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To all the "pro" meditators
So Ive been trying to meditate for a month or so, but in the past month I was trying all sorts of meditations. Ive finally decided I just want to cultivate mindfulness through sitting meditation, just observing the breath and when a thought appears observing it until it goes away and moving back to the breath. Simple...(yet hard)
My goal is to achieve at least 40 min once a day. I would like to know from the "pros" how long did it take for you guys to build up your time? and did you build up your time? ie. first starting with 20 min, 25,30... or did you just keep trying to go for as long as you could? Do you do rituals and have your own private dedicated space? or do you just plop on the floor and start?
Also one important question, if you could only meditate once, would you do it at night or in the morning ?
Im having a hard time, I think I need to find a place where I just meditate and have a bit of a ritual just to get my mind ready to start.
My goal is to achieve at least 40 min once a day. I would like to know from the "pros" how long did it take for you guys to build up your time? and did you build up your time? ie. first starting with 20 min, 25,30... or did you just keep trying to go for as long as you could? Do you do rituals and have your own private dedicated space? or do you just plop on the floor and start?
Also one important question, if you could only meditate once, would you do it at night or in the morning ?
Im having a hard time, I think I need to find a place where I just meditate and have a bit of a ritual just to get my mind ready to start.
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Comments
I stretch before hand and use a few minutes to cultivate mindfulness of the importance and necessity of meditation and the goals I wish to achieve with that evening's practice. When I have reached the end of my planned period of time, I take refuge in the jewels and stretch again. It's best not to rush out away from your seat. Take time to relish the peace and focus gained by your efforts.
Don't get frustrated if you don't see immediate results. I continue to take longer and longer periods as typically I am most concentrated the further into the session I go.
If you gradually get used to meditating such a period you are doing great.
For me it took a few years before I got frustrated about this period being over too soon. That's when I switched to the forty minutes.
I light two oil-lamps, burn incense and ring a bell.
That’s enough to get the Pavlov-response.
Start small. Promise yourself 10 minutes (or whatever seems do-able) tomorrow. When tomorrow comes, look forward to the next day and see when there might be time and then renew your promise. Do this for a week. At the end of the week, reflect on how the week has gone. Was it too hard? Was it at poorly-chosen times? On reflection, how did things work out. Revise your upcoming schedule accordingly ... sit a little longer, sit a little shorter ... make the corrections and then go forward for another week. And then reflect again. It may take patience and determination, but constancy will build strength.
I like zenff's suggestion about little add-on's ... incense, candle, bell, statue, water, bows, chanting. Always make sure you are neat and clean when coming to your meditation site. Make sure whatever you use as an altar is likewise neat and clean. Always leave the site as neat and clean as you made it.
If you're unsure of the time, get an egg timer and, if you decide to sit for twenty minutes, set the timer for that amount. Do not sit less. Do not sit more. Just keep your promise ... this promise. If you decide to sit longer, let the timer do the work.
Don't fret about a wandering mind. That's how minds are made. Just keep up a patient, constant practice and the mind will naturally calm down. Never mind if it was a good sitting or bad ... even when the mind is an utter mess, something happens during sitting.
Attention and constancy.
Best wishes.
I kept trying. Time was never an issue, but quality took some time, naturally. I just plop on the floor, in the car, work break, whatever is sufficiently quiet. Doesn`t really matter. In the morning, the mind is still fresh and flexible, mindfulness can be trained. But in the evening, quality of sleep can be improved, e.g. to cure illness. Just do it.
I wouldn't consider myself pro, but have some years of experience, so I encountered the same issues you are facing. It's best to take advice from better teachers or books on meditation, but maybe my advice can give you some ideas on how to plan your meditation anyway.
I did not really build up my time. I started without any timer and just sat until I thought it was enough. A practice I did for a while was kindly watching the breath, then usually (esp. when beginner) there comes a time you want to stop meditating. My training was to find the comfort one more time before I could leave the cushion. This proved to be a good way to lengthen the meditation time and gave some insights in how to tackle restlessness.
I sit wherever I like, sometimes on my bed, sometimes in the sun, sometimes on the couch etc. But I must say a space dedicated to meditation can really help and I also have this. No real rituals here, sometimes I emphasize the 5 precepts after a meditation or I share my gratitude towards the buddha/dhamma/sangha, but nothing really fancy. When I begin I just sit. Some light a candle or burn some incense to get the mood, this can be helpful, but I stopped that because I don't see or smell it when I'm in meditation anyway.
Morning or night.. depends on how I wake up I guess.
With metta,
Sabre
If you're having a hard time with concentration, I strongly recommend walking meditation, either as a "warm-up" to sitting meditation, or as an exclusive practice for a few weeks.
When I know my concentration will be weak (such as after a frantic day, or watching a stimulating movie), this is what I do and it helps big time.
Walking is a more pronounced sensation, thus making it easier for your mind to focus on it. It helps with restlessness and sleepiness, common problems for beginners.
Here's a good video:
Keep in mind that the parts about attaching words to phenomena, and stopping walking when there are distractions, are optional.
Here's a book that emphasizes the importance of walking meditaiton:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pesala/Pandita/html/morality.html#Walking
Metta to all sentient beings.
But is walking meditation really a different sort of meditation? It's still mindfulness/Vipassana meditation. It's not like jumping from Vipassana to TM to Reiki to Christian contemplation.
And many Vipassana introductory retreats/classes teach alternating between sitting, walking and/or eating meditation as a standard practice.
I personally regret not being introduced to walking meditation sooner. When I first tried it I was stunned by the similarities to breath meditation, how it easily complemented it, and how quickly and deep concentration could go.
Incidentally, Gunaratana advocated meditating in equal parts laying, sitting, standing and walking. I don't do this, and perhaps this regimen is only for hardcore meditators.
So build up from 5 to 15. Test 45 but don't feel you have to get there every time at least for the first 6 months.
I have been meditating for 9-10 years and currently I just do 5 minutes walking meditation in the morning, a guided tape 45 minute body scan, and a 15 minute sitting with the breath.
I have gone spells with more or even no meditation at times.
Ive been getting to 30 min without problem, its after the 30 that things get complicated. I just get overwhelmed by wanting to stop and it becomes a struggle, somewhat intense. You guys gave a lot of good advice that I will try to implement. Most important is that I need patience.
Its not that my thoughts are dark or hard to deal with. Its a restlessness and although I dont hear these voices I get a kinda aggressive feeling of "enough! this is boring, this sucks, go do something else". Its almost like my mind is demanding to be entertained.
One time I was internally yelling for the alarm clock to strike...hehe
I think ive become too good at distracting my mind and now its kinda hard to stop. Ive come to study Buddhism mainly because I realized how im constantly being taken by thoughts.
And at another sesshin which did not allow any movement whatsoever it was so painful that I wanted to cry, but each day ending at 10pm was just like that. And now sometimes almost no sounds, no thoughts arise at all. Just peace. As my old friend used to say, it won't happen overnight but it will happen. Or can happen. Blessings.
I think buddhajunkie has a good point with walking meditation. You might like to try it, it is really a helpful additional type of meditation and I also wish I tried it earlier. A lot of people I know think about it the same way, they love it.
With metta,
Sabre
I vote with genkaku, but other than that I also try to regularly attend sesshins and the like where choice is no longer relevant. Then I am at peace :cool:
To the other again - find what works for you. The space that is important. The mood you want in it. The serenity, the sacredness of the event, the respect to yourself for what you are doing. Start little and then build up your habit, your intention and finally your real commitment - which means you finally take this seriously.
With very best wishes for your meditation and thereby your practice. May it come to fruition.
Abu