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Daily Sitting Practice
Hi
I have been meditating regularly now for quite a few years on average for 30-40 mins each day (usually early morning). I also go on weekend retreats 3 or 4 times per year.
I want to dive deepr into my formal sitting practice and wondered whether to approach it from the perspective of extending my current sitting practice from 30 mins - 60 mins, or sitting twice per day (early morning and early evening) for 30 minutes at a time.
Like most people I have a busy life style (married, full time job and a young daughter etc etc ) ; so I would like to deepen my practice with the most practical use of my time.
From experience, can anyone share their experience ? i.e. better to sit once per day for longer or twice per day (30 mins each) ?
Thanks
Alan
This might be old news by now (old posts) but my personal experience is that committing to doing longer annual retreats has become more important to deepening my practice, personally.
I can sit more times per day or more minutes but that's not as "noticeable" in terms of life-changing insights (for me) and helping to deepen wisdom and compassion. For me, making time for 3 or 4 week-long retreats per year (or a couple 2-week retreats) has helped my practice the most.
Either way, it's different for everyone. Our intentions are what matter, I think.
May our practice be of benefit to all beings.
Bryony
Barre, MA
I am testing being able to comment in the discussion area without logging in.
It sounds like you do have the time to increase your AM sit. Why not try increasing by 5 min. increments. Start with 5 minutes longer and do that for a week and then add another 5 min. for another week. This way you can work up a tolerance for a longer sit and see what the benefits are, if any. I, like you Alan, regularly sit in the AM. I sit for 45min during the work week and then sit for an hour on the weekends. I sometimes will add a 30min. sit in the evening. That sit will usually be a brahmavihara meditation. Lots of choices. All good. Happy sitting!
Fred in Albuquerque
Why don't you try both for a week or so each and see how it goes for you?
My understanding is that it is better to go longer. It takes the mind some time to settle so you want to allow this to happen so that you can get the benefit of going deeper in your meditation. Otherwise you are just getting settled and your time is up.
Since we are talking about experiential...try a month for each time frame and see what you notice
Alan,
Your question about sitting more daily is interesting. Our weekly sitting group has been working hard over the last year to keep bringing our practice into exactly this moment. As such, we've been helping each other remember that moments of practice arise all the time.
For example, we've been working with the paramis a lot. It seems as if whichever parami we study, that is the one which always appears in our day to day lives. We remind each other to look for the rising opportunity to practice, say, patience. How do we remember to practice patience? What does it look like? What doesn't help us practice when we find difficult mind-states arising? Are there words or phrases we use to keep ourselves focused?
I've found that these questions help me deepen my practice without adding an additional sit every day. After all, the only time you can practice patience is if someone or something is stretching it to the breaking point, right?
This is not to dissuade you from sitting longer or multiple times each day. It is just my experience of another way to deepen your practice.
peace,
spencer
Hello Alan - Well, I am not very disciplined so I 'set up' scheduled commitments with other practioners; ie: a phone sit once a week - my Sangha buddy and I rotate who calls at 8:00 am on Tuesday morning, we ring the bell and hang up as we each sit in our own homes, 30 minutes later call back, do the loving kindness call and response, dedicate merit, ring the bell and hang up - no other chatting. Another Sangha buddy and I sit/walk and talk or call and talk at a scheduled time/week. Although this last does not always include a sit, it does provide for 'Dhamma discussion.
Metta,
ve
Hey Wendi - thanks for the response.
I look forward to Phillip's response and that of other folk ...
This is a great question, Alan.
I will ask Phillip his opinion but it would be great to hear from some people about their own personal experience.
thanks for posting.
-Wendi (Assistant to Phillip)
Ihnen gefordert drakonisch onanieren tun Zurueck zur Natur derjenigen oder geld verdienen identifiziert braun anzubauen.