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Your practice. :)
Earthninja
WandererWest Australia Veteran
in Meditation
Namaste 
I've recently had a build up in momentum with my practice. Unsure why, but it feels right.
Right now I am doing two formal sits a day. First one is 40 min, second is however long I feel to do it. I primarily do Anapannasati.
After the first sit, I do "just sitting" resting as awareness. No object.
I'm thinking of mixing it up with self inquiry/contemplation. Which I have done anyway.
I'm hoping to aim for 3 hours a day formal meditation. I'm at about 2 at the moment.
How about you guys? Has your practice been the same or changing? Mine has changed a lot, trials to see what works with me.
What do you guys do at the moment?
5
Comments
Wow.
I have nowhere near that much time available.
I won't have that time for long! I do a morning and afternoon shift at the moment.
I get 4 hours to myself mid day and and in the evening I get home at 7. I meditate before bed.
Don't get me wrong, I started out with 20 minutes most days. That's all . I've only been doing two hours the last few months if that.
In Novemember I changed from 30 minutes a day to 1 hour and I did that that until April. Now I do every day without fail, but not an hour anymore... some days 10 minutes. I have been doing meditation essentially every day for 3 or 4 years and before then I was on and off.
The meditation type I do is sitting 'formless' meditation as taught by my guru Shenpen Hookham which I think you can find her on youtube some dharma talks about meditation.
I also do walking meditation about half the time as I have been taught by my guru.
I practice twice a day. 15 minutes each one.
I have a goal I'd like to meet of 10000 hours meditation in my life. We'll see if I live long enough and can sustain enough each day? I will need to increase my daily amount from what I am doing now.
It depends on how I feel. If one day I feel like my concentration is poor, I'll do anapanasati to have something more concrete to focus on. If I feel like my focus and effort will be good, I'll do shikantaza.
These days I prefer anapanasati though, particularly as taught by Ajahn Lee and Ven. Thanissaro. I find it's a lot easier to get myself into the mindset when I use their methods.
I remember I used to do regular 30 min sits in a specified place in my house. Now at home I maybe sit a few times a week for 15 -25 minutes each sit. Then on public transit I'll try to do some as well. That would probably amount to an extra 15-20 minutes.
I think of my practice as Zen-spirited Theravada. Can you tell that Ajahn Chah's "A Still Forest Pool" made a profound impact on me?
Hello everyone! I am new here and happy to join with you all. I practice Lotus Sutra chanting prayer everyday. Wishing you all a good day.
I try to sit for at least 30 minutes a day. I'm not always successful, but I do manage to sit about 5 days a week.
The practice I've been trying is what Ajahn Brahm describes as "relaxing the mind". If I force myself to, I can do breathing meditation for 15 minutes at a time, but the problem is the word "force." My concentration wavers, I'm restless, but I can achieve somewhat better concentration for those few minutes. I just can't stick with it.
Ajahn Brahm's practice consists of sitting peacefully and letting the mind wander where it will. If I think of it, I'll bring my focus back to my breath, but that's not the object. He describes a period in his practice where "un-monklike" thoughts kept arising, and he couldn't get rid of them. Until one day he "let go" and told his mind to do whatever it wanted. And he had a perfectly peaceful, unperturbed sitting.
So the idea is to let go of expectations and let the mind wander where it will, until it settles down into a peaceful state. So far it's produced some very enjoyable sittings and peaceful feelings, and I've found it much easier to maintain a consistent practice. However, sometimes I begin to doubt this practice since it doesn't seem very "productive" or "focused". What's the goal? Do I need one?
Over the last six months or so I've found myself becoming more and more drawn to the teachings of Venerable Thubten Chodron.
I have started meditating and following a daily practice she has recommended. I also listen to the vast array of teachings from Sravasti Abbey on Youtube.
So far so good........
To bring the intention of renunciation when I feel ready to follow the way.
Wow @Earthninja, that's a lot of cushion time for a lay person...I'm impressed...
As for this sentient being....
On the cushion 20 to 30 minutes twice daily, 7 days a week..."Just sitting" ...(no rest for the wicked)
Off the cushion 'mindfulness practice' constant... walking, driving, sitting,working ie, house work and work work, awareness habitually checks in on awareness of being aware of what's happening, and if the flow is interrupted, ('defilement' spanner in the works so to speak) auto-correction takes place, then it's back on auto-pilot....
At times the 'defilement' spanner in the works may go unnoticed for a short period of time, but it's soon picked up by awareness's vigilance ....
"I" am just a habit pattern...
(a work in progress)
I guess it's different strokes for different folks
Not much more than you! I have a job that is hard to be mindful during, I try my best. I'm always talking as well so it impacts the mental chatter haha. I have to spend that much time!
Keep it up!
I should be sitting right now as a matter of fact. Just drowning my miserable self in wasted time at the moment. Oh well its on the agenda for tonight.
@Earthninja this habit pattern has been going on for the last 15 years or so, at one stage it was like yourself around two hours a day (one hour in the morning and again in the evening) around 10 years ago I lapsed for about 2 to 3 months, no particular reason, I just stopped, and again for no particular reason I started up again...
Now, the amount of time I spend sitting is just about right (for me that is)...It plants the seeds in the morning for the day and this ongoing awareness tends to grow and nurture them...
I've used a number of dedications over the years, and the one I've had for a few years now is "May all beings be happy-May all beings be peaceful-May all beings be well- May all beings be liberated" (three times-each time with the sound of the bell) that seems to set the mood for the day, and it's the same dedication for the evenings sittings...
Both times as I walk to the cushion I chant a few "Om Mani Padme Hun" s to focus the mind's eye and after I finish the dedications, 'what will be will be' ... The built in biological alarm clock let me know when the time's up ...
In regards to monkey chatter remember don't try to stop it "What we resist will often persist" just befriend/tame it, feed it right and it will work for you and not against you( feed it bananas -not peanuts
) ...That's what the cushion's for...
That's really cool, wow you've been going for a long time! Nice .
I stopped for a few months as well, more spent time in self inquiry rather than cushion time.
Now I'm combining the two.
Absolutely it's important to have people find what works for them not what others suggest is good for everybody.
By just jumping into heavy practice it has helped me see results quickly, which helps momentum. "At this stage"
Metta Shoshin! Haha
@Earthninja - I started 20 mins 2x a day - when I wake up and before bed. But sometimes when so much buzz around the mind. I just sit for a while, just sit maybe 15 mins or so before I started noticing my breath. Sometimes my body needs to settle down so I got a lot of checking in before it becomes completely relaxed.
I am now comfortable 40 mins morning and evening. I can't start or end my day without it.
I usually meditate formally for 30 mins in the morning and the same again at night
but....
only our willingness to practice in each nano second determines what is practice and what is not....
and
is it really possible to do such a thing in any nano second other than this present one?
My base practice is shikantaza. I started doing it before I found it had a name. Basically you just sit. That is the practice, that is the discipline. Every morning. Time never is an issue. It is twenty minutes or longer. If it goes over an hour, something usually needs adjusting. The sweet spot is about forty minutes. I usually start with a settling practice, usually a mind, body, emotions scan to find what needs some metta. Do some chanting or dedicated practice. I quite often finish with chanting.
I do sitting meditation at night before bed. It helps me sleep like a baby. Sometimes, when I don't feel like sitting, I just don't. But I do listen some teachings on youtube, if I am not meditating that night. On my way to work, I used to listen to audio, now, I just try to be mindful of the surroundings as a awareness exercise.
Happy meditating.
Usually I would sit twice a day for anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour. Now and then the hour can stretch somewhat... At the moment it is Tonglen in the morning followed by Vipassana before bed and vice versa. Throughout the day I try to bring as much mindfulness in to my daily activities as possible... During the quiet times, which can be quite few and far between in my house, due to being surrounded and outnumbered by the fairer sex (My beautiful wife, daughters and cats).... Now where was I.. Oh yes.. Quiet times
I like to take my best friend, Bodhi (Golden Labrador), for a walk whilst listening to various teachings. I really enjoy Pema Chodron, Jack Kornfield and Thay at the moment. Different in their own way, but each one just lovely 
Have read and listened to many teachings by various folks, but these are the current bunch I am revisiting.
Namaste
When is your baby due, again...?
Please be prepared for all this meditation time to fly right out of the window!
Man I just cant sit that long. I went from 20 min sessions to 30 min a few months back but ended up going back to 20 cause it was really turning into something I didn't look forward to.
I'm lucky if I get 10-20 minutes daily. But, I try to make up for lack of quantity with quality. It's something I really look forward to and something really makes me feel good. I would love to have time to do it more frequently or for longer periods of time, but, that just doesn't seem to be in the cards right now.
That's for sure.
It got harder for me to sit at scheduled times because the schedule no longer revolves around me.
Usually I can get 15-20 minutes in the morning before my daughter gets up but she's not usually exactly on time.
If I'm not too exhausted I just may get some sitting meditation during the evening but again, it's a hit and miss type thing.
I think when the baby comes @Earthninja will be mindful 24/7/365 ( Umm or should that be mind full 24/7/365)
Babies due in November 15, I've got to get my meditation in now haha.
It will help with the lack of sleep and screaming baby!
Thanks guys for your feedback, everybody has a unique circumstance.
SN Goenka really pushed aiming for 2 hours a day, he says if you do it well then you will need an hour less sleep so you can use that time.
@Earthninja it's true "Different strokes for different folks" ...
Also it's possible that some people might need a little longer than others to get into the zone so to speak, a large part of the mediation session could be all about quietening the monkey mind and depending upon the amount of internal gossip to get through, it could take a fair while to settle...Whilst others might just sit on the cushion and automatically tune in straight away
Don't worry, you will be able to practice mindful nappy changing.
You wannna bet...?
Ah yes but....Remember, you'll need to KEEP UP the momentum of 2 hours per day, even WITH the baby here, in order to make sure you need less sleep....
All the very best, and good luck with that.
You can only do what you can right. If I have the liberty, I meditate more. If not and there is no way, well there are many forms if meditation. Baby nappies could be one of them.
We have 24 hours everyday, if something is important enough to a person it will happen.
Your soon to be bundle of joy @Earthninja will be the ideal object of your Dharma practice...You'll get to practice 'patience' 'tolerance' 'acceptance' 'loving kindness' 'compassion' 'unconditional love' and the antidotes to worry, anger, frustration, to name just a few.....and being/staying 'mindful' will be the key ...
And keep in mind that "This to shall pass" ( and at times from both ends and at the same time) enjoy....
Lurking on forums reading about other people's practice!
(I'm serious.)
Why not try it for yourself? Even 5 minutes a day can make a difference.
Because I might be tempted to get into Buddhism again! :-D
But that's a good question... why not.
It does. I was once on a forum when a new member explained that she was making no progress. Using my spooky powers [I haz spookies], I percevied an unusual degree of progress and inner development despite her assertion. So this was a rather confusing statement.
Later on she posted that she had been doing yoga and meditation for several hours a day over the past year but it was 'making no difference'. LOL. Sometimes we are unable to percieve or evaluate the benefit initially ...
May the Force Be With You. Do not be tempted by the dank [sic] side of the FORCE!
The Paññā is strong in this one.
Nothing formal. I relax whenever possible, to return to my presence.
Three hours = Cool.
It does change because the need becomes apparant. It may change in form, content or structure for a variety of reasons. That is why it is important to have:
and a variety of options.
For example for Mahayanic reasons I am having to re-establish a capacity to do full lotus sitting. That will need serious relaxing into and requires yoga practice. This is coupled with very low volume and internal chanting. My base practice remains the same.
Three hours may seem unattainable to some. To others a good beginning. If you are on the path, better start walking ...
It's funny, now I walk for an hour. Try and sit twice a day.
It's not so formal anymore.