“The main thing about the duration of meditation per day is that it should be sustainable for you. The last thing that you want is to get tired and overwhelmed by being over-ambitious. At the same time, you need to challenge yourself within those parameters. So not too long, not too short”
Dear Integral Meditators,
How often? How Long? And at what time? Three typical questions I get asked a lot. Below is the essence of a common rely I give, plus a short meditation practice that you can use as the content for the time that you set aside.
Also, if your looking for a way to go renew, deepen or make more complete your meditation practice, then the Introduction to Integral Meditation & Mindfulness Practice – An eight-week course begins this week on 10th/11th Jan, You are welcome to join us on the adventure, either live or online!
In the spirit of meditation,
Toby
How often should you meditate? – Structuring your meditation practice & your basic meditation state
This article is designed to answer these questions:
- How often should I practice meditation?
- For how long?
- What is the best time to meditate?
Once we have had a look at these questions, I will then offer a practice that you can put into your meditation space.
How often should I practice meditation?
The basic structure that I often recommend students is to practice three times a day; once in the morning, once in the afternoon and once in the evening. This way you are stimulating your mindful awareness three times a day and thereby keep it front and centre of your activities as you go thru your activities.
For how long?
If you are practising three times a day, then you can make one of them a longer meditation and the other two shorter. For example, if you are very busy, then your longer meditation could be just five minutes, and the shorter ones just one minute. The principal here is that you don’t necessarily need a long meditation to have a real effect on your quality of life.
If you have a bit more time, you might do your longer meditation as a 15-20 minute meditation, with the other two shorter (again 1minute is good).
The main thing about the duration of meditation per day is that it should be sustainable for you. The last thing that you want is to get tired and overwhelmed by being over-ambitious. At the same time, you need to challenge yourself within those parameters. So not too long, not too short.
What is the best time to meditate?
If we are practicing 3x a day, then you can make your morning, evening or afternoon session the longer one, according to your schedule and preference. A morning meditation sets up the day nicely. An evening meditation helps you process and make peace with the events of the day. Sometimes there is a quiet space in the afternoon that fits just nicely. Many schools of meditation advocate the morning, but it really depends upon your preferences, schedule and disposition, do what feels right for you!
With that in mind, here is a simple practice to use for meditation:
- Sit, stand or lie down comfortably, with a reasonably straight back, and the left and right halves of the body symmetrical
- Orientate your attention around your breathing and body to give you your basic state of meditative presence, i.e. Not lost in thought, and not asleep or unconscious
- Focusing in the central zone of your chest and torso, as you breathe in become aware of the basic warmth of your life-force in the body. As you breathe out, relax into it. So, as you breathe in you open to your fundamental warmth, as you breathe out you relax into it
- As you continue to relax, notice that contained within your inner warmth is the brightness of your own intelligence and awareness, so as you breathe you are connecting to your own ‘intelligent-warmth’. If you like you can imagine that there is a little sun in your chest space, your inner warmth is like the warmth of the sun, and your basic intelligence is like the light from the sun.
- This way of relating to yourself in the moment helps you to centre in your fundamental warmth and intelligence, and orientate around your ‘basic meditation state’. Stay with this simple experience for the time that you have set aside for your meditation.
© Toby Ouvry 2023, you are welcome to use or share this article, but please cite Toby as the source and include reference to his website www.tobyouvry.com
Starts Tues 10th, Weds 11th January – Introduction to Integral Meditation & Mindfulness Practice – An eight-week course
Integral Meditation Practice (IMP) is a different kind of mind-body training, that aims to provide optimal inner peace, centeredness, energy and insight for the contemporary meditation practitioner. It combines eastern and western forms of practice, as well as ancient and modern ones into a series of integrative practices. The practices enable the meditator to remain resilient, energized and creative in the face of the multi-faceted challenges of modern life. These eight classes give an introduction to IMP, in a simple, accessible manner…see full details
Tues 3rd & Weds 4th January, 7.30-8.30pm – 2023 ‘Beginners mind’ meditation
This meditation session is focused upon setting up the 2022 new year energies in a way that invites the best possible experience moving forward. We will be:
- Releasing and letting go of energies, events and experiences from the past year that may hold us back from moving into our full potential
- Developing a flexible, soft, ‘beginners mind’, renewed and ready to be ‘born again’ with energy and enthusiasm in 2022
All upcoming classes and workshops at IMA:
Ongoing – Weekly Tuesday, Wednesday Online class schedule
Ongoing on Wednesday’s, 7.30-8.30pm – Wednesday Meditation for stress transformation and positive energy with Toby (Bukit Timah)
Ongoing on Tuesday evenings, 7.30-8.30pm – Tuesday Meditation for stress transformation and positive energy with Toby (East Coast)
Tues 3rd & Weds 4th January, 7.30-8.30pm – 2023 New year ‘Beginners mind’ meditation
Starts Tues 10th, Weds 11th January – Introduction to Integral Meditation & Mindfulness Practice – An eight-week course
Tues 24th & Weds 25th January – Lunar New Year Meditation 2023: Developing your self-assurance & gracefulness in the year of the Water Rabbit
Saturday January 28th, 9.30-11.30am – Monthly Qi Gong & Taoist Breathwork Clinic & Mini-retreat
Saturday 11th February, 9am-12.30pm – Wabi-Sabi mindfulness – The art of creative leadership and self-leadership workshop
Integral Meditation Asia
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