water drop:
What is the benifits of doing a 5 minute meditation ? and in isolation from other formal meditations and un-formal meditations (daily life mindfulness)
i understand it wont do any good for samatha but for someone practicing vipassana does it "do" anything
and im asking for example on meditating once a day - or once a week or a month or even a year
lets say i meditate 5 minutes a month and i am not mindful at all all the other time - is there any good in that ?
whats the amount of meditation or daily mindfulness needed so it wont be a waste of effort ? if i meditate 20 minutes once a month will i advance somewhere ?
As regards to Meditation you are basically training yourself in a skill.
If you were to teach a child how to ride a bicycle, and you only let them spend 5 minutes a month on the bicycle, how good do you think they would get riding the bicycle? If you let them have access to the bicycle 5 minutes a week? 5 minutes a day? What if they had access to the bicycle and rode it all day as much as they were able, every day?
One can learn the skill of Mindfulness and practice the skill of Mindfulness all day, in any situation...
Mindfulness of the Four Frames of Reference, Body, Sensations, Mind, and Mental Qualities
"Now, if anyone would develop these four frames of reference in this way for seven years, one of two fruits can be expected for him: either gnosis right here & now, or — if there be any remnant of clinging/sustenance — non-return."Let alone seven years. If anyone would develop these four frames of reference in this way for six years... five... four... three... two years... one year... seven months... six months... five... four... three... two months... one month... half a month, one of two fruits can be expected for him: either gnosis right here & now, or — if there be any remnant of clinging/sustenance — non-return."Let alone half a month. If anyone would develop these four frames of reference in this way for seven days, one of two fruits can be expected for him: either gnosis right here & now, or — if there be any remnant of clinging/sustenance — non-return."'This is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of Unbinding — in other words, the four frames of reference.' Thus was it said, and in reference to this was it said."That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One's words.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.htmlPsi