Going breathless in meditation

Question

I am curious about "going breathless." Is this something that one has to strive for consciously, or does it just happen as one gets deeper into the practice? Is the breathless state an out-of-body experience? Is it the same as samadhi?

—Diderik Finne, USA

Answer

Going breathless is certainly an experience that happens as one goes deeper in meditation.

The word “striving” sometimes carries with it an emphasis of tension so it might be better to think of being dynamically open to breathlessness. But it’s also important not to be passive. Try to be “dynamically relaxed” – this will draw you deeper within.

Breathlessness doesn’t necessarily mean an out-of-body experience although you may well leave behind the realms of time and space.

Samadhi is an even deeper state in which one feels oneness with the universe without separation. Breathlessness is a step in that direction.

In divine friendship,
Nayaswami Pranaba