user4836: i've been trying to practice following the whole length of the in-breath and the whole length of the out-breath, and i can see that my attention often slips between the breaths. Any thoughts on what to focus on between two breaths?
Grateful for help and with kind regards,
Tord

user5850: Try to focus on anything that arises in that moment. Is it waiting for something? Then say "Waiting, Waiting". If it's a feeling (of peace, impatience, longing or something else), you could say "feeling,feeling" or the name of that specific emotion. If a thought appear, say "thinking, thinking". Just be aware of what happens then and there.

user295: You should have the analyse the breath in parts:

Start of the in breath
acceleration of the in breath
peak of the in breath
deceleration of the in breath
end of the in breath
start of the momentarily gap
review if the mind wondered away
effort and determination to keep focus (no verbalisation or visualisation)
end of the momentary gap
Cycle starts again for the out breath
Continue from the start again

When micro analysing it does not wonder away. Then this will at some time become natural in which case you drop reviewing and determination and just watch the process. But when you start each session it is good to have reviewing and determination for sometime before dropping it regardless of how second nature staying with the breath has become.
When your mind wonders away and your mindfulness and equanimity has lapsed you have started creating verbal fabrications. Anchoring the mind is to stop creating verbal fabrications. When new fabrications are created there will always be some sensation associated with it (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral). When you realise that your mindfulness has lapsed, 1st realise it, examine your body and mind staying with the sensation with equanimity for a short while (few breaths) or until the tenseness has gone (at later stages this happens instantly - when you look at fabrications the fabrications pass away), which ever comes sooner, then return to the breath.

user6994: I would advise labeling the in and out-breath by using the same name (for instance just 'breath'). In time, you will be able to observe the whole in and out-breath, including the moment in between, as a whole, in the same way you are able to see (quiet naturally) someone's body as a whole although it is made of parts.
I would advise against the counting of the breath, but if you do count, rather count the in and out breath as one [of the same cycle]. The in-between is in-between two moments of the same cycle of breath. Maybe see it as such.

4836: <p>i've been trying to practice following the whole length of the in-breath and the whole length of the out-breath, and i can see that my attention often slips between the breaths. Any thoughts on what to focus on between two breaths?</p>

<p>Grateful for help and with kind regards,
Tord</p>
 5850: <p>Try to focus on anything that arises in that moment. Is it waiting for something? Then say "Waiting, Waiting". If it's a feeling (of peace, impatience, longing or something else), you could say "feeling,feeling" or the name of that specific emotion. If a thought appear, say "thinking, thinking". Just be aware of what happens then and there.</p>
 295: <p>You should have the analyse the breath in parts:</p>

<ul>
<li>Start of the in breath</li>
<li>acceleration of the in breath</li>
<li>peak of the in breath</li>
<li>deceleration of the in breath</li>
<li>end of the in breath</li>
<li><em>start of the momentarily gap</em></li>
<li><strong>review if the mind wondered away</strong></li>
<li><strong>effort and determination to keep focus (no verbalisation or visualisation)</strong></li>
<li><em>end of the momentary gap</em></li>
<li>Cycle starts again for the out breath</li>
<li>Continue from the start again</li>
</ul>

<p>When micro analysing it does not wonder away. Then this will at some time become natural in which case you drop <em>reviewing and determination</em> and just watch the process. But when you start each session it is good to have <em>reviewing and determination</em> for sometime before dropping it regardless of how second nature staying with the breath has become.</p>

<p>When your mind wonders away and your mindfulness and equanimity has lapsed you have started creating verbal fabrications. Anchoring the mind is to stop creating verbal fabrications. When new fabrications are created there will always be some sensation associated with it (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral). When you realise that your mindfulness has lapsed, 1st realise it, examine your body and mind staying with the sensation with equanimity for a short while (few breaths) or until the tenseness has gone (at later stages this happens instantly - when you look at fabrications the fabrications pass away), which ever comes sooner, then return to the breath.</p>
 6994: <p>I would advise labeling the in and out-breath by using the same name (for instance just 'breath'). In time, you will be able to observe the whole in and out-breath, including the moment in between, as a whole, in the same way you are able to see (quiet naturally) someone's body as a whole although it is made of parts.</p>

<p>I would advise against the counting of the breath, but if you do count, rather count the in and out breath as one [of the same cycle]. The in-between is in-between two moments of the same cycle of breath. Maybe see it as such.</p>
