February 5, 2009
Creating a Daily Meditation Practice
Daily Meditation practice is recommended in every meditation tradition.
In fact, whether you're doing Buddhist meditation or yoga meditation, mindfulness meditation, or even just some kind of relaxation meditation or listening to guided meditation CDs, meditation teachers typically recommend practicing every day.
When I first began a formal meditation practice in the Kriya Yoga tradition in 1972, I was only 10 years old. I was asked to practice for 30 minutes twice a day and two hours every weekend. Later when I started a Buddhist meditation practice, the recommended amount of daily meditation time was two hours a day. In fact, for some of the advanced meditation courses they wouldn't even let you participate if you hadn't been practicing for at least two hours every day for six months.
Transcendental Meditation teachers also recommend a daily practice 20 minutes in the morning 20 minutes in the evening.
Some of the meditation teachers even think that the time of day you practice is important and recommend doing your daily meditations or your prayer or meditations at sunrise and sunset.
Now, let's be realistic for a moment, shall we?
Do you have an extra 40, or even 20 minutes in your day?
Oh, I know that some of the meditation teachers will say, "Even if you don't have the extra time, by meditating you'll get the extra time."
But does that sound realistic for your lifestyle? Sure you could try it and find out, but when I survey meditators and ask what their biggest obstacles are, the number one answer is it's very difficult for them to find the time to do their daily meditation.
I have some interesting news and I have to tell it to you in the form of a story:
For 30 years I had struggled with creating a daily meditation practice. I realized that the amount of stress that I was creating by trying to force myself to meditate every day was greater than the amount of stress reduction and spiritual insight I was getting when I did meditate everyday.
So I gave up trying to meditate daily. Instead, I found myself meditating every now and then and only at times that were already conducive to meditation. Times where I was already relaxed, already kind of peaceful. Where I didn't need to find spare time, but I had just a minute, or two, or five that was already set aside for me.
For example, watching TV late at night during a commercial. Or if I was in my car at a stop sign. Or while I was waiting for my wife to try on clothes at the Nordstrom Rack sales.
After about four years, I had the thought that I should try my old meditation practice, the one I tried doing everyday. So I walked into the meditation room, sat down on my meditation cushion and before I began, I had the thought, "Well, this probably won't be very good, because if you don't practice every day you don't get the same deep meditation." But I figured I'd give it a try anyway.
The next 60 minutes went by in a flash. I had one of the deepest meditative experiences I've ever had. And I don't think it was because of the particular meditation technique I was doing. It was because I had given up the idea that I needed to practice meditation every day in order to fix or improve myself. Without that extra pressure on myself, meditation practice was delightful and profound.
So while I understand the value of a daily meditation practice, and every now and then I give myself the goal of sitting down and meditating every day — maybe for a week or two – I want to suggest that you pay attention to whether or not you want to meditate, because it's something that genuinely nurtures you or because it's part of your self-improvement project. And if it's the latter, you might want to find a different way. I'm happy to tell you what I discovered.
Comments on Creating a Daily Meditation Practice »
Yoga (Application) which was based on the control of the body physically and implied that a perfect control over the body and the senses led to knowledge of the ultimate reality. A detailed anatomical knowledge of the human body was necessary to the advancement of yoga and therefore those practising yoga had to keep in touch with medical knowledge. (Romila Thapar, A History of India, volume one).
I suggest : Mind and brain are two distinct things. Brain is anatomical entity whereas mind is functional entity. Mind can be defined as the function of autonomic nervous system (ANS). It is claimed that mind can be brought under conscious control through the practice of meditation. But how? ANS is largely under hypothalamic control which is situated very close to optic chiasma (sixth chakra or ajna chakra). Protracted practice of concentration to meditate at this region brings functions of ANS say mind under one’s conscious control.
ANS is further divided into parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS). On the basis of these facts I have discovered a mathematical relationship for spiritual quotient (S.Q.). Spiritual Quotient can be expressed mathematically as the ratio of Parasympathetic dominance to Sympathetic dominance. PSNS dominates during meditative calm and SNS dominates during stress. In this formula we assign numerical values to the physiological parameters activated or suppressed during autonomic mobilization and put in the formula to describe the state of mind of an individual and also infer his/her level of consciousness.
Meditation is the art of looking within and science of doing nothing. We don’t use anything in meditation. We just try to concentrate to meditate at some point in human anatomy known as ‘chakra’ in Indian System of Yoga. The current of mind is flowing outward through the senses and unconsciously. The mind comes at rest gradually through regular practice of meditation. Then comes self realization and enlightenment. Protracted practice of meditation under qualified guidance will help to manage all sort of psychological problems.
Emotional Quotient can also be expressed mathematically as the product of I.Q. and Wisdom Factor. E.Q. stands for Emotional Quotient. An intelligent person may not be wise. But a wise man will always be intelligent. An intelligent person having certain level of positive emotions can be said as wise. An intelligent person lacking wisdom will turn autocrat. A wise man will always be a democrat who respects others existence.
Some may raise doubt that how could be the Wisdom quantified? The answer is simple -if Mental Age of I.Q. can be quantified then Wisdom can also be quantified, of course, comparatively with more efforts. Wilhelm Stern had given the formula of I.Q.. It is, Mental Age/ Chronological Age x 100. Spiritual Quotient (S.Q.) leverages both E.Q. and I.Q.
Radha Soami Faith is a branch of Religion of Saints like Kabir, Nanak, Paltu, and others. Soamiji Maharaj is the founder of this Faith. You may call It like New Wine in Old Bottle.
Maslow has given Hierarchy of Needs. At the top of it is need for self-actualization or self-realization.
In our society we should learn To Live and Let Live and help to satisfy others need. When the lower order needs, physiological and sociological both, are satisfied then only a person think to satisfy need for self-realization in true sense. Else he/she may spend all his/her life to satisfy at the most the need for self-expression instead of self-realization.
It is, therefore, the duty of every responsible person, at the least, of our society to give serious thought over it.
For the satisfaction of need for self-realization i.e. establishment of harmony of individual consciousness with that of universal consciousness we need following three things:
1. Mater or Guru (A Self-Realized Soul)
2. Secret of Levels of Universal Consciousness
3. Method for traversing the path.
Anirudh Kumar Satsangi
All those little 1-2 minute sessions throughout the day over a period a time may also have helped.
To turn the tables somewhat, I know an average 'Joe' who is in what you would consider a meditative state all day, effortlessly. He only takes time out to have thoughts when appropriate.
Although quite difficult for natural comedians, seriousness in your practice does work.
I really enjoyed reading this.
Having meditated faithfully for 25 years using some very mechanical techniques, I have discovered this same truth. My meditations are better now.
Thank you for this very insiteful website.
Katie