Oakville Zen Meditation
Why is it so hard to meditate every day?
Our Western culture is imposing on us to be busy. Our ego also loves to be busy because it implies “ I am indispensable, important, I am not lazy, and I don’t want to be bored”. To the question “ How are you doing? most of us reply “busy” because replying “ not busy” is unthinkable, sort of “l am projecting a negative and a busy social image”.
Americans report having less than 7.3 hours of leisure time weekly, once work and all other obligations are taken care of, and that duration is rapidly shrinking.
Forget that many of us have to work two jobs with outrageous hours to make ends meet. And, don’t forget that we are bombarded, and addicted to information overload and hyperconnectivity thanks to IT and cell phones.
Even putting all of the above aside, there are still several other reasons why it’s hard to meditate every day causing a high quitting rate
Why it is hard to meditate daily? 8 reasons:
1)-Because “I cannot make time to meditate”. If meditation is not a priority, quit.
2) Because of our lack of understanding, and trust regarding mindfulness meditation.
3)-Most of us come to meditation expecting to solve our current issues
quickly which will never happen because:
-The issues persist or change, and they quit for not believing in the effectiveness
of meditation.
-The effect of meditation takes time. It is not a quick fix.
4)-Because when the issues disappear, many decide not to meditate anymore;
5)-Because meditation is the opposite of how we’ve been culturally
condition that is being in constant motion physically, mentally, and
Emotionally all day long. Sitting still even a few min. acts like a brake triggering
an alien feeling of being stalled, of emptiness, of restlessness, even anxiety beside
a waste of time.
6)-Because our mind is controlling us whereas during meditation our mind is under our control. Therefore, it will use all the tricks to avoid sitting for meditation such as:
Here are the common mind tricks:
Cannot make time, boring, feeling guilty of not doing something more interesting or more importantly, a waste of time.
I am not progressing, I don’t feel any of the benefits of meditation, and my mind is still running non-stop, so I must quit. I will never be good at it, etc…..The list is endless.
7)-Because it’s not yet one of our daily automatic priorities that we do spontaneously.
8)-Because, once in a while, meditation is impossible:
Often we are going through an intense emotional rollercoaster, and simply sitting still, and focusing on breathing is simply impossible.
Yet paradoxically, that’s the best time to meditate. Meditation brings calm, concentration, wisdom, equanimity, and joy—that eventually become who we are
So, what to do to make your mediation practice less difficult, part of your daily routine, and weekly group sitting?
By building confidence in meditation, and in your daily practice that is:
a-The virtues of meditation at its 4 levels: physically, intellectually, emotionally
and spiritually as the result of positive changes in our neuroplasticity allowing
mindfulness meditation to reduce our emotional activity, and to enhance our
rational one. This is mind control.
b-That the practice of meditation even for a few min./day is effective,
and cumulative.
By setting up your daily routine :
as a priority. If meditation is not a priority, quitting is around the corner.
Finally.
Again: you always make time for your priorities.
If meditation is not one of them, it will die for lack of interest and time. TX
By building confidence in meditation, and in your daily practice that is:
a-The virtues of meditation at its 4 levels: physically, intellectually, emotionally
and spiritually as the result of positive changes in our neuroplasticity allowing
mindfulness meditation to reduce our emotional activity, and to enhance our
rational one. This is mind control.
b-That the practice of meditation even for a few min./day is effective,
and cumulative.
By setting up your daily routine :
as a priority. If meditation is not a priority, quitting is around the corner.
Finally.
Again: you always make time for your priorities.
If meditation is not one of them, it will die for lack of interrest and time. TX
