Meditation Times

[Gareth]

I just wanted to kick off a topic about meditation times; I just wondered how you all worked it.

For a long time now, I've meditated by doing a half hour sit at some point in the day, whenever I can fit it in.

Way back when, I started my meditation practice at just 5 minutes per day, before I even had any idea of just how powerful this was. Whenever I felt ready, I added another minute. Somewhere about the 20 minute mark, I began to feel the real power of meditation, and I carried on adding a minute until I got to 30 which felt about right. I've always managed to fit 30 minutes in; it feels like such a small amount of time when compared to the benefits that meditation gives me.

Very soon I am starting a new job; I have no idea how that's going to be. Believe me, I've pulled my mind back from this future about a million times. Because of this, I am going to make some slight alterations to my practice. I plan to wake up 20 minutes early every day and meditate as soon as I open my eyes, get a good start to the day and all that. I'll then do another 10-20 minute meditation in the evening.

I know that a lot of people break their meditations up into chunks like this, but I have rarely done it. The reason being that a lot of the time, I find that my mind gets quieter as the meditation goes on, and I feel like my attention is more focussed in that last 10 minutes. Maybe wrongly, I feel like the longer sittings are having a more beneficial impact on my mind.

What are your thoughts on this?

[larorra]

Hi Gareth,
The only time I have managed a 30 minute sit was doing body scans. With working full time and baby sitting full time on weekends I find I do many informal meds, mostly while rocking one of my grandbabies to sleep! My formal meds are no longer than 15 minutes, sometimes 20, and they are either when I wake up in morning, usually wake up 15 minutes before the alarm at 6am - if I sleep to the alarm I do my med in evening, but as I have chores to do when I get home once again I incorporate the informal meds into my washing dishes, ironing, etc chores, or even while walking my dog. I am happy with what i do, I am sure that meditating for longer would be ideal and may reap more benefits but my level of practice works for me.

[BioSattva]

I don't want to be boring but I very recently posted a blog regarding this topic titled The Necessary Length and Frequency of Formal Seated Mindfulness Meditation. It's got more juicy quotes from the secular teachers that we know and love than you could shake a wristwatch at.

Here is one of them from Dr Siegel that hit home for me:

Surprisingly, many people actually find it easier to practice more than to practice less. This is because more practice, whether in the form of longer practice sessions, more frequent periods, or both, tends to create more noticeable changes to our state of mind. These changes in turn become self-reinforcing and can even make the rest of our lives feel less pressured. It’s like any other skill. If we practice the piano for only a few minutes every few weeks, we’re unlikely to feel as though we’re learning to play very well and will get frustrated and quit. On the other hand, if we practice often and long enough for the songs to start to flow, we may really come to enjoy and value our time at the piano.

Doing 45 mins daily was a big game-changer for me.

[Gareth]

I think I'm going to experiment with a 20/20 split for a while. 30 minutes has always seemed like enough for me, but then again, I've not tried more.

I'll take a look at your blog at some point; I'm always looking for mindfulness blogs to feature on the main site.

Glad to have you back mate. You make this a better place.

[BioSattva]

Thanks

[Angie]

Hello everyone,

I practised yoga asana for years before I first sat down to meditate. The sitting and the focusing thus came very naturally. I started with about half an hour. I was single at the time, and I had the luxury of being able to sit even twice a day. When I started teaching yoga, I realised that I had to keep my mornings free for my own practice: that way, it's done. I attended a Zen Buddhist Sesshin and learnt the 40minute sitting - 10minute walking - 40 minute sitting model. So I set my meditation time at 40 minutes, and it has been there for the last couple of years. However, I am building up the time, because 40 minutes seems to slip by too quickly. I'm adding one or two minutes a day, at the moment I'm at 48.

When I'm teaching meditation, I don't ask the beginners to sit for than 20-25 minutes. At the beginning, I hold their attention with guided meditations. I also have a long piece of classical music which keeps them focused. That way, they know that they are physically capable of sitting still for that long. When we get to longer silent meditations (zazen), they are ready.

Best wishes,

Angie
http://www.fangoandmoksha.com

[rara]

I just wanted to kick off a topic about meditation times; I just wondered how you all worked it.

For a long time now, I've meditated by doing a half hour sit at some point in the day, whenever I can fit it in.

Way back when, I started my meditation practice at just 5 minutes per day, before I even had any idea of just how powerful this was. Whenever I felt ready, I added another minute. Somewhere about the 20 minute mark, I began to feel the real power of meditation, and I carried on adding a minute until I got to 30 which felt about right. I've always managed to fit 30 minutes in; it feels like such a small amount of time when compared to the benefits that meditation gives me.

Very soon I am starting a new job; I have no idea how that's going to be. Believe me, I've pulled my mind back from this future about a million times. Because of this, I am going to make some slight alterations to my practice. I plan to wake up 20 minutes early every day and meditate as soon as I open my eyes, get a good start to the day and all that. I'll then do another 10-20 minute meditation in the evening.

I know that a lot of people break their meditations up into chunks like this, but I have rarely done it. The reason being that a lot of the time, I find that my mind gets quieter as the meditation goes on, and I feel like my attention is more focussed in that last 10 minutes. Maybe wrongly, I feel like the longer sittings are having a more beneficial impact on my mind.

What are your thoughts on this?

Hey hey!

Well yes, as your life changes, you have to adapt. I condone everything you're planning...get it in whenever you can. But also, when you find that you do actually have more time, then go with it! Let your senses guide you.

Don't forget spot meditations and mindfulness whenever you can during every day activities. You will find that eventually the "longer" meditations that get you deeper as time goes on is nothing to worry about losing...as you will carry your practice as you walk, talk, work or whatever!

[Gareth]

I messed around with the 20/20 split for quite some time, and it never felt quite right.

I've just started setting my alarm for half an hour earlier and meditating for half an hour from the very second that I open my eyes. I just prefer meditating for a longer period of time, and this makes for a really good start to the day.

[Grandmasterp]

20 minutes meditation, give or take; first thing after getting up in the morning plus a short standing QiGong form that only takes about five minutes and ( I reckon), keeps me supple.
Body scan most, but not all; bed times.

[piedwagtail91]

my course started with a 40 minute body scan so i've more or less done that length of practice regularly.
i added an hour of yoga so did cut back slightly. it varies between 20 -40 minutes depending if i'm volunteering or not.
most days i add on just over an hour of mindful 'nordic' walking afterwards.
i've found that to be a really great way of having awareness in the body.
usually 20 -30 minutes meditation at night.