On the weekend we went to a party given by a colleague. His wife is a very interesting person. To bad we don't live closer, as I would love to have her for a friend. She told me she has started walking and she counts her steps, to turn her walk into a walking meditation. She walks between 5,000 and 6,000 steps a day. I was flabbergasted that she could concentrate enough to count up to 6,000.
I decided to try this on my bike ride. I quickly decided that counting my pedals was a non starter, but I did decide I could count my breaths. For beginning, I decided to just count my breaths on the ride up the hill, not the whole trip. I start at the gate at the bottom of the hill. I bellow breath, otherwise known as back breathing. First time up I counted 560 breaths. Second time 590, but I was ticked about something and kept getting distracted. Third time (today) I counted 550 breaths. Ted also counted his breaths today and this is the really interesting part- he counted 415 breaths. So even though my time up the hill is faster, and Ted is 6ft 5 compared to my 5 ft 4, and about 80 pounds heavier, he had over 100 fewer breaths. I don't know enough physiology to totally get this.
2 comments:
I have been practicing and teaching 'focusing on breathing', for the last 9 years, to reduce stress and also use it for my daily meditation. Counting breaths is one of the several modes of focusing on breathing. It is a simple, doable and no-cost technique which works even for children, as young as 5 years. The simplest mode of this technique is the ‘Tip mode’ described below -
**** Touch the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger and breathe three times. Repeat this step, at each of the next three fingers. At the thumb, place the tip of the index finger at the base of the thumb and breathe three times. Then switch to the other hand and repeat the process. Continue the practice, switching hands. You will feel its calming effect, by the time you complete 4 to 6 hands, which takes 2 to 3 minutes. You can use this mode, anywhere and anytime to avert potential stress or dissolve built up stress!****
One practitioner called it “Moronically simple yet works like a magic!” Variety of testimonials from practitioners can be seen in this page http://countingbreaths.com/fob/relax/benefits/
Five other modes of ‘focusing on breathing’ can be seen in this page http://countingbreaths.com/fob/relax/how-can-i-do-it/
I used to count serially to higher numbers. Then I found that counting was going on sub consciously and I was at the same time thinking about many things. So I started to count my breaths only up to three. Whenever I reach three, I restart from one and go up to three again. This has been very effective in preventing wandering of my mind.
Thanks Suryanarayana. I can see I have a lot to learn about focused breathing and I see that your website is a good place to do that.
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