RE: How to recover lost momentum in meditation

Macky Ben-Jonah, modified 1 Year ago at 10/19/22 4:51 PM
Created 1 Year ago at 10/19/22 4:51 PM

How to recover lost momentum in meditation

Posts: 104 Join Date: 2/17/22 Recent Posts
Hi,
I'm Macky, and I used to post a regular log here of my meditation progress for the past few months. I really felt like I was building up momentum and going towards stream entry, or at least a big A+P event. However, due to study and other commitments, I have lost that regular practice and on and off-cushion momentum. I keep skipping days and I am less diligent to note off-cushion than I was before. Now I have more time, I wish to rebuild a practice, but I am struggling to regain the momentum I had before.

Does anyone have any advice to help regain that momentum. I keep trying, but I am not doing very well.
Should I start small, and try to build up again or should I try microhits or something?

My log: https://www.dharmaoverground.org/discussion/-/message_boards/view_message/23964080
Adi Vader, modified 1 Year ago at 10/20/22 6:17 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 10/20/22 6:17 AM

RE: How to recover lost momentum in meditation

Posts: 268 Join Date: 6/29/20 Recent Posts
Begin again with a modest target of 20 minutes everyday. Do microhits as and when convenient.

Add 10 minutes to the seated practice every other week. This much consistent work is always accessible.

​​​​​​​Soon the practice will gather momentum, you can re assess at that point.
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Chris M, modified 1 Year ago at 10/20/22 7:42 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 10/20/22 7:40 AM

RE: How to recover lost momentum in meditation

Posts: 5117 Join Date: 1/26/13 Recent Posts
My version of regaining momentum would be to find a time during which you can practice unimpeded every day. I used the early mornings, most often going to my office early before anyone else arrived. It was always best, at least for me, to maintain a regular meditation schedule, come hell or high water. Leaving the time and place open every day never seemed to work because it was easy to find reasons to put off meditation until later, or tomorrow, or...  whenever it was convenient. 

Also, I used short increments of practice. 30 minutes, 45 minutes. Not hours. I found it was better to maintain a consistent and reliable routine that eventually became a life-long habit.
Danny S, modified 1 Year ago at 10/20/22 9:42 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 10/20/22 9:42 AM

RE: How to recover lost momentum in meditation

Posts: 67 Join Date: 6/18/21 Recent Posts
I have had the same experience. Consistently practicing at the same time every day in the early morning, when no one else is awake, has been the only way I've found to never miss a day of meditation, even amidst changing commitments and schedules.

One way to schedule time is to sit for ~10 min longer than it typically takes for the sit to get difficult. If sitting for any length of time makes you bored/anxious/distracted, sit for 10 min. If your legs start hurting a lot after 10 min, sit for 20 min. Etc. Every week or two consider if you want to add 10 min, as Adi suggested. That way, you are always facing your challenges but never end up torturing yourself for extended periods.

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