[Gem]

There are reasons for breath meditation which are not commonly understood, for the breath is more than a 'focus object', and the purpose is more than concentration/attention span.

The journey of breath meditation is from the hard, solid reality to the subtle, dynamic reality. If we understand that we can be purposeful.

The other aspect of the journey is from ignorance to wisdom through a process of insight into the truth about oneself. For example, the purpose isn't to make the mind go quiet, but rather, to discover how noisy the mind actually is. It isn't to improve concentration and attention span, but to reveal the extent of one's skittishness and distraction. It is to find what is actually going on with oneself.

The meditation practice has to enhance these ends, and that sets the context of the discussion.

Cheers Guys, I look forward to what you will say.