You focus on the breath, developing a sense of ease, well-being, and fullness, either through the in-and-out breath or through the general spread of breath energy throughout the body.

"You focus on the breath, developing a sense of ease, well-being, and fullness, either through the in-and-out breath or through the general spread of breath energy throughout the body. Focus on whichever is most attractive and gratifying at the moment. Some people focus successfully on the breath energy in the different parts of the body first, rather than on Ajaan Lee’s seven steps. This gives a larger frame of reference. Then, in the midst of the breath energy, notice the impact of the in-and-out breathing on the different aspects of breath energy through the body. Use whatever works to create a really good, gratifying, satisfying sense of fullness that you can feed on. As the Buddha said, “We feed on rapture like the radiant gods.” Rapture may be too strong a word for what you might feel. There may be simply a feeling of refreshment or fullness. That, too, counts as piti, rapture, as well as whatever else gives the mind a sense of satisfaction and well-being in the present moment. Stay with whatever way of breathing is causing this rapture, let it permeate and refresh the body, so that when the temptation arises to feed on other things, you can ask yourself, “Why go?”

When you’re well-situated like this, you can actually watch a thought head out toward something. Because you feel a sense of solid well-being, you don’t need to follow your old habit to run along with the thought and go sliding with it like people in luges. Instead, you can step to one side and watch it go, realizing the danger in going down iced slopes. That way, free from hunger, you can step back from your thought worlds to a good place to stay rather than engaging in old feeding habits. You’ve got a good source of food inside."

~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "The Mind on a Leash"