Most of us do not think about it. It is a mundane exercise, performed by us 24/7. Now my dear ones, I am going to startle and shock you. There is a pause between our inhalation and exhalation and after. What is this pause? Can you account for it? It has gone forever from our lives.

You are thinking that this is a ridiculous subject but in that second, we accumulate impressions and samskaras. I am aware that most of us have never considered this missing moment in our lives. Watch your breath in each and every action. It does not matter what task one is attempting or accomplishing.

How much of what we do is genuinely productive and then the tasks which are negligible arise from tamo guna (sloth, laziness)? There are many of us who waste our whole life with negligence and wasteful behavior and actions.

Abhinavagupta was a philosopher and ascetic. He was a tantrik master and was active 980—1020C in the Kashmir Valley. He is an authority on Kashmir Saivism and Saiva tantra. He also wrote a commentary on the Bhagawad Gita. He describes in a sloka the pain of the missing moment.

Ayush kshana eko pi
Sarva-ratnairna lavhyate.

One breath is gone, you have exhaled and now you are inhaling. While exhaling you were not aware of watching your breath and that is one kshana ‘one moment’ of your life. Sarvva-ratinairana, if you will try and spend all your money to get the moment back it will never come.

Extracted from Bhagavad Gita in the Light of Kashmir Shaivism as revealed by Lakshman Joo.

Aim Hrim Klim