Anapanasati: (mindfulness of breathing) an access to insight.

Abstract

Depression let’s talk- WHO is leading a one-year global campaign on depression. Depression comes under psychiatric disorders. According to WHO healthy person definition is health is complete state of physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Vipassana meditation technique is very useful for balancing of mind. Ä€nÄpÄnasati breathing technique is first step of Vipassana. Ä€nÄpÄnasati, the meditation is in-and-out breathing, is the first subject of meditation expounded by the Lord Buddha in the Maha Satipatthana Sutta, the Great Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness. Ä€nÄpÄnasati is a natural object of Samadhi in which a person’s observes his/her breathing as it is for the concentration of mind. This mental aspect is addressed effectively using Ä€nÄpÄnasati. Moral education and Ä€nÄpÄnasati are the foundation of Vipassana meditation technique. As per Maharashtra government rule (G.R) 2012 Ä€nÄpÄnasati meditation practice should be conducted in every school. This path of sÄ«la, samÄdhi, paññÄ, and nibbÄna (morality, concentration, wisdom, and liberation) is absolutely universal, and acceptable to all nationalities. Meditation has been beneficial to large number of adults, while researchers have not focused on studying the impact of meditation on children or adolescents.

Objectives-

Literature review of Ä€nÄpÄnasati (mindfulness of breathing) first step of vipassana meditation.

Methods

The available Classical PÄlÄ« literature Buddhist Literature Vimuttimagga and Visuddhi Magga, Concepts of meditation in Ä€yuvedic literature. Modern research papers regarding Ä€nÄpÄnasati Literature are reviewed.

Conclusions

Experimental studies using Ä€nÄpÄnasati meditation was very much needed for further studies in adolescents.

Key words:  Ä€nÄpÄnasati, meditation, Vipassana, Depression, Vimuttimagga, Mind, Breathing technique.