Overdoing it?

On the cultivation of insight/wisdom
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martinstorykapusta
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Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 8:14 am

Overdoing it?

Post by martinstorykapusta »

Hello there everybody,

Another quick question:

Coming out of my first Vipassana experience, the intention to meditate a minimum of two times a day has become a regular occurrence in my life.
Normally, I can find this easy enough to bring into my daily life, with even more sitting a possibility as well when time is available.

However, for the next month or so I am currently cherry picking. It is rigorous work beginning very early in the morning and going into the afternoon.
My body is quite tired, and adding to my daily errands + asana yoga, I find I need as much sleep as I can get.
Though, due to my want to keep at least two separate sittings in my life, I find myself forcing myself to get up earlier even in order to squeeze in a sitting before work.
One hour before work (2:00AM), and one after work (around 3:00PM). Though during this morning meditation I am quite exhausted and body-tired.

My question is: should I continue and just persevere through the exhaustion for the sake of getting in the sitting time?
Or would it be more wise to get more sleep for my body and only sit once a day, then bring back the second sitting once this work season is over?

I just feel like I am "overdoing it", for the schedule/exertion of my body.

Thank you kindly in advance for any help and advice.
My utmost metta to you all.

Martin
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reflection
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Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2011 9:27 pm

Re: Overdoing it?

Post by reflection »

Better to do 1 practice with as much energy and joy as you can than to do 2 which are less. Meditation should be a bit of fun, it's not a chore. Not something to get over with. That's my opinion at least.

As a replacement, perhaps you could do parts of your job more mindfully. Cherry picking sounds like a job that is quite suitable for it.
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DarwidHalim
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Location: Neither Samsara nor Nirvana

Re: Overdoing it?

Post by DarwidHalim »

You need to do cherry-picking meditation.
I am not here nor there.
I am not right nor wrong.
I do not exist neither non-exist.
I am not I nor non-I.
I am not in samsara nor nirvana.
To All Buddhas, I bow down for the teaching of emptiness. Thank You!
Chi
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Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Re: Overdoing it?

Post by Chi »

DarwidHalim wrote:You need to do cherry-picking meditation.
Formal meditation is great, but it is more important to bring that mindfulness into every action.

Be Happy!
Do Good, Avoid Evil, Purify the Mind.
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Ben
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Re: Overdoing it?

Post by Ben »

If it were me, I would attempt to maintain the two sittings per day, regardless of what my schedule is. You may need to sacrifice other recreational activities so that you get enough sleep and meditation time. But it can be done - its all a matter of priorities.
kind regards,

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

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