In meditation, we use breath to focus our attention on the present. Breathing only happens in real time. It always occurs in the here and now. This is what makes it such a powerful vehicle for direct insight. Often, we think of the present moment only as a stepping-stone on our way to some future goal. But actually, life can only be lived in the present, not in the past or in the future. And this present moment is the only place where we can rest.
