Preksha Dhyana Perception of Breathing

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

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But when the emotions are strong, perception is contaminated and coloured. When this happens, mental activity is diverted from perception to conceptual thinking and the mind begins to wander into the labyrinths of logic and inference. A priori logic is not accepted as an infallible instrument for realization of truth. Realization of truth needs application of pure consciousness, which is concomitant with pure perceptual cognition. Svāsaprekşā is the first step in this direction. Progress in right direction follows till one reaches the goal. Svāsa-prekṣā is the step in the right direction of realization of truth.
In other words, śvāsa-prekşā is the process of pure perceptual cognition, where conception vanishes and perception reigns supreme. The mind cannot be engaged in both conception and perception at the same time. Thus as soon as the concentration of perception begins, conceptual activity recedes and the mind ultimately steadies itself in perception only.
Svāsa-prekķā is, therefore, an instrument of developing the basic qualities of consciousness. Normally when we are engaged in perception through our sense-organs, emotional likes and dislikes are concomitant with it. Mental attachment or aversion towards the object of perception follows. For instance, as soon as we smell something, a mental analysis of the smell into good smell or bad smell also occurs followed by likes or dislikes. Pure perceptional cognition is one in which smell is just smell without the element of likes or dislikes attached to it.
In the practice of śvāsa-prekṣā, the conscious mind is fully coupled with breath, i.e. there is full awareness of each breath. Awareness of breath does not need any thinking, and in fact, the mind is not engaged in thought but fully engaged in perception of breath. Thus it is a practice of pure perception. Besides, it also develops the concentration of mind.
Energy Generation
When we practise dirgha-śvāsa-prekṣā, our breathing is complete and scientific, which means that we are tapping the
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