Relax in the Grasping

It is by the power of breath that the animals search for their food, through breath they perceive what they must eat, what they must not eat, through breath the carnivorous animals search for their prey. It is through breath that certain animals receive warning of dangers and again it is through the breath that some animals, when ill, find their remedy. If the lower creation can do so much by the power of breath, how much more can man do, if he only knows the right way of the development of breath! It is through the breath that birds receive warnings of the changes of the weather, and accordingly they migrate in flocks from one place to another. Through the breath the herds of deer perceive approaching storms or changes of weather or the approach of a lion or a tiger. Man, who is more capable of perceiving by breath still deeper things, warnings and calls from the earth and from heaven, which places are meant for him to dwell in or to settle in, of discriminating between friend and foe and discerning their pleasure and displeasure, owing to his interest in the superficial things of life cannot fully benefit by the power of breath.

Yogis and Sufis, therefore, and all students of the inner cult, believe that breath is the means of receiving all intuitive knowledge from every direction of life. Absorbed in a thousand things of daily life man gives very little thought to breath. Therefore he keeps his heart closed to all the revelation that can be received by the help of breath. Man as a rule is never conscious of his breath, of its rhythm, of its development, except at the time when he is so tired that he is breathless, or when he is so excited that he feels choked up, or when something keeps the breath from flowing. For a Sufi it is desirable to be conscious of every breath. In the schools of the Sufis in the East the members of a certain association take up as their duty to remind the whole assembly of the same. So one after another, in turn, takes it up as a duty. They call aloud 'Hosh bar dam,' meaning 'Keep conscious of the breath,' 'Nazar bar qadam'; this sentence is added when the Sufis are walking, and means, ''Look down and see whose feet are these that are walking.'

- Hazrat Inayat Khan


Today, I would like to share a Buddhist practice that I have used for more than 10 years. It is one of the few that has influenced me, since most of my personal experience is grounded in Sufism and Christian mysticism. In 1997, Sogyal Rinpoche (a Tibetan Buddhist teacher) and Patrick Gaffney, gave a talk in Kirchheim, Germany that was focused on this Buddhist technique. The session was introduced as follows:

Whether we experience happiness or unhappiness depends entirely upon the habits of our mind. If we continually struggle with the negative aspect of situations, we attract unhappiness and happiness will never get a chance. If we put the blame on external obstacles and circumstances alone, then pain, suffering, negative karma, and aggression will spread without end.

Instead, it is essential to realize that whether we experience events and circumstances in our life as pleasant or unpleasant depends entirely upon how our mind perceives them. By developing the habit of generating only appreciation for difficulties when they arise and making every effort to train ourselves in seeing them as something valuable, it is possible to bring peace and happiness to our mind. The teachings say that to become invincible in the face of obstacles, enemies, illness or harmful forces does not mean that we can drive them all away and they never occur again, but that they are not able to function as obstacles to our pursuit of happiness and enlightenment. This is the whole point of the practice: to relax and stop grasping, and to change our mind.

Let me call attention to part of the last sentence – to relax and stop grasping. This is the key. Changing the mind, which can be quite a task, is easier if we are able to do this. Like many teachings in mysticism, this is so simple, but at the onset not that easy to implement due to conditioning and our lack of vision and guidance. Essential to this practice is the breath and almost every path has teachings on the breath. But what does it really mean to breathe? How can one learn to breathe fully?

The breath is our connection with the more subtle aspect of reality. It is the link to our inner being. In the Bible it is said that it was the Divine Breath that brought Adam to life and many spiritual traditions enumerate that it is with the last breath that spirit departs from the body. Every impulse of one’s will, one’s heart is first made manifest on the breath. Many of the great wisdom traditions teach initiates how to purity their breath. For many neophytes, a basic teaching is learning awareness of one’s breath and bringing thoughts back to the breath when they stray.

Purifying the breath, giving it depth and dimension, giving it power and giving it direction takes a great deal of mastery. This is a basic science that many inner schools teach, be it directly or indirectly. At the extremes, the human condition can often be compared to a tiny vessel violently trashing on a stormy ocean, or one that is floating on a calm sea basking in the soft light of dawn. Indeed, it takes great skill to navigate through the storms of life. But the blessing trully comes when one realizes that staying afloat is in your hands and that you don’t only have control of the vessel but that you also have control of the sea. Unfortunately, not many are aware of the breath, much less the power behind it.

Relax and stop grasping – Recognize that you are responsible for your condition.

This practice is useless if one does not realize that in them is the power to influence and manage the quality of every inhale and exhale. The magic of the mystic path is about learning to take responsibility and that starts with the self. In the Koran, it is said he who knows himself knows his lord. Become conscious therefore of the fact that with every single breath we play an important role in defining who we are. With each breath we are recreated. One’s spiritual attainment can be measured by the quality of the breath.

Relax and stop grasping – Focus your thoughts, focus your energy.

Practice mindfulness of breath. Bring your thoughts back to the breath. Don’t get caught in the whirlwinds of your mind. Realize that it is by your own inner power that turmoil and negativity can exist within you. You have the ability to fan the flames and you also have the ability to direct your light elsewhere. Bringing your thoughts back to the breath can set you free from the conditioning of your mind. Center your very being on breathing. If thoughts bubble up, don’t fight them. Resisting a thought only give it power, just let each thought gently fade while you bring your attention back to the breath.

Relax and stop grasping – Breathe peace into your being.

Relax, let go, stop grasping. Listen to your body. Transport your awareness to those points where you feel tension, be it in the solar plexus, the heart or the head. Where are you grasping? What are you holding on to? Bring your attention to this point and breathe. Slowly let go and feel calm and relaxation manifest in that part of your being as you let go of any anxiety you might be feeling. Recognize that it is only you who has control of this process. It is your negative thoughts and emotions converging on these points that cause the stress and pain you might be feeling.

Relax and stop grasping – Change your mind.

Redirect the current of your thoughts. Let go of judgment and dissolve being attached to certain outcomes. Sometimes it is necessary to stop trying to understand and allow a space for mystery to unfold. Imagine your worries being released. A situation becomes clearer and can be easier to deal with when one is in a more positive state. Don’t see your condition as insurmountable and appreciate that everything is passing.

Relax and stop grasping – Give the heart space to breathe.

Allow your feelings to surface in the openness you have just created. If your heart feels lonely, hurt or sad, do not fight it but experience your feelings from this calm, open space. Give your heart the opportunity to expand. Give it the ability to accommodate your experiences. The heart is an instrument of joy. It is designed to love and love starts with the self.

This is a practice one grows with and grows into. With time one derives more and more benefit from it. Like many spiritual practices, the goal is that ones very being becomes the practice.