[AmfitNom]

...then I get bored...and I don't seem to be making any progress and it gets me frustrated. Has anyone else ever had problems like this starting out?

hi White Wolf

generally everyone has these problems when starting out. even if the mind stays with the breathing, it can get bored. the task is to be with whatever arises; without judging or grasping it. but a point can come when the boredom dissolves. when this occurs, mindfulness of breathing mediation will bring a refreshing peace

I'm not sure if its a sign of progress or not. I managed to focus my thoughts on my breathing for several seconds at once, which was an improvement. I noticed that as I was doing this I started naturally taking deeper longer breaths. Then the weird stuff began. I started feeling lightheaded and felt a uncomfortable feeling in my chest it almost felt like I couldn't breathe, but of course I could. It was strange

imo, these are signs of progress

1. the breathing becoming longer is a sign of progress

2. feeling lightheaded is also a sign of progress (but also a sign of unbalanced effort, i.e., some over-exertion with deeper breathing)

3. uncomfortable feeling in your chest is probably also a sign of progress, i.e., conscious breath entering into a dormant stress formation

our bodies have stress/emotion formations stored within them. when practising mindfulness of breathing, the conscious breath penetrates into these hidden stress/emotion formations, in order to cleanse/purify them, in exactly same way breath breathes in clean oxygen into the body and breathes out toxins of carbon dioxide out of the body

best wishes

BREATHING AWAY EMOTIONS

To summarize these first steps: it is possible to regulate, control, limit and manage the emotions by using the breath. We can make the emotions correct, useful and beneficial through the breath. Through our knowledge of the breath we develop the ability to control the breath itself. If we can train the breathing then we can control the emotions, that is, cope with the happiness and pain of our lives. Practice until you can feel this. Your practice is not complete if you cannot see this clearly.

When you are sitting in meditation and a mosquito bites you, you develop an emotion. How can you get rid of it? The way to drive it away is to improve the breath. Make it long, make it fine, make it chase that emotion away. This is the best way to solve the problems. This is another example of the beneficial knowledge and abilities that we are training.

Anapanasati: Unveiling the Secrets of Life