Having trouble sensing the breath

yangster58

It seems like whatever I'm trying to focus on, whether the belly or chest or nostrils, I can't seem to connect to the sensations clearly enough. As a result, my mind starts wandering to other things or I just fall asleep. When I focus on the sensations in my nostrils while breathing, I feel absolutely nothing when I exhale. What do I do and what should I focus on?

Telly03

Could this help?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nose_whistle_(instrument)

OK, joking aside... Your talking about meditation? I'll assume so. I never put too much into the "sensing" wether that be right or wrong, I'm sure I'll be corrected if wrong, but just knowing that you are breathing out, and visualize some if you need to. I think that is why, in Zen at least, they start by having you count your breaths so that your mind stays on the breaths and not your shopping list.... count to 10 with each inhale and exhale, repeat, after awhile you can start counting just the inhales or exhales as you get better. I'm still at this stage, but I expect that I'm being trained to not have to count, just attention.

Kangaroo

As it was explained to me; breathe in count 1, breathe out count 2, continue until you reach 10 and start over. If at any time your mind wanders start over at 1.
I usually make it to 3 and think "awsome I made it to 3!" Then I have to start over.

Telly03

@Kangaroo Yes thanks, I left out the part about starting over

MaryAnne

Another way to avoid too much focus on the counting aspect is... just 'whisper' in your head "in" and "Out" as you breath in and out. Only draw out the word in your mind to match the length of breaths you take... "iiiiinnnnnnnn" "ooouuuuuuuuttt".
This can almost become like a breathing mantra...


I know counting always distracted my brain! LOL

music

I have always had this problem of watching the breath. What does it really mean? Watch what exactly - the air around nostrils or chest/belly rising, or what else? It confuses the hell out of me.

driedleaf

I found it easier to just breathe in, then mental note "in". Breathe out, then mental note "out". If you forget to make a mental note then you can just start over. It felt easier to do it this way, and I was more focused since there was no stressing over with the breath.

fivebells

@yangster58: If you don't feel any sensations on the outbreath, simply note that.

@music: It doesn't really matter which component you attend to, as long as it's almost always present.