Mindfulness of the Breath is a concentration practice. It helps the mind focus and become more steady. It calms the mind and the body. And it trains the mind to look more deeply at our experience as it arises. As I have mentioned elsewhere, the breath is not the only focal point we can use. It is a good one for the a number of reasons - it is always with us, it’s portable, it happens in the present, you don’t have to believe anything special, it’s close to the seat of our emotions, and no one has to know you’re practicing. But for some people, the breath is not appropriate - if there is a physical condition involving the breath or some trauma that is triggered by the breath. In such cases, using touch points - left hand, right hand, left foot, right foot, seat, left hand, etc. - can be a very effective alternate to the breath.
Concentration is one of two basic forms of mindfulness practice. The other form is open awareness - mindfulness of experience as it arises and passes away without choosing one experience over another. This second form is practice is how we practice when we bring awareness to the changing sensations in the body, to the arising and passing of emotions, and to our stream of thoughts, moods, and mind states. This is as important for practice as the concentration practice as it holds the key to wisdom.
The essential ingredient for both of these forms of practice is kindness towards self and others, compassion, a basic friendliness that doesn’t judge thoughts for arising, bodily sensations for being uncomfortable, unpleasant events from occurring. This doesn’t mean we have to agree or support everything that arises or happens. It means we accept that the experience is happening. We are mindful without pushing away or grasping after these experiences we like or don’t like. And we also pay attention to experiences we don’t understand and/or are confused by.
This basic kindness toward ourselves and others and this acceptance of our own experience is essential to our wholeness.