So I want to create a regular meditation practice, something I have utterly failed to do for the last *checks age…* 15 years
people who have achieved this treasured feat - what has worked in your experience to establish a consistent practice that feels natural?
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For context, I’m not a complete noob - I’ve done a couple of hundred hours, just inconsistently and a little too much dabbling
I’m looking to create a proper practice that might endure decades, not just get started with exploring meditation
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1. Committing to less than you know you are capable of but being absolutely disciplined with the minimum.
Even if you know you can sit for a half hour, promise yourself you will sit for at least 5 mins per day and stick to it. Often getting there is harder than staying.
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Having the freedom to quit after 5 mins sometimes means that the days you sit for longer are obviously choiceful and feel better for that.
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2. Inspiration: have one inspiring, motivating read at any time. Maybe it’s notes you made to yourself about why you want to sit. Maybe it’s a text. Maybe it’s a short recitation. Remind yourself with it why you want to sit at the start of each session.
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Swap out the inspiring prompt for another one fairly frequently.
Maybe spend a few minutes “getting into mode” with it before sitting.
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3. Talk with peers about your practice. It’s hugely motivating and you pick up all sorts of inspirations & ideas along the way.
Join group sits. We have lots regularly in Evolvingground.org Also, big recommend for Youtube groups
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fwiw, not to argue against this but just to share my experience - i found i had several triggers tied to group sits that made them very unpleasant for me, often sleepy, eventually developed psychosomatic pain in my left shoulder that only happened during group sits
have had to very slowly ease back into solo sits as a result. i feel too constrained in many ways in a group sit, it's too similar to ways i was punished as a child. ymmv of course!
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Sounds ghastly
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Yes, agreed that they work well for some & not others. Also, the flavor from one group to another varies greatly, it’s worth looking for a good fit
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