How to Harmonize Body and Mind to Rapidly Enter the State of Anapanasati

After sitting down, place your palms together and recite "Namo Original Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha" three times. Recite slowly while visualizing the Buddha's light illuminating your entire body. After reciting, calm your mind and then adjust your breathing. If your mind is already relatively calm upon sitting, there is no need to adjust the breath; you may directly enter the meditative state. 

If the mind is initially scattered and restless, making it difficult to observe the breath, first recite the Buddha's name or chant a mantra. When reciting the Buddha's name, use the method of coordinating with the breath. This practice of reciting is essentially adjusting the breath, gradually clearing the energy channels so that the breath can descend to the dantian (lower abdomen). Once the breath descends to the dantian, the mind's focus will also follow it there, or conversely, when the mind's focus moves to the dantian, the breath will follow. At this point, you will feel warmth and heat in the dantian area. With fewer discursive thoughts, it becomes easier to attain samadhi (meditative absorption). When the body quiets down, the mind also quiets down. It is important to note that when reciting the Buddha's name, slow down the speed. Recite slowly; the slower you recite, the better the breath adjusts, and the more concentrated and less scattered the mind becomes. This makes the subsequent contemplation practice effective. 

When taking deep breaths while reciting "Amitabha Buddha," because the recitation is very slow and the concentration is very intense, attaining samadhi happens very quickly. At this stage, discursive thoughts are less likely to arise because all attention is focused on reciting and listening to the Buddha's name. This helps reduce and ultimately cease other discursive thoughts, leaving only the thought of the Buddha's name. When samadhi is attained later through this recitation, the sound of recitation ceases. At this point, both body and mind become still. In this stillness, transfer the mental focus to observing the breath, continuing the contemplation practice of your breathing state. This method aids contemplation. 

Another method to regulate body and mind is to perform deep breathing. The duration of deep breathing should be determined according to individual circumstances. If the body's condition is relatively good, attaining samadhi might occur after one or two breaths, or perhaps three to five. Some individuals may require up to ten breaths. After entering the state, begin observing the breath. Since the breath was already adjusted beforehand, the qi and blood circulation are normal at this point, and the mind can concentrate, allowing entry into contemplation. The specific method of contemplation should follow the contemplation methods and sequential stages described in the Buddhist sutras, proceeding step by step into deeper contemplation. At this stage, during sitting meditation, drowsiness is unlikely to occur because there is a profound object of focus, enabling deep concentration and preventing lethargy.