Nefesh Haya
Essential Meditation Technique
Jewish Prophetic Mediation b"h
Steps to 10/5 breathing, mental awareness, and mental vocalizing
1.Breathe in gently through your nose only, taking in a minimal volume of air. Mentally count your breathing, “1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10″ on inhaling, then at the same pace count, “1-2-3-4-5″ on exhaling
There should be no pause or holding of breath in-between inhaling and exhaling. It should be smooth and continuous.
Try to empty your lungs when exhaling. You can take a pause after exhaling. What is important is the count of 10/5 which relates to the numerical value of the letters of the name of G-d which is the foundation of this meditation. (You may spend several weeks just on this practice alone. When you are familiar with it, stay with this for 5-7 breaths, then go to 2.)
2. As you breathe in, be aware of drawing in your “breath” or vital energy from the space around your head, into the head area, filling it completely.
As you breathe out, immediately be aware of this energy flowing from the head into the heart area, filling the heart and then “breathing” it back out into the world through your
heart. (You may spend a number of weeks on this and the previous part. When you are familiar with it, stay with this for 5-7 breaths then go to 3.)
’3. As you begin to do this and the last part, you need to drop the mental counting that has accompanied the breathing so far, and continue doing the breathing on the “feel” of 10/5. This is so that your attention is free to do the following: As you breathe in, mentally be aware of the presence of the letter yud with the kamatz located in the head area. As you breathe out, be aware of the presence of the letter heh with the point in its center, located in the heart.
1.Breathe in gently through your nose only, taking in a minimal volume of air. Mentally count your breathing, “1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10″ on inhaling, then at the same pace count, “1-2-3-4-5″ on exhaling
There should be no pause or holding of breath in-between inhaling and exhaling. It should be smooth and continuous.
Try to empty your lungs when exhaling. You can take a pause after exhaling. What is important is the count of 10/5 which relates to the numerical value of the letters of the name of G-d which is the foundation of this meditation. (You may spend several weeks just on this practice alone. When you are familiar with it, stay with this for 5-7 breaths, then go to 2.)
2. As you breathe in, be aware of drawing in your “breath” or vital energy from the space around your head, into the head area, filling it completely.
As you breathe out, immediately be aware of this energy flowing from the head into the heart area, filling the heart and then “breathing” it back out into the world through your
heart. (You may spend a number of weeks on this and the previous part. When you are familiar with it, stay with this for 5-7 breaths then go to 3.)
’3. As you begin to do this and the last part, you need to drop the mental counting that has accompanied the breathing so far, and continue doing the breathing on the “feel” of 10/5. This is so that your attention is free to do the following: As you breathe in, mentally be aware of the presence of the letter yud with the kamatz located in the head area. As you breathe out, be aware of the presence of the letter heh with the point in its center, located in the heart.
(Heh) (Yud with vowel sign–”kamatz”) Do not attempt to visualize these letters. Just be aware that they actually are in their respective locations.
If they arise in your awareness by themselves, this is good. If they do not arise, this is also fine. (You may spend a number of weeks on this and the previous parts. When you are familiar with it, stay with this for 5-7 breaths then go to 4.) 4. As you inhale, mentally vocalize the sound “yaaaaaa”.
As you exhale, mentally vocalize the sound “hhhhhh”, unifying the two sounds to form one continuous mental calling of the name of G-d that is called “Yud-Kay”. When you have reached this part of the practice, it is complete. Continue with it for 5-10 minutes.
If they arise in your awareness by themselves, this is good. If they do not arise, this is also fine. (You may spend a number of weeks on this and the previous parts. When you are familiar with it, stay with this for 5-7 breaths then go to 4.) 4. As you inhale, mentally vocalize the sound “yaaaaaa”.
As you exhale, mentally vocalize the sound “hhhhhh”, unifying the two sounds to form one continuous mental calling of the name of G-d that is called “Yud-Kay”. When you have reached this part of the practice, it is complete. Continue with it for 5-10 minutes.
