The Dhamma Wheel Meditation Challenge

[Majjhima Patipada]

Meditating every day of the new year.

[d.sullivan]

Hey everyone. I'm currently a student, and I have been having a tough time maintaining my meditation practice with my stressful and erratic schedule, and this meditation challenge is exactly what I need! Being a bit ambitious, my immediate inclination is to challenge myself to sit everyday for 45 minutes, but I will try to be more patient with myself and will start with something smaller. I hereby undertake the challenge of meditating for a half hour every day for the next week. Should I succeed, my next challenge will be greater.

I hope you all will hold me too it!

[Ben]

All the best with it d.sullivan!
May you succeed in your noble endeavours!

[Jhana4]

Several years ago, after having given up meditation for several years, I got sick in a way that I knew meditation would help me with getting better. I decided that no matter what happened in my day, I would at least sit down and get in the position for meditation. I got myself a little spiral bound notebook to log the date and length of each meditation, as a mark of triumph ( I was quite sick with the problem I had when I began meditating ). Years later, I have filled up several of those notebooks.

It has been over 5 1/2 years since I missed a day of meditation.

The experts say that one of the most single important factors about a meditation practice is doing however long you sit, consistently. After 5 years I can say that I agree with that. I've gotten benefits that I didn't even know existed when I was meditating in an "on again, off again" manner.

I used a number of "mental tricks" that were quite effective in keeping the practice going. The most useful was only requiring myself to sit down in the position before giving up for the day....and really meaning it in allowing myself to get up right afterwards if I truly didn't want to do it.

The second most effective kind of thinking was reminding myself of all of the times that I stayed up late and went short on sleep for other activities. I would tell myself "well, that is just life" and not worry about it. So, if my day went hard and I lost all of the other opportunities to meditate, I would just meditate before I finally did go to sleep. If I got home at 1am, I would just tell myself that I really got home at 2am and meditate anyway.

I've found myself meditating at some strange times and in some strange places.

It has definately been worth it in more ways than I could ever hope to articulate.

[d.sullivan]

All the best with it d.sullivan!
May you succeed in your noble endeavours!

Thanks, Ben!

Several years ago, after having given up meditation for several years, I got sick in a way that I knew meditation would help me with getting better. I decided that no matter what happened in my day, I would at least sit down and get in the position for meditation. I got myself a little spiral bound notebook to log the date and length of each meditation, as a mark of triumph ( I was quite sick with the problem I had when I began meditating ). Years later, I have filled up several of those notebooks.

Great tips, Jhana! Thanks! I thought about keeping a meditation journal of sorts, since I can imagine that being really helpful. I'm hoping that for now this thread will serve that purpose.

Congratulations on the consistency of your practice these past 5 years! I have heard the same expert advise that consistency is most important, and my own experience has shown this to be true. It has also proven to be the most difficult part for me lately, and I greatly appreciate your tips on keeping the momentum going and admire your ability to do that yourself

Day 1 of the challenge is complete, by the way. I have been having a lot of body tension lately, and trying to stay mindful of it without trying to fix it has been the most difficult part of my recent practice. Today went better in that regard, however, and I was much more able to simply note the tension without trying to figure out ways to relax or smooth it out. An encouraging first day

Sully.

[Ben]

Greetings Sully,

I thought about keeping a meditation journal of sorts, since I can imagine that being really helpful. I'm hoping that for now this thread will serve that purpose.

Yes, providing members with a venue to journalize their meditation challenges was one of the reasons we set up this thread.
If there is anything else we can do to support your practice, please let me, or one of my colleagues, know.
kind regards

Ben

[d.sullivan]

Greetings Sully,

I thought about keeping a meditation journal of sorts, since I can imagine that being really helpful. I'm hoping that for now this thread will serve that purpose.

If there is anything else we can do to support your practice, please let me, or one of my colleagues, know.
kind regards

Ben

Thank you kindly! I'll be sure to ask if I need anything

Day two complete.

[d.sullivan]

I hereby undertake the challenge of meditating for a half hour every day for the next week.

Challenge met. Given that my one-step-at-a-time method has so far been successful, I think I will continue it and renew my last challenge for this week.

Sully.

[Jhana4]

+ 1

[SeekingTruth]

I sat for about 15 minutes last night on the bedroom floor practicing watching the breath. My mind seemed more jumpy than usual and my body felt hot and agitated. It seemed like I did not have the necessary mindfullness to stay with the waves of heated agitation and so I ended up getting up and stopping the meditation Perhaps I need to wind myself down somewhat before meditation practice, rather than going directly from day2day life straight into eyes closed, trying to concentrate mode?

[bodom]

I sat for about 15 minutes last night on the bedroom floor practicing watching the breath. My mind seemed more jumpy than usual and my body felt hot and agitated. It seemed like I did not have the necessary mindfullness to stay with the waves of heated agitation and so I ended up getting up and stopping the meditation Perhaps I need to wind myself down somewhat before meditation practice, rather than going directly from day2day life straight into eyes closed, trying to concentrate mode?

It happens to the best of us, nothing to worry about. If you find you are so restless that you cannot sit, go do walking meditation. You can also try doing walking meditation even before sitting as this can expend some restless energy before going on to the sitting posture. Remember, meditation is not just sitting with your eyes closed but cultivating continuous mindfulness in all postures.

[SeekingTruth]

Remember, meditation is not just sitting with your eyes closed but cultivating continuous mindfulness in all postures.

Thank you for the reminder I do get a little caught up in thinking that meditation is all about sitting. It's not

[David2]

Remember, meditation is not just sitting with your eyes closed but cultivating continuous mindfulness in all postures.

Thank you for the reminder I do get a little caught up in thinking that meditation is all about sitting. It's not

That's true of course. But we should not make the mistake and quit our sitting practise because of that. Sitting is the more profound practise. Imo walking is basically for reducing the more superficial agitation of the mind and body which is also quite important at some times, of course. But generally, mindfulness in all postures develops automatically if we do our sitting practise mindfully.

[SeekingTruth]

Sat again last night, this time in the living room once my wife had retired for the evening. Lit some candles in front of my wooden buddha statue, took refuge in the Buddha, Dharma & Sangha. Observed the 5 precepts and then listened to a guided meditation by Jon Kabat-Zinn on watching the breath, followed by another guided meditation involving doing a body scan and then finally I blew the candles out, sat in the dark in utter silence, paying attention to the moment

[SeekingTruth]

OK, living room floor again last night. Listened to the sound of the meditation bell [Thich Nhat Hanh] for a while as a way of gathering my concentration. Sat watching the breath and then after about ten minutes or so I began to feel agitated once more in my body, a strong almost overwhelming sense of restlessness which I could actually feel. I tried to allow the feeling to just be there and observe it etc, but it was so intense I stopped my meditation and started playing chess online. Inevitably, I could concentrate at that with no effort whatsoever Does anyone know why that is or how I might be able to better sit with the restlessness, rather than running from it?