In most contemplative traditions, the breath serves as the primary meditation anchor — not because breathing is inherently meditative, but because it's always available, always changing, and always connected to your current state. By watching the breath, you watch the mind. By regulating the breath, you regulate the mind. This is why breath awareness is typically the first meditation technique taught and the last one mastered.
For beginners, start with coherence breathing (inhale 5, exhale 5) for the first 3-5 minutes of meditation. This structured breathing gives the restless mind something to do while establishing a physiological state conducive to meditation (high parasympathetic tone, optimal heart rate variability). After 3-5 minutes, release the structure and simply observe natural breathing — notice the inhale, the exhale, the pause between them. When the mind wanders, return attention to the breath without judgment.
For experienced meditators, breathing exercises can deepen practice: (1) Progressive breathing — start at a 4-4 count and gradually lengthen to 6-6, 8-8, letting each extension naturally slow the mind. (2) Breath counting — count exhales from 1 to 10, then restart; if you lose count, start over. This is deceptively difficult and builds extraordinary concentration. (3) Kumbhaka (breath retention) — after the inhale, hold for 4-8 counts before exhaling. The stillness during retention mirrors the stillness meditation aims to cultivate.