Breath by Breath: The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation

The book “Secrets of Meditative Breathing” is something more than just another among the many—though even valuable and worthy of respect—commentaries on the ancient Anapanasati-sutra. Using a modern Western vocabulary, Larry reveals the sutra’s innermost essence and practical significance in such a way that it becomes accessible, persuasive, and relevant to anyone seriously refining their personal meditative practice. There are no two identical breaths, and no two identical moments. In each one is our life—in each, infinite depth and completeness. Our task is to fill our life with the awareness of this, in order to overcome the automatic habits of the mind that push us to give up our individuality and turn us into robots. Every person has to taste stillness and follow their own path—breath by breath. To find liberation in every inhale and exhale—that is what Larry calls the reader to. The sutra on full awareness of breathing, describing the very essence of meditative practice, possesses truly inexhaustible depth of meaning. Therefore, it is useful to reread “Secrets of Meditative Breathing” again and again, either in full or in parts, looking for reminders and overlooked instructions concerning the subtleties of meditative practice.