Regulating the breath and combining it with the contemplations

Regulating the breath means being aware of the breath passively: seeing it without controlling it.

The steps

1. Know whether the breath is coming in or going out, including the pause when it changes direction.
2. Know whether the breath is long or short, still without interfering.
3. Keep the mind in the lower abdomen and below the feet, letting the energy settle by itself.

Avoid two extremes: not being aware of the breath, or being aware of it and controlling it.

Combining the breath with the contemplations

Once you are familiar with this, each in-breath and out-breath can be accompanied by one task:

• Being aware of the whole body.
• Contemplating the impermanence of the body.
• Silently wishing to love living beings; use this when the mind loses mindfulness.
• Knowing that the mind is still restless; use this when the mind has settled, to guard against quiet conceit.