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How long do you meditate for?

DaivaDaiva Veteran
in Meditation
Was just wondering how long some of you meditate for and perhaps some experience with meditating for longer periods (like an hour).
I meditate pretty much daily, and had been working to meditate for longer periods of time (doing concentration, brahama viharas). I am pretty good with going about 20 minutes and most of the time it is quite nice, and the monkey mind takes over and i can sit through any restlessness, but when I try to sit for more than 20 minutes, all hell breaks loose in my head.
My intention to sit longer is so that I can spend more time in my mindful state, rather than the monkey mind state - which is now kind of half of the time.
I understand this is part of the practice - its just that when i try to go beyond 20 minutes (have been forcing myself to sit for 40), it's a whole different experience of restlessness. Am not sure if i am projecting some sort of psychological clinging (to time?) at that 20 min mark, or if it is a natural part of the process to hit a wall like that. And will I ever get past it?
Am just hoping to hear your experiences on this.

Comments

  • footiamfootiam Veteran
    I have heard people said that one should meditate for at least 30 minutes but I don't know. It is a luxury if some people can meditate for a second. Some of us lack the concentration and many have to work. So, maybe, you could also incorporate your meditation into your work. You don't have to just sit and meditate, I think.
    Daiva
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    Just keep experimenting. I have meditated 6 hours rotating sitting and walking 20 10..

    It was a great day, but usually I do 3 x 10 minute sitting sessions for a total of thirty. I'm on a huge dose of anti-psychotic medicines and so far I've not done really long meditations on the dose I am at.
    Daiva
  • riverflowriverflow Veteran
    Sitting meditation alone: usually 15-20 minutes. With the sangha: 30 minutes. At the monastery, I don't know how long the walking meditation lasts-- 30? 45 minutes?
    Daiva
  • zenffzenff Veteran
    how said:

    One view of meditation is.....

    Relax!

    Yes that’s the wall – I think - it’s what we are fighting and what’s fighting back.

    When you’re doing concentration, concentration can collapse completely for stretches of time.
    That’s part of the game.

    You can’t force it. Don’t even try. Concentration will come back naturally.

    riverflowDaiva
  • ThailandTomThailandTom Veteran
    Sitting meditation for me ends when it ends, whenever that may be. I may have a 'bad' session if you want to call it that and last 5 minutes before getting frustrated with my monkey mind, or I can remain sat for 30-40 minutes.

    As Jeffery pointed out, there is no real set time and it all depends on the person, the situation and their practice. Some monks meditate throughout the night sometimes for example. Also meditation can go into all areas of your life be it walking, washing the dishes, eating food, firing a gun, chanting, prayer, it is not such a formal thing IMO.

    I would like to add that sitting meditation and practice is like most things worth while in life, they take a lot of effort, time and practice. If you want to lose weight you are going to have to try hard and exercise to do it, if you want to become a doctor you are going to have to put the time in and work your butt off, if you want to learn the piano you will need to spend countless hours sat at the thing before you get any good. Meditation is like this, it requires a hell of a lot of commitment, time and energy. The progress takes a while to become apparent, or at least in my experience, but you can notice small leaps and bounds from time to time.
    riverflowDaivalobsterkarmablues
  • lobsterlobster Crusty Veteran
    It is the width not the length (where have I heard that before)
    :o
    If it goes over an hour too many times I change it . . .
    In a formal setting, have to go with the group . . .

    . . . and now back to Relax! and 'Franky Goes to Hollywood'
    Daiva
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    Daiva said:

    .. its just that when i try to go beyond 20 minutes (have been forcing myself to sit for 40), it's a whole different experience of restlessness. Am not sure if i am projecting some sort of psychological clinging (to time?) at that 20 min mark, or if it is a natural part of the process to hit a wall like that. And will I ever get past it?

    How about doing 20 minutes, then have a break, then do another 20 minutes?
  • lobsterlobster Crusty Veteran
    Or . . . how about having a break for twenty minutes, whilst sitting quietly and then 'meditating' for twenty minutes . . . wait a minute that is the whole thing . . .
    ThinGentlement
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    lobster said:

    Or . . . how about having a break for twenty minutes, whilst sitting quietly and then 'meditating' for twenty minutes . . . wait a minute that is the whole thing . . .

    :p
  • seeker242seeker242 Zen Florida, USA Veteran
    Am not sure if i am projecting some sort of psychological clinging (to time?) at that 20 min mark, or if it is a natural part of the process to hit a wall like that. And will I ever get past it?
    Am just hoping to hear your experiences on this.
    It's probably a mixture of both. :) Sitting for longer periods is a very good practice precisely because you hit these "walls". It's impossible to get past a wall if you never even approach it to begin with. Sitting for longer you can watch all hell break loose, then sitting for even longer, you can watch all hell disappear. And then reappear...and disappear...and reappear...and disappear. Just watching this happen is good practice!


    ThailandTomJeffreykarmablues
  • DaivaDaiva Veteran
    @spinynorman @lobster - ok, i tried 2 minute pranayama break and it seemed to work pretty well. I still a little wall and more monkey mind on the second 20, but i think maybe doing a little pranayama in the middle of my meditation will be good for me. Not sure if it is the correct Buddhist way to do meditation, but i figure there is no real "right way" anyways. What works if fine.
  • aMattaMatt Veteran
    I meditate for about 40 minutes, once or twice a day. The first 5 are devoted to metta mantras, which helps the mind become smooth and peaceful. Then breath concentration until the mind becomes bouncy, then back to a shorter metta mantra to help the mind settle. Often I sit for longer, but it depends on my kids or obligations or tiredness or whatnot. Namaste.
    Daiva
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    Daiva said:

    @spinynorman @lobster - ok, i tried 2 minute pranayama break and it seemed to work pretty well. I still a little wall and more monkey mind on the second 20, but i think maybe doing a little pranayama in the middle of my meditation will be good for me. Not sure if it is the correct Buddhist way to do meditation, but i figure there is no real "right way" anyways. What works if fine.

    When I was in an Interbeing sangha we regularly did something called "sit-walk-sit", which as the name suggests is 2 periods of sitting meditation with a period of walking meditation in between. It might be worth considering?
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