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What was the longest period of time you've ever meditated in ?

PremaSagarPremaSagar Veteran
edited April 2012 in Buddhism Basics
What was the longest period of time you've ever meditated in ?
Extra Questions: Did you benefit significantly from this particular session in a way that you haven't compared to previous sessions ?
Bonus Question: Do you prefer meditation that is setup to end with a timed alarm or do you prefer alarm-less meditation sessions ?

Comments

  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    90 minutes.
  • edited April 2012
    Probably like 8 hours minutes.
  • 30 min sit
    2 hour walk/sit
  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    I generally break up my longer sittings into periods of sitting meditation with short periods of walking meditation between them.

    Once my mind settles into meditation personally I haven't felt like the meditation has gotten better at some point because of doing it longer. Though, the longer the session the more benefit to myself in general.

    I need to have a set time for myself or I'll quit too soon and so I don't feel pressure on myself to 'do it better' and worry about not wanting to meditate at all because I'll feel like I have to meditate forever until I'm perfect. On occasion I will feel like going longer then I'll add like a set 5 or 10 minutes on.
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited April 2012
    It varies from tradition to tradition but the average retreat or sesshin is nine days. Each day is divided into three practice periods (morning-afternoon-evening) of sitting and walking ... probably about 4 1/2 to 5 hours of sitting a day.. broken up by work period, midday meal, and rest time-tea.. That's a typical retreat situation. IME.

    ...one time just during a weekday evening group practice... The teacher threw a curve by ringing the starting bell ... then just leaving it for the evening.. It was interesting because after the usual amount of sitting time had passed, there was all kinds of stuff coming up..including feeling a bit peeved at being played with. The practice form involves sitting back to back facing the wall, so there was no way of looking to see what was going on... did he get ill? It just went on until the bell rang maybe three hours later. What was interesting was passing through holding on and getting frustrated... then letting go... then holding on and getting frustrated again... then letting go.

  • FenixFenix Veteran
    I used to do about 90min. some of even my 30 min sessions have been more fruitful, needles to say that stretching it to a point of morbid obcessity did not help now when I look back
  • ArthurbodhiArthurbodhi Mars Veteran
    1 hour, maybe.
  • 20 minutes
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    half an hour.

    maybe one.
  • ToshTosh Veteran
    1 hour. I find if I can crack the 30 minute mark, things settle down and I 'feel' like I'm in meditation mode. Does anyone else experience this, i.e. it takes about half-an-hour for things to quieten down?
  • zombiegirlzombiegirl beating the drum of the lifeless in a dry wasteland Veteran
    I found myself wondering this just the other day! I had a particularly fitful 30 minute meditation session and I don't know why. Towards the end it was really just tooth and nails though, but I forced myself to deal... much like RichardH's description except... um... far less impressive.

    1 hr.
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    My optimum time seems to be about 40 minutes but I don't know why... :)
  • patbbpatbb Veteran
    this

    scroll at the bottom

    http://www.dhamma.org/en/code.shtml

    surprisingly for me, everyone get use to 1, 1:30 hours sessions and this schedule really quickly, almost feel like there are too many breaks by the end of the course..
    4:00 am Morning wake-up bell
    4:30-6:30 am Meditate in the hall or in your room
    6:30-8:00 am Breakfast break
    8:00-9:00 am Group meditation in the hall
    9:00-11:00 am Meditate in the hall or in your room according to the teacher's instructions
    11:00-12:00 noon Lunch break
    12noon-1:00 pm Rest and interviews with the teacher
    1:00-2:30 pm Meditate in the hall or in your room
    2:30-3:30 pm Group meditation in the hall
    3:30-5:00 pm Meditate in the hall or in your own room according to the teacher's instructions
    5:00-6:00 pm Tea break
    6:00-7:00 pm Group meditation in the hall
    7:00-8:15 pm Teacher's Discourse in the hall
    8:15-9:00 pm Group meditation in the hall
    9:00-9:30 pm Question time in the hall
    9:30 pm Retire to your own room--Lights out
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited April 2012
    I found myself wondering this just the other day! I had a particularly fitful 30 minute meditation session and I don't know why. Towards the end it was really just tooth and nails though, but I forced myself to deal... much like RichardH's description except... um... far less impressive.

    1 hr.
    I would not have sat that long alone.. unless it was in a kuti in the woods. In a regular busy life, I need group energy, the shared structure and discipline of Sangha, to sit "without wobbling" regularly. When it is me alone for a time in the thick of things... the sitting is less solid, or things slacken. I need Sangha.


  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    true dat, @RichardH.....
  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    My experience is that no matter how wondrous or awful a sitting may be, still there is no quantifying it. It's a bit like people trying to get their minds around death and talk-talk-talking it to death ... all that talk never really hits the nail on the head. Something happens, but what the hell it is is impossible to say. Maybe the best route is just to sit, get up, go about your business and let the sitting (whatever its good points or bad) take care of itself.

    Long sitting may be good. Short sitting may be good. One thing's for sure: No Buddhism I ever heard of recommends sitting forever on a cushion. Aside from anything else, such an effort would present practical problems ... when to take a leak and, perhaps more compellingly, what's for lunch?
  • About 1hr40mins, though it was like I almost fell asleep.
  • SabreSabre Veteran
    edited April 2012
    I try to meditate all the time I'm awake. Right now I'm doing typing meditation. So add it all together, and it'll be like 16 hours. :p
  • It varies from tradition to tradition but the average retreat or sesshin is nine days. Each day is divided into three practice periods (morning-afternoon-evening) of sitting and walking ... probably about 4 1/2 to 5 hours of sitting a day.. broken up by work period, midday meal, and rest time-tea.. That's a typical retreat situation. IME.

    ...one time just during a weekday evening group practice... The teacher threw a curve by ringing the starting bell ... then just leaving it for the evening.. It was interesting because after the usual amount of sitting time had passed, there was all kinds of stuff coming up..including feeling a bit peeved at being played with. The practice form involves sitting back to back facing the wall, so there was no way of looking to see what was going on... did he get ill? It just went on until the bell rang maybe three hours later. What was interesting was passing through holding on and getting frustrated... then letting go... then holding on and getting frustrated again... then letting go.

    Richard, I called our zen organization today and I am glad for your post to let me know what I (may) get into. They were busy with moving the temple, but I will call tonight.

    My longest meditation was 3 hours of 10 minute walking 20 minutes sitting broken into 6 blocks though consecutive.
  • DavidDavid A human residing in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Ancestral territory of the Erie, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, Mississauga and Neutral First Nations Veteran
    I try to meditate all the time I'm awake. Right now I'm doing typing meditation. So add it all together, and it'll be like 16 hours. :p
    I like this answer very much. This is my challenge but I havn't made a fully mindful day to date.

    The longest for sitting is a whopping 20 minutes but I can't say how long the longest walking session was.

  • It varies from tradition to tradition but the average retreat or sesshin is nine days. Each day is divided into three practice periods (morning-afternoon-evening) of sitting and walking ... probably about 4 1/2 to 5 hours of sitting a day.. broken up by work period, midday meal, and rest time-tea.. That's a typical retreat situation. IME.

    ...one time just during a weekday evening group practice... The teacher threw a curve by ringing the starting bell ... then just leaving it for the evening.. It was interesting because after the usual amount of sitting time had passed, there was all kinds of stuff coming up..including feeling a bit peeved at being played with. The practice form involves sitting back to back facing the wall, so there was no way of looking to see what was going on... did he get ill? It just went on until the bell rang maybe three hours later. What was interesting was passing through holding on and getting frustrated... then letting go... then holding on and getting frustrated again... then letting go.

    Richard, I called our zen organization today and I am glad for your post to let me know what I (may) get into. They were busy with moving the temple, but I will call tonight.

    My longest meditation was 3 hours of 10 minute walking 20 minutes sitting broken into 6 blocks though consecutive.
    Hi Jeffery. Each practice community is quite unique.. but the description of a practice retreat pretty much holds for most places I have been to. Time periods vary. Styles and attitudes vary. I would suggest just being very open and going with the form.. Zen tends not to be very huggy... psychological-emotional support is not an strong suit..
    ..others may have a different experience though. The unsentimental focus discipline suits me.. but might not suit others..

    ...come to think of it the online sangha (treeleaf) that I posted about earlier is very warm and supportive..

  • Richard,

    I am part of a sangha that is pretty supportive in particular the lama is very supportive when I have asked questions by e-mail, as I am a long distance learner. A lot of the material is about the heart.

    I was kind of hoping to have face contact as I am mentally ill and a little concerned that my vajra energy causes problems to people. And possibly meditation affects that. I can't wait to find out if that is true, just so I can know the dynamics. What vajra energy is might need another thread, but another ill poster says he had been warned about it.. He hasn't been here for awhile.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    edited April 2012
    What was the longest period of time you've ever meditated in ?
    Eternity. Still doing it. Even as we speak! :)
  • I am mentally ill and a little concerned that my vajra energy causes problems to people.
    I wouldn't be too concerned about what your energy does to others as long as you're making a good faith effort to work on yourself. If the fact that you've been diagnosed with some label by someone with some letters after their name makes another person uncomfortable, then that's their issue to deal with, not yours. Just go and interact. You might be surprised how much good it can do everyone. We can all learn something from one another, and often those of us who are "diagnosed" are the best teachers for the rest of us.
  • 45 minutes is the longest Ive meditated...but its the quality not quantity, Ive heard.
  • I think an hour with a walking portion in the middle, It was about as much as seems good for me considering many life and physical factors. I then make a conscious effort to not just bring the mindfullness into daily life but also how I am focused on a spoke of the 8 fold path.
  • DaltheJigsawDaltheJigsaw Mountain View Veteran
    Depends. Usually 30 min. Longest 3 hours. I am working on getting myself to a retreat.
  • misecmisc1misecmisc1 I am a Hindu India Veteran
    edited April 2012
    My view: how long we sit is not important, what is done in that sitting is important.

    Unfortunately, i have not been able to do the above in my meditation till now - but trying to work on my meditation as some of you may be knowing.
  • zenffzenff Veteran
    I don’t know how long it was, I just know it didn’t matter anymore.

    It was the first sesshin I participated in and it was in a Japanese monastery.
    The usual period of zazen was forty minutes; but we weren’t allowed to wear a watch so I don’t know how precise they were about the timing.
    The final period of zazen in the evening always appeared to last a bit longer. We were exhausted and relaxed and still; very beautiful. The day was closed with a warm cup of something tasty and then we would get some sleep and rest our backs.

    But one night we heard the monk who was bringing the tea (or whatever it was) stumble and drop the kettle on the floor just outside the zendo. He went back to put another kettle on and time past.

    I was finished really and it was obviously going to be a while. It was a big kettle.
    That’s when I think for the first time, time didn’t matter anymore.
    It was a great period of zazen and the best tea ever


  • 1 hour. I find if I can crack the 30 minute mark, things settle down and I 'feel' like I'm in meditation mode. Does anyone else experience this, i.e. it takes about half-an-hour for things to quieten down?
    I have heard from a few people here before that getting passed the 20 minute mark is something that needs to be done to actualy make any progress. I have never done that ket alone 30 minutes. I get to a point where I have this overwhelming feeling to open my eyes and stop. I have read that people with anxiety disorders will find it more difficult to meditate in the first place due to the fact that that state of mind is one that is frantic and ultra skatty anyway *sigh*
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    I get to a point where I have this overwhelming feeling to open my eyes and stop.
    I know what you mean. You can just stop and open your eyes for a minute or two, then return to the practice.
  • 30 -40 min...
  • zombiegirlzombiegirl beating the drum of the lifeless in a dry wasteland Veteran
    This is a really great thread. For some reason, I seemed to assume that many on this board surely meditated much longer than I. But it seems that aside from those attending retreats, I'm pretty much on par... I don't know why I assume these things, lol. Probably typical self-deprecating attitude. But please, let's not get into consistency of practice... ahem. :orange:
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    Maybe there needs to be a definition of what we're talking about.

    To me, there's meditation (which I do rarely), there's what I'll call periods of very focused "being mindful", and there's chanting. To me, all three are very different things.
  • zombiegirlzombiegirl beating the drum of the lifeless in a dry wasteland Veteran
    Maybe there needs to be a definition of what we're talking about.

    To me, there's meditation (which I do rarely), there's what I'll call periods of very focused "being mindful", and there's chanting. To me, all three are very different things.
    I view those things differently as well. I have a lot of experience with chanting for over an hour as well, but it's not the same thing to me. I was speaking of meditation as... butt on cushion. (Or walking in some people's case)
  • SabreSabre Veteran
    edited April 2012
    1 hour. I find if I can crack the 30 minute mark, things settle down and I 'feel' like I'm in meditation mode. Does anyone else experience this, i.e. it takes about half-an-hour for things to quieten down?
    This is often true indeed. But with experience this time may become shorter. However, longer meditations still provide more opportunity to get deeper and stiller.

    That's also the reasons for retreats; your mind gets even days to settle down. My longest sitting session must have been at a retreat, but I don't remember how long because I didn't time it. When I came out of meditation everybody had left the hall already to go to bed. :p Was really peaceful :)
    thebuddistboy

  • I try to be mindfull....
    always,
    there is no true other state of being
    Meditation helps me to remember

    :)
    thebuddistboy
  • Invincible_summerInvincible_summer Heavy Metal Dhamma We(s)t coast, Canada Veteran
    Longest - 1 hr

    On average - maybe ~30 mins?
    thebuddistboy
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    But please, let's not get into consistency of practice... ahem. :orange:
    It is important to be regular though... ;)
    thebuddistboy
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    Maybe there needs to be a definition of what we're talking about.

    To me, there's meditation (which I do rarely), there's what I'll call periods of very focused "being mindful", and there's chanting. To me, all three are very different things.
    Do you find it easier to be mindful when you're meditating more?
    thebuddistboy
  • It is important to be regular though... ;)
    Even when doing meditation!
    thebuddistboy
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