Session Three: How Can I Understand My Mind During Meditation?
“Breathing in, I am aware of the activity of my mind. Breathing out, I am aware of the activity of my mind.”
— Ānāpānasati Sutta
If you have practised the first two sessions, you may have noticed that your breathing settles more quickly than when you first began. Your body relaxes, your feelings become clearer, and moments of stillness appear more naturally.
Now the Buddha gently turns our attention towards the mind itself.
For many beginners this can seem the most difficult part of meditation. We often imagine that success means having no thoughts at all.
That has never been my experience.
Over many years of practice I have discovered that meditation is not about fighting the mind. It is about understanding it.
Thoughts arise.
Memories appear.
Plans, worries and distractions come and go.
The practice is not to stop them, but to notice them with kindness and then gently return to the breath.
Little by little we begin to understand how our mind works.
This understanding is the beginning of wisdom.
Before you begin
Sit comfortably in a quiet place.
Take a few moments to settle into the breath.
Know that you are breathing.
Notice whether your breathing is long or short.
Become aware of your whole body.
Allow it to soften.
Then gently reconnect with the joy, happiness and feelings explored in Session Two.
When you feel settled, allow today’s practice to unfold naturally.
Today’s Four Breaths
9. Becoming Aware of the Mind
Breathing in, I am aware of the activity of my mind.
Breathing out, I am aware of the activity of my mind.
Notice whatever the mind is doing.
Is it calm?
Busy?
Planning?
Remembering?
Dreaming?
Simply observe.
There is no need to criticise yourself.
You are becoming an interested observer rather than a judge.
10. Gladdening the Mind
Breathing in, I make the activity of my mind happy.
Breathing out, I make the activity of my mind happy.
At first this instruction puzzled me.
How can we make the mind happy?
For me, it does not mean pretending everything is wonderful.
Instead, it means gently encouraging qualities such as gratitude, kindness and appreciation.
Sometimes simply recognising that you have paused for ten minutes to care for your own mind is enough.
A grateful mind naturally becomes lighter.
11. Gathering the Mind
Breathing in, I bring right concentration to bear on the activity of my mind.
Breathing out, I bring right concentration to bear on the activity of my mind.
When the mind wanders, patiently return to the breath.
Again.
And again.
Every return strengthens mindfulness.
Concentration is not forced.
It grows naturally through gentle repetition.
Like training a young puppy, firmness is far less effective than patience.
12. Allowing the Mind to Be Free
Breathing in, I liberate the activity of my mind.
Breathing out, I liberate the activity of my mind.
For a few moments, allow the mind to rest.
Not clinging to pleasant thoughts.
Not resisting unpleasant ones.
Simply letting each thought arise and pass away.
Perhaps, for a moment, you glimpse the spaciousness that exists between thoughts.
There is nothing to hold on to.
Nothing to push away.
Only awareness.
One Minute of Stillness
Now release every instruction.
Simply sit.
Breathing naturally.
Watching the mind without interfering.
If thoughts arise, let them come.
If silence appears, let it remain.
A Question to Carry Into Your Day
When my mind wandered today, did I notice it with curiosity rather than frustration?
Each moment of noticing is itself an act of mindfulness.
My Reflection
There was a time when I believed meditation meant achieving a perfectly quiet mind.
I spent far too much energy trying to stop my thoughts.
Eventually I realised that the mind thinks because that is its nature.
The real practice is not to eliminate thinking, but to change our relationship with it.
When I observe my thoughts rather than becoming caught up in them, they lose much of their power.
The breath quietly reminds me that every thought, like every breath, arises and passes away.
Tomorrow, simply return to the breath. The Buddha’s path begins one mindful breath at a time.
A Note on the Mind
The Buddha never asks us to suppress the mind.
Instead, he invites us to understand it.
As mindfulness and concentration deepen, the mind naturally becomes steadier, brighter and more spacious. This is not something we force. It develops gradually through patient and consistent practice.
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