without a reason why. If you do it with meaning you would not only be more motivated, but you will get better results from it. You want to have the effects of a breath awareness meditation session even after it is over. The type of action reduces stress, depression, anxiety, increases energy, lowers blood pressure, improves mental clarity, and improves mental focus.
What to do when you cannot practice continual breath awareness.
If you have trouble with fear of a panic attack you should be with it unconditionally, make friends with the panic attack, and not be distracted by any negative thoughts attached to it. If you are in the middle of a panic attack practice 16 seconds inhaling and exhaling of air through your nose. Inhale for four seconds, pause for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, pause for four seconds, and repeat. This is useful in situations where you cannot practice continual breath awareness meditation and are afraid of a panic attack. In addition, have a daily breath awareness meditation practice. This will help you be calmer and more relaxed throughout the day, and you will automatically breathe more properly.
Now, how to do continual breath awareness meditation, when to do it and when not to, how to come back to it if you fall off, how to turn it into a permanent effortless habit, and what to do when you cannot practice this type of action has been discussed. You are better able to understand the practice of repeatedly paying attention to the inhaling and exhaling of air through your nose all day. Become aware of the inhaling and exhaling of air through your nose when you are in an activity. If you get distracted by the activity, it is okay. Just continue where you left off. It is not practical to do this type of practice during some activities like driving a car, operating a heavy machinery, or some other activity that demands your full attention. You can do this practice while walking, eating, drinking, watching television, being a passenger in a car, waiting in the lobby of a building for someone, and so on. The more you do this practice the more you do not want to do it. It is okay to take a break. Something does not become effortless overnight. Slower changes make longer lasting habits. Once something becomes a habit it is easier, harder to break, and you can take it to the next level. You also want to understand the reason behind a practice so you will stay motivated. You can practice 16 seconds breaths in situations when you cannot focus on the inhale and exhale of air through you nose repeatedly and consistently. Next time you might be walking, eating, drinking, being a passenger in a car, waiting for someone, watching television, remember that you can practice continual breath awareness meditation.