<p>Try to focus on anything that arises in that moment. Is it waiting for something? Then say "Waiting, Waiting". If it's a feeling (of peace, impatience, longing or something else), you could say "feeling,feeling" or the name of that specific emotion. If a thought appear, say "thinking, thinking". Just be aware of what happens then and there.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-07T11:39:44.740Z
2015-10-07T11:39:44.740Z
Anca
<p>You should have the analyse the breath in parts:</p>

<ul>
<li>Start of the in breath</li>
<li>acceleration of the in breath</li>
<li>peak of the in breath</li>
<li>deceleration of the in breath</li>
<li>end of the in breath</li>
<li><em>start of the momentarily gap</em></li>
<li><strong>review if the mind wondered away</strong></li>
<li><strong>effort and determination to keep focus (no verbalisation or visualisation)</strong></li>
<li><em>end of the momentary gap</em></li>
<li>Cycle starts again for the out breath</li>
<li>Continue from the start again</li>
</ul>

<p>When micro analysing it does not wonder away. Then this will at some time become natural in which case you drop <em>reviewing and determination</em> and just watch the process. But when you start each session it is good to have <em>reviewing and determination</em> for sometime before dropping it regardless of how second nature staying with the breath has become.</p>

<p>When your mind wonders away and your mindfulness and equanimity has lapsed you have started creating verbal fabrications. Anchoring the mind is to stop creating verbal fabrications. When new fabrications are created there will always be some sensation associated with it (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral). When you realise that your mindfulness has lapsed, 1st realise it, examine your body and mind staying with the sensation with equanimity for a short while (few breaths) or until the tenseness has gone (at later stages this happens instantly - when you look at fabrications the fabrications pass away), which ever comes sooner, then return to the breath.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-10T03:24:07.583Z
2015-10-10T12:31:01.177Z
2015-10-10T12:31:01.177Z
Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
<p>Try to focus on movement of air in breathing in and out.Feel the air in and out this helps you from diverting and thinking.your thinking slowly stops concentrating on breath helps.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-08T03:06:49.380Z
Welcome to Buddhism SE!. The OP is asking specifically about what to focus on between breaths, so the moment when one does not breath in or out.
THelper
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-07T17:18:35.817Z
2015-10-07T17:18:35.817Z
user7075
<p>Depend on the method of breath there are various practitioners. for ex. 'Pranayama' in hindu style for health, Buddhist use 'Samatha' is for calm and 'Vipassana' for insight. </p>

<p>In 'Samatha' there are five(or 4) stages of ruupa jhaana and four of aruupa jhaana.  </p>

<p>For  'Vipassana' the stages are shown in
Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Book of the Tens - <a href="https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.60" rel="nofollow">60 Girimānanda</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s
  Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Now on that occasion the Venerable
  Girimānanda was sick, afflicted, and gravely ill. Then the Venerable
  Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one
  side, and said to him:</p>
  
  <p>“Bhante, the Venerable Girimānanda is sick, afflicted, and gravely
  ill. It would be good if the Blessed One would visit him out of
  compassion.”</p>
  
  <p>“If, Ānanda, you visit the bhikkhu Girimānanda and speak to him about
  <strong>ten perceptions</strong>, it is possible that on hearing about them his
  affliction will immediately subside. What are the ten?</p>
  
  <p>“(1) The perception of impermanence, (2) the perception of non-self,
  (3) the perception of unattractiveness, (4) the perception of danger,
  (5) the perception of abandoning, (6) the perception of dispassion,
  (7) the perception of cessation, (8) the perception of non-delight in
  the entire world, (9) the perception of impermanence in all
  conditioned phenomena, and <strong>(10) mindfulness of breathing</strong>.</p>
  
  <p>(Pali: Katamā dasa? Aniccasaññā, anattasaññā, asubhasaññā, ādīnavasaññā,
  pahānasaññā, virāgasaññā, nirodhasaññā, sabbaloke anabhi­rata­saññā,
  sabba­saṅ­khā­resu anicchāsaññā, <strong>ānāpānassati</strong>.....)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>According the sutta before starting ānāpānassati(mindfulness of breathing) meditation, one should develop other 9 perceptions.</p>

<p>For ex. nirodhasaññā (the perception of cessation)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>( ‘etaṃ santaṃ etaṃ paṇītaṃ yadidaṃ sabba­saṅ­khā­ra­sama­tho sab­būpadhip­paṭi­nissaggo taṇhākkhayo nirodho nibbānan’ti)<br>
  ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is,
  the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all
  acquisitions, the destruction of craving, cessation, nibbāna.’ </p>
</blockquote>

<p>So these are the '<strong>perceptions</strong>' that to focus on <strong>between two breaths</strong>.</p>

<p>(But practically to 'vipassana samapaththi' those perceptions already  gains. so let quit the breath. Do not try to control, let it gone. If the vipassana perceptions are not developed enough strength, one can fell to sleep. Better to have find a experience teacher.)</p>

<p>The detail stages in developing as follows</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>(10) “And what, Ānanda, is mindfulness of breathing? Here, a bhikkhu,
  having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut,
  sits down. Having folded his legs crosswise, straightened his body,
  and established mindfulness in front of him, just mindful he breathes
  in, mindful he breathes out.</p>
  
  <p>“Breathing in long, he knows: ‘I breathe in long’; or breathing out
  long, he knows: ‘I breathe out long.’ Breathing in short, he knows: ‘I
  breathe in short’; or breathing out short, he knows: ‘I breathe out
  short.’ He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe
  in’; he trains thus: ‘Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe
  out.’ He trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the bodily activity, I will
  breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the bodily activity, I
  will breathe out.’</p>
  
  <p>“He trains thus: ‘Experiencing rapture, I will breathe in’; he trains
  thus: ‘Experiencing rapture, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus:
  ‘Experiencing happiness, I will breathe in’; he trains thus:
  ‘Experiencing happiness, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus:
  ‘Experiencing the mental activity, I will breathe in’; he trains thus:
  ‘Experiencing the mental activity, I will breathe out.’ He trains
  thus: ‘Tranquilizing the mental activity, I will breathe in’; he
  trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the mental activity, I will breathe out.’</p>
  
  <p>“He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the mind, I will breathe in’; he trains
  thus: ‘Experiencing the mind, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus:
  ‘Gladdening the mind, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Gladdening
  the mind, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Concentrating the
  mind, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Concentrating the mind, I
  will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Liberating the mind, I will
  breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Liberating the mind, I will breathe
  out.’</p>
  
  <p>“He trains thus: ‘Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe in’; he
  trains thus: ‘Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe out.’ He
  trains thus: ‘Contemplating fading away, I will breathe in’; he trains
  thus: ‘Contemplating fading away, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus:
  ‘Contemplating cessation, I will breathe in’; he trains thus:
  ‘Contemplating cessation, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus:
  ‘Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe in’; he trains thus:
  ‘Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe out.’</p>
  
  <p>“This is called mindfulness of breathing.</p>
  
  <p>“If, Ānanda, you visit the bhikkhu Girimānanda and speak to him about
  these ten perceptions, it is possible that on hearing about them he
  will immediately recover from his affliction.”</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-10T01:37:45.230Z
2015-10-10T14:47:02.977Z
2015-10-10T14:47:02.977Z
Shrawaka
<p>I would advise labeling the in and out-breath by using the same name (for instance just 'breath'). In time, you will be able to observe the whole in and out-breath, including the moment in between, as a whole, in the same way you are able to see (quiet naturally) someone's body as a whole although it is made of parts.</p>

<p>I would advise against the counting of the breath, but if you do count, rather count the in and out breath as one [of the same cycle]. The in-between is in-between two moments of the same cycle of breath. Maybe see it as such.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-07T11:54:12.823Z
2015-10-07T11:54:12.823Z
Tenzin Dorje
<p>i've been trying to practice following the whole length of the in-breath and the whole length of the out-breath, and i can see that my attention often slips between the breaths. Any thoughts on what to focus on between two breaths?</p>

<p>Grateful for help and with kind regards,
Tord</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-07T15:28:53.797Z
Are you practicing mindfulness of breathing according to a particular tradition? Different traditions would probably advise differeint things.
Bakmoon
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-07T16:35:29.750Z
Yes, thank you for this question, i'm practicing in the Plum Village (Thich Nhat Hanh) tradition. TNH describes the 2nd of the 16 exercises in the Anapanasati sutra like this: "Breathing in, i follow the whole length of my in-breath; Breathing out i follow the whole length of my out-breath"
sunyata
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-09T07:19:54.870Z
16 exercises? no. they are stages. Leeds to Nirvana. Between two breaths.
Shrawaka
<meditation-breath>
What to focus on between breaths
# What to focus on between breaths

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-10-07)

i've been trying to practice following the whole length of the in-breath and the whole length of the out-breath, and i can see that my attention often slips between the breaths. Any thoughts on what to focus on between two breaths?

Grateful for help and with kind regards,
Tord

**Tags:** meditation-breath

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Are you practicing mindfulness of breathing according to a particular tradition? Different traditions would probably advise differeint things.  
> **username_0**: Yes, thank you for this question, i'm practicing in the Plum Village (Thich Nhat Hanh) tradition. TNH describes the 2nd of the 16 exercises in the Anapanasati sutra like this: "Breathing in, i follow the whole length of my in-breath; Breathing out i follow the whole length of my out-breath"  
> **username_2**: 16 exercises? no. they are stages. Leeds to Nirvana. Between two breaths.  

---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_7 on 2015-10-07. Score: 3

I would advise labeling the in and out-breath by using the same name (for instance just 'breath'). In time, you will be able to observe the whole in and out-breath, including the moment in between, as a whole, in the same way you are able to see (quiet naturally) someone's body as a whole although it is made of parts.

I would advise against the counting of the breath, but if you do count, rather count the in and out breath as one [of the same cycle]. The in-between is in-between two moments of the same cycle of breath. Maybe see it as such.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-10-07. Score: 1

Try to focus on anything that arises in that moment. Is it waiting for something? Then say "Waiting, Waiting". If it's a feeling (of peace, impatience, longing or something else), you could say "feeling,feeling" or the name of that specific emotion. If a thought appear, say "thinking, thinking". Just be aware of what happens then and there.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-10-10. Score: 1

You should have the analyse the breath in parts:

* Start of the in breath
* acceleration of the in breath
* peak of the in breath
* deceleration of the in breath
* end of the in breath
* *start of the momentarily gap*
* **review if the mind wondered away**
* **effort and determination to keep focus (no verbalisation or visualisation)**
* *end of the momentary gap*
* Cycle starts again for the out breath
* Continue from the start again

When micro analysing it does not wonder away. Then this will at some time become natural in which case you drop *reviewing and determination* and just watch the process. But when you start each session it is good to have *reviewing and determination* for sometime before dropping it regardless of how second nature staying with the breath has become.

When your mind wonders away and your mindfulness and equanimity has lapsed you have started creating verbal fabrications. Anchoring the mind is to stop creating verbal fabrications. When new fabrications are created there will always be some sensation associated with it (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral). When you realise that your mindfulness has lapsed, 1st realise it, examine your body and mind staying with the sensation with equanimity for a short while (few breaths) or until the tenseness has gone (at later stages this happens instantly - when you look at fabrications the fabrications pass away), which ever comes sooner, then return to the breath.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2015-10-07. Score: 0

Try to focus on movement of air in breathing in and out.Feel the air in and out this helps you from diverting and thinking.your thinking slowly stops concentrating on breath helps.

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: Welcome to Buddhism SE!. The OP is asking specifically about what to focus on between breaths, so the moment when one does not breath in or out.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-10-10. Score: 0

Depend on the method of breath there are various practitioners. for ex. 'Pranayama' in hindu style for health, Buddhist use 'Samatha' is for calm and 'Vipassana' for insight.

In 'Samatha' there are five(or 4) stages of ruupa jhaana and four of aruupa jhaana.

For 'Vipassana' the stages are shown in
Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Book of the Tens - [60 Girimānanda](https://suttacentral.net/en/an10.60)

> On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s
> Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Now on that occasion the Venerable
> Girimānanda was sick, afflicted, and gravely ill. Then the Venerable
> Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one
> side, and said to him:
>
> “Bhante, the Venerable Girimānanda is sick, afflicted, and gravely
> ill. It would be good if the Blessed One would visit him out of
> compassion.”
>
> “If, Ānanda, you visit the bhikkhu Girimānanda and speak to him about
> **ten perceptions**, it is possible that on hearing about them his
> affliction will immediately subside. What are the ten?
>
> “(1) The perception of impermanence, (2) the perception of non-self,
> (3) the perception of unattractiveness, (4) the perception of danger,
> (5) the perception of abandoning, (6) the perception of dispassion,
> (7) the perception of cessation, (8) the perception of non-delight in
> the entire world, (9) the perception of impermanence in all
> conditioned phenomena, and **(10) mindfulness of breathing**.
>
> (Pali: Katamā dasa? Aniccasaññā, anattasaññā, asubhasaññā, ādīnavasaññā,
> pahānasaññā, virāgasaññā, nirodhasaññā, sabbaloke anabhi­rata­saññā,
> sabba­saṅ­khā­resu anicchāsaññā, **ānāpānassati**.....)

According the sutta before starting ānāpānassati(mindfulness of breathing) meditation, one should develop other 9 perceptions.

For ex. nirodhasaññā (the perception of cessation)

> ( ‘etaṃ santaṃ etaṃ paṇītaṃ yadidaṃ sabba­saṅ­khā­ra­sama­tho sab­būpadhip­paṭi­nissaggo taṇhākkhayo nirodho nibbānan’ti)  
> ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is,
> the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all
> acquisitions, the destruction of craving, cessation, nibbāna.’

So these are the '**perceptions**' that to focus on **between two breaths**.

(But practically to 'vipassana samapaththi' those perceptions already gains. so let quit the breath. Do not try to control, let it gone. If the vipassana perceptions are not developed enough strength, one can fell to sleep. Better to have find a experience teacher.)

The detail stages in developing as follows

> (10) “And what, Ānanda, is mindfulness of breathing? Here, a bhikkhu,
> having gone to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut,
> sits down. Having folded his legs crosswise, straightened his body,
> and established mindfulness in front of him, just mindful he breathes
> in, mindful he breathes out.
>
> “Breathing in long, he knows: ‘I breathe in long’; or breathing out
> long, he knows: ‘I breathe out long.’ Breathing in short, he knows: ‘I
> breathe in short’; or breathing out short, he knows: ‘I breathe out
> short.’ He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe
> in’; he trains thus: ‘Experiencing the whole body, I will breathe
> out.’ He trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the bodily activity, I will
> breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the bodily activity, I
> will breathe out.’
>
> “He trains thus: ‘Experiencing rapture, I will breathe in’; he trains
> thus: ‘Experiencing rapture, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus:
> ‘Experiencing happiness, I will breathe in’; he trains thus:
> ‘Experiencing happiness, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus:
> ‘Experiencing the mental activity, I will breathe in’; he trains thus:
> ‘Experiencing the mental activity, I will breathe out.’ He trains
> thus: ‘Tranquilizing the mental activity, I will breathe in’; he
> trains thus: ‘Tranquilizing the mental activity, I will breathe out.’
>
> “He trains thus: ‘Experiencing the mind, I will breathe in’; he trains
> thus: ‘Experiencing the mind, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus:
> ‘Gladdening the mind, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Gladdening
> the mind, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Concentrating the
> mind, I will breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Concentrating the mind, I
> will breathe out.’ He trains thus: ‘Liberating the mind, I will
> breathe in’; he trains thus: ‘Liberating the mind, I will breathe
> out.’
>
> “He trains thus: ‘Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe in’; he
> trains thus: ‘Contemplating impermanence, I will breathe out.’ He
> trains thus: ‘Contemplating fading away, I will breathe in’; he trains
> thus: ‘Contemplating fading away, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus:
> ‘Contemplating cessation, I will breathe in’; he trains thus:
> ‘Contemplating cessation, I will breathe out.’ He trains thus:
> ‘Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe in’; he trains thus:
> ‘Contemplating relinquishment, I will breathe out.’
>
> “This is called mindfulness of breathing.
>
> “If, Ānanda, you visit the bhikkhu Girimānanda and speak to him about
> these ten perceptions, it is possible that on hearing about them he
> will immediately recover from his affliction.”


---

