Getting bored of my mindfulness practice

[jwardmagic]

I have recently increased my daily time doing formal sitting mindfulness breath meditation, but finding it a struggle. I am starting to dislike the routine and practice, and it feels like it is becoming a discipline that I have to force myself to do. I try to remind myself why I am doing my practice before I start each one, but it is very difficult to conjure up the motivation on the spot - if I could do that I wouldn't have this problem.

Is this a common issue? How have others overcome it? Is it as simple as, 'do it anyway'?

Due to this problem, I've also been struggling integrating it into daily life (e.g. paying attention to my bodily sensations during the day etc). When I finish my meditation I feel relieved that it is over, and I have little desire to continue trying to be mindful during my day to day life. I should add, I use 'headspace' to meditate. I have logged 48 hours straight meditation, but the current time I am meditating for is just twenty minutes. If I am struggling with just 20 minutes, how will I ever achieve longer?

Any tips and thoughts would be grateful appreciated.

[JonW]

Hi jwardmagic.
Do you do the same practice every day? Sitting/breathing?
There are many other ways to practice mindfulness. Plenty of other sitting meditations. Body scans. Walking meditation. Meditating to music. Mindful movement.
Try varying it. And maybe try some approach other than Headspace.
Or find a teacher.
Or do an 8-week course via a book such as Finding Peace In A Frantic World.
Cheers,
Jon

[Peter]

What Jon wrote.

And, could you see it as an opportunity to explore that feeling of boredom?
Life throws all kinds of challenges our way. One of them is boredom. Now you have the opportunity to explore the feelings and thoughts surrounding boredom in a peaceful and quiet setting, so it'll be clearer. What does the boredom feel like? Can you locate it? Why do you feel it? Is it a resistance? Can you surrender to it for a while? Does it become stronger or weaker after a while? Etc

Chances are that it can become difficult to maintain the boredom long enough to examine it thoroughly, because of the genuine interest in it.

[Gareth]

What Peter wrote.

Your aversion to the practice can become the practice itself.

It's impossible to be bored and curious at the same time.

[JonW]

What Gareth said.
''Cause we were never being boring/We had too much time to find for ourselves.'