Question
My Zen teacher, a former student of Master Deshimuru, tells me to have long slow exhalations and short quick inhalations, but I have read other zazen “manuals”, inluding one by Temple Antaiji, that you should just let the breath be natural. What is the difference between letting the breath be as it is and forcing the breath to breath long exhalations and which one should I do?
Gassho
Anonymous
Answer from Master Kosen
For beginners I would tell them to breathe normally and quietly. In the ancient times breathing was not taught to beginners to avoid having them polarizing exclusively on it instead of concentrating on their posture.
With practice, gently, it comes then that the practioners may spend more attention to exhaling, long breathing out observing it. The observation of the breathing is an important way to go deeply in your body, and of course also in your mind. But that requires some practice. It should come normally and in my perception one should not force it, especially at the beginning.
I would say go for a gentle breathing, naturally and unconsciously it will get longer at the same time as your body-mind quiets down.
One should not always take the rules of somebody else, you have to be intimous with yourself, feel your breathing, find your own way.
Kosen