Any ānāpānasati meditation session should progress through the stages in order, beginning at the first, whether the practitioner has performed all stages in a previous session or not.
| Satipaṭṭhāna | Ānāpānasati | Tetrads |
| 1. Contemplation of the body | 1. Breathing long | First Tetrad |
| 2. Breathing short | ||
| 3. Experiencing the whole body | ||
| 4. Tranquillising the bodily activities | ||
| 2. Contemplation of feelings | 5. Experiencing rapture | Second Tetrad |
| 6. Experiencing bliss | ||
| 7. Experiencing mental activities | ||
| 8. Tranquillising mental activities | ||
| 3. Contemplation of the mind | 9. Experiencing the mind | Third Tetrad |
| 10. Gladdening the mind | ||
| 11. Centering the mind in samadhi | ||
| 12. Releasing the mind | ||
| 4. Contemplation of Dhammas | 13. Contemplating impermanence | Fourth Tetrad |
| 14. Contemplating fading of lust | ||
| 15. Contemplating cessation | ||
| 16. Contemplating relinquishment |
The First Tetrad - Calming the Body
1. Breathing in and out, be aware that the breath is long.
Breathe, and watch the sensations at the tip of the nose. There is no need to be obsessed with how long a long breath is. If you watch the breath in a relaxed way, it will lengthen naturally.
2. Breathing in and out, be aware that the breath is short.
This may not occur naturally and does not affect progress to the next step. It is recommended that you experiment with forcing the breath to be short to understand how it feels in comparison to the long breath.
3. Breathing in and out, be aware of all bodies.
Entry to this stage is often accompanied by an easing of the effort required to meditate - it becomes very enjoyable and easier to sit. While breathing naturally, the breath will lengthen and an experience will arise of how the breath is affecting, or conditioning, the physical body. It is sometimes suggested that concentration be extended to include feelings within the body in tandem with the sensations of breathing at the tip of the nose.
4. Breathing in and out, calm the breath.
While breathing, the breath will become finer and more refined naturally. An image may appear in the mind, positioned at the tip of the nose where you are concentrating. The focus of concentration can then be shifted from the breath to the image. This can lead to a stage known as the first jhana where strong pleasant feelings arise.
The Second Tetrad - Calming the Feelings
5. Breathing in and out, be aware of the flavour of piti.
Piti is a Pali term for the strong pleasant feelings that have now arisen. This is a similar principle to stage 1, though with a different meditation object. In time, the rather coarse feeling of piti subsides into a more subtle feeling.
6. Breathing in and out, be aware of the flavour of sukha.
Sukha being the term for the more subtle feeling. Take this as the new object of meditation.
7. Breathing in and out, be aware of the mind conditioner.
Just as the breath conditions the body, so piti and sukha condition the mind. Alow the experience how they do this to arise.
8. Breathing in and out, calm the mind conditioners.
Using the newly experienced understanding of the feelings, calm them.
The Third Tetrad - Contemplating the Mind
9. Breathing in and out, contemplate the character of the mind.
Is the mind free from anger, aversion or greed? Is the mind distracted or not? Is the mind in a superior state or not?
10. Breathing in and out, delight the mind.
Using the understandings of the feelings, generate delight in the mind. This frees the mind from anger, aversion and greed.
11. Breathing in and out, concentrate the mind.
A mind free from anger, aversion and greed will achieve higher levels of concentration.
12. Breathing in and out, liberate the mind.
By contemplating the penalties of attachment and the value of non-attachment, allow the mind to cease grasping.
The Fourth Tetrad - The Supreme
13. Breathing in and out, contemplate impermanence.
Returning to step 1, progress through all steps remaining aware of the impermanence of every stage.
14. Breathing in and out, contemplate fading away.
Being aware of any remaining attachments, allow them to dissolve.
15. Breathing in and out, contemplate the cessation of attachment.
Be aware of the process of the quenching of attachments.
16. Breathing in and out, contemplate 'throwing back'.
In the cessation of attachment, be aware that there nothing that was attached to was 'ours' in any way, and allow it all to be returned to nature.
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