Breathing is a classic focus for meditation, for several reasons. For one thing, breathing is sensuous, rhythmic, and always with us, as long as we are alive. Also, breath is a gift to us from the larger universe; it comes inside our body, into our lungs, into our blood, then into every cell. Breath is an intimate exchange with the entire cosmos in which we live and move and have our being.
In paying close attention to a breath, we perceive all this directly. Our breath is intrinsically full of grace. There are hundreds of ways to pay attention to breath. You can be aware of its rhythm, of how it expands and contracts, of how it weaves from outside of the body to being drawn inside. You can visualize the breath, being aware of the tip of your nose, the quiet sounds of your breathing, the soft feeling in your throat, the pause at the end of the inhalation, and so on. You can focus through your sense of touch, movement, hearing, smell, or vision. You can use breath to withdraw from the world or to engage with it. When you meditate with the breath, allow your eyes to be open or closed, and whatever happens spontaneously you will learn to rest in the presence of breath, and your eyes will tend to close by themselves, but do not force them shut.
If you take this gentle approach, even the simple act of closing the eyes can feel exquisite. Your thoughts will drift off and then return to your focus. This is natural. Just keep coming back to your chosen pleasure. Keep in mind that you can sit anywhere and in any position that you find comfortable. Over time you will develop more and more sensory awareness of what breath is. And as you do so, it will become more and more engaging. Eliminate the phrase "trying to concentrate on my breath" from your vocabulary, and replace it with "I am developing an interest in breath." Use your senses to welcome each inhalation. As you become more aware of your breath, extraordinary realms of sensation begin to open up.
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