The Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, a text of the Kashmir Shaiva tradition, is framed as a conversation in which Parvati asks Shiva about the nature of reality. Instead of a philosophical answer, Shiva offers 112 dharanas — ways of focusing attention — through which reality can be directly experienced.
Many of them are strikingly simple. One of the first concerns the breath.
The practice: the pause between breaths
- Settle. Sit comfortably. Let your eyes close or rest your gaze softly on the floor.
- Follow the breath. Without changing it, notice the in-breath and the out-breath. Feel the air at the nostrils.
- Notice the turning points. At the end of each in-breath there is a natural pause before the out-breath begins; at the end of the out-breath, another pause. Rest your attention lightly in these pauses.
- Don't hold. Do not lengthen the pause on purpose. Simply notice it when it comes.
- Return. When the mind wanders — it will — gently come back to the next breath.
Practise for five minutes. With time, the pauses may feel spacious, like a still lake between two waves.
Bringing it into the day
Once familiar, you can return to the practice for just three breaths: at a traffic signal, before a meeting, before answering the phone. These short returns are often where the practice becomes most useful.
If breathing practices cause discomfort, anxiety or dizziness, stop and breathe normally; and consult a qualified teacher or health professional if you have a medical condition.