(Om Namo Vipashina Buddha Kevala Kumbhaka Shurangama Samadhi Prajna Paramitayam)

The prerequisite and root practice of meditation to develop wisdom is vowing each day to end selfishness by following an ethical or selfless life. This means the Five Precepts (Namo Yama Pancha Shila) of: 1. No killing [try to be vegetarian or at least to eat meat only as a medicine when the body is too skinny or vata disturbed], 2. No stealing or taking that which is not given, 3. No sexual misconduct or causing your sexual desire to destroy yours or others relationships – preserve your Ojas – Jing Qi (immunity and energy), 4. No lying [also no harsh speech, no profane speech, no gossip or divisive speech, no frivolous speech], 5. No taking drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes. Drugs and intoxicants always harm the mind, intellect, memory and cover over one’s inner wisdom. Everything in cyclic existence, pleasant or unpleasant, is ephemeral and impermanent. Since it is certain that I shall shortly be separated from all these things, why should I crave them? I vow to end the 3 mental poisons: Desire is vata (winds of desire) which causes 80% of all diseases. Anger (hot sharp pitta) causes 15% of all disease; Ignorance (muddled kapha) causes 5% of disease.

Having made such vows, one can then more easily sit comfortably and quietly (if possible cross-legged in half or full lotus position) with palms up and open, placed on the knees, like empty bowls. Better yet is to sit with palms up in the lap with the right hand on top of the left hand and the tips of the thumbs lightly touching. Although not ideal, you may also practice this meditation while lying on the back in “corpse pose” but try not to fall asleep during it. The eyes should be neither wide open nor too far closed, and they should be fixed on the tip of the nose. Set the teeth and lips in their usual, natural positions and touch the tongue to the roof of the mouth, behind the front teeth. Pay attention to the breath. Let the lungs breathe with no effort on your part. Breath is an object of awareness. The movement of breath is the movement of thought. Simply watch the movement of breath. Inhalation and exhalation should not be noisy, forced, or uneven; let it flow effortlessly, ever so gently, without any sense that you are moving it here or there. As you are watching the movement of the breath, pay attention to the tip of the nose. Just be aware of the touch of air going into the nose. Cool air going in, warm air coming out. Sit this way, quietly, observing breath, for about 5 to 10 minutes.

After 5 to 10 minutes, follow the breath. Go with the air into the nose, throat, heart, diaphragm, deep down into the belly behind the belly button, where you will experience a natural stop. Stay in this stop for a fraction of a second, then follow the breath on exhalation, as it reverses its course up from the belly behind the diaphragm, heart, throat, out through the nose and out of the body to about 9" in front of the nose to a second stop.