Mindfulness of Breathing

             Anapanasati meditation is a mindfullness exercise through breathing . Consisting of 16 steps. it follows kaya (relation between breathing and the body). vedana (mental formations). citta (characters of mind). dhamma (Impermanence relinquishing of lust, end of suffering) or commonly referred to as satipatthana (four frames of reference).

• Step 1 Put all your attention into breathing deeply for each   inhale and exhale
• Step 2 Concentrate on shallower breathing for each inhale and exhale
• Step 3 Observe how respiration is interconnected with the body-when the breath is coarse, the body feels coarse, and when the breath is subtle, the body feels subtle. Try to see clearly how the body sensations are related to the breath.
• Step 4 Try to make the breath softer and subtler until it is almost hard to feel. When this happens, the body sensations will become subtle and you will feel more peaceful. There four steps make up the meditation of kayanupassana-satipatthana. which means contemplation of the body or physical phenomena. In this case, the meditation object is the breath, and the practice helps you gain mastery over the way the breath and body influence each other.
• Step 5 This step builds upon step 4. Once you can successfully limit the breath until you gain concentration, or possibly attain absorption states (jhana) . It is importance to pay attention to two mind states. These are joy (piti) and bliss (sukha). Both ear effect of successfull practice of step 4. Now, pay attention to the joy. With each inhale and exhale, thoroughy observe how it feels.
• Step 6 Switch the object of attention from joy to bliss, as they go hand in hand. Observe the bliss as you  inhale and exhale.
• Step 7  Try to observe how joy and bliss are merely sensations (vedana). Which lead to reactions of craving and aversion. How is the mind conditioned to react to sensations with craving and aversion ? Observe everything carefully and thoroughly so that you may realize the truth from within.
• Step 8 Try not to react to the pleasant and unpleasant sensations, until there is no more reaction. The mind become free from fabrications (sankara) and becomes still and peaceful. The four steps obove-medtation on joy, bliss, the reactions to sensations, and lettig go of reactions-make up the meditation of Vedananupassana-satipatthana, as attention is paid to the sensations (vadana) in different ways.
• Step 9 Pay attention to the mind states. Try to see how the -mind is in each moment-is it full of lustful passion (raga) or is it free from craving ? is the mind full of aversion (dasa) ? Is there any irritation ? Are there any reactions to pleasant or unpleasant sensations ? Be aware of the characteristics of the mind with each inhale and exhale.
• Step 10 Keep the state of mind under your control. Maintain the mind in a state of joy and satisfaction. Let the mind delight in Dhamma with each inhale and exhale.
• Step 11 Keep the mental activities under your control. Maintain the mind in a stable state of stillness for as long as you wish.
• Step 12 Pay attention to your ability to free the mind from mental disturbance. When there is irritation,  stress, or any tension in the mind , let go of the disturbance, Steps 9 to 12 all involve the mind (citta) and fall under the practice of Cittanupassana-satipatthana, or contemplation of mind and consciousness.
• Step 13 Pay attention to the impermanence of all phenomena, especially the sensations that you are feeling. Be mindful of the physical body and its actions, such as respiration, as well as all the changes in the mind. With every inhale and exhale, try to realize that every thing is impermanent.
• Step 14 This step build upon step 13. Once you develop enough awareness of impermanence, the mind will start letting go of attachments. With each inhale and exhale, pay attention to how the mental defilements (kilesa) get dissolved.
• Step 15 Be aware of how suffering is being extinguished. the fading away of lust and passion is called viraga . When this happens, suffering gets eliminated. Pay attention to this dissolution or suffering.
• Step 16 Pay attention to how the attachments to notions of self are being cast off. This letting go is called patinissagga. It is as if you were a thief that once stole things from nature to keep in your possession, holding them as 'mine' or 'my self'. However, once you attain the highest awareness and extinguish all suffering, those possession are returned to nature, the true owner. There is nothing left for to call 'me' or 'mine'. Realize this with every inhale and exhale. These last steps are called Dhammanupassana-satipatthana, or contempiation of Dhamma, which includes impermanence, letting go of control, the extinguishing of suffering, and returned to nature.

The 16 Step of Anapanasati are a brief outlline of the practice of mindfulness, taken from Buddhadasa Bhikkhu's Dhammakasana book series : "Paramadhamma Epilogue". Page 574-588

By : Nibbana (Pocket guide)