Breath
With every breath we take, it is one less until we die. That should not scare anyone. It should awaken them. When we breath in, we can not be certain we will do so again. I recall the four zen masters who had finished up their meeting at a temple. The first master says, “I hope to see you all next year”. The second master says, “Next year? You fool! Who knows if we will be here next week” The third master says “Next week, we may not see tomorrow”! The fourth and perhaps the wisest master softly said “Who knows that the next time you breathe out, you will be able to breathe in again”.
Do you wish your last breath to be taken in anger, anxiety, or impatience? Do you wish it to be wasted in frivolity? Or do you wish it to be in serenity?
Our breath is our best friend. Always there and calm. Focusing on our breath can help us from getting stressed or angry. It is a good friend because it does not demand anything! It does not ask us to lend money or give it a ride someplace. Even when we ignore it, it does not leave us.
Quite amazing, when we consider the fact that we do usually ignore it. We take it for granted. Only in dire emergencies do we think about it. If we are underwater a long time, we might get upset that it is not around. Anyone who has had it knocked out of them, knows how painful and uncomfortable it is when it is not there.
There is the story of the student who told his master that focusing on the breath was boring. The master grabbed him by the arm and drug him over to a fountain where he then held the student’s head under the water for a short amount of time. He then let go of the student and the student took his head out of the water, gasping and coughing. “Now then, do you still find the breath boring?” asked the master.
Yet despite our usual indifference, it remains with us. When we learn to pay attention to it, it can help us so much. It can steady us. It can make us feel wonderful. When we learn meditation, we learn to pay attention to it. We can also watch it when we are not meditating. Fall in love with it. If you are paying attention to it, your mind does not have the time to wander. It helps us maintain our mindfulness to what is in front of us now.
Fascinating how such a simple thing can do so much for us. Breathe in, breathe out. Watch and learn. What a wonderful gift! Stop taking your life for granted. Tomorrow does not necessarily have our name written on it. Breathe in peace for when the moment comes that you depart, you shall be at ease. Your last breath will find you serene and one with the universe.
