The first exercise of mindful breathing proposed by the Buddha is: "Breathing in, I know I am breathing in. Breathing out, I know I am breathing out." It's simple enough. But the effect of the practice can be very deep. We do not have to make any effort breathing in, because we breathe in and out all day long. So we don't have to struggle to fight in order to breathe in. We just allow ourselves to breathe in and out normally. What we do is to bring our attention to our in-breath. "Breathing in, I know an in-breath is taking place. Breathing out, I know that I am breathing out". So that is to recognise the in-breath and out-breath when they happen.

And if we truly focus our attention on our in-breath, some miracle may happen. Since the only object of our attention is our in-breath, we release everything else. We release all thinking, we release our regret, our sorrow concerning the past, we release the fear and the uncertainty about the future just by focusing our attention on our in-breath. And breathing in like that can just set you free, free from the past, from the future, from your projects. And one in-breath, taken in mindfulness and concentration, can bring us a lot of freedom already. And then you can also enjoy your in-breath. Breathing in is not a hard labor. Breathing in is something that can be very enjoyable. Especially when the air is clean enough, fresh enough, and our nose is free. There is no allergies.

So, "Breathing in, I am aware of my in-breath. Breathing in, I enjoy my in-breath." So happiness is possible already with one in-breath. And happiness is possible because you are free of fear. You are not caught by your sorrow, your regret about the past, your fear and uncertainty about the future. So the practice is the practice of freedom. And freedom brings happiness. And the same thing is true with our out-breath. When we breathe out and we only focus our attention on our out-breath, we remain free. And you can continue like that for five minutes or more.

Whether we are in a sitting position, or lying position, or walking position, we can always practice mindful breathing. Whether we are driving a car or sit on a train, in a train, we can always enjoy our in-breath and out-breath.