Ānāpānasati — Foundational Breath Awarenessvipassana theravadaĀnāpānasati asks for nothing but noticing the natural breath at the nostrils — not controlling it, not deepening it, just knowing it is happening. In the Goenka and Pa-Auk sequencing this always precedes body-scan Vipassana proper; skipping it is a common reason long-term practitioners report finding later stages agitating rather than calming. Sit with eyes closed and simply know each in-breath and out-breath as it is, returning gently each time the mind wanders. Traditionally practiced for several days before any other technique is introduced.What it's for

Curious Beginner — This is the practice the tradition itself starts with, and the order matters more than it looks. Attention is given one small, always-available object before anything wider is attempted, because open awareness and body scanning both assume a steadiness that has not been built yet. Starting with the more advanced practice is the common reason early attempts feel like failure.

Nighttime Anxiety — A mind that spirals once the room goes quiet is understood in this lineage as one that has never been given somewhere small and steady to rest. Reaching straight for open awareness or body scanning from that state tends to produce more drifting, not less — the steadying has to come first.