How To Get Into Meditation?

[key]

I struggle with implementing meditation within a daily, weekly or anytime practice. 

Although I understand mediation is not restricted to sitting and implementing technique, and is available to practice at anytime, what I am looking for is a daily implementation of sitting and being.

Myself seems to avoid the practice, devalue it, or see it as complete bullshit without meaning to, my surface thoughts has no problem with seeing the benefits or gain I might achieve with it and wants to start, yet struggle with actually doing it.

How the F do I start doing?

 

[Naviy]

Try to make practice of meditation more pleasant for you to get hooked. I think Headspace is a good application for this. It has very short and easy guided meditations at first and you actually feel better after doing them. Also this application gives you some feeling of progress with it's "meditation levels" and reminders, etc. which entertains you.

Don't try to be hard on yourself with hardcore techniques, don't torture yourself. Don't blame yourself for not doing meditation (seems that you're doing it, judging by your post). Actually allow yourself to not do meditation for a week or two, or even allow yourself to not do meditation ever again. Rest from your struggle and then come back with a more pleasant approach.

From time to time watch good inspiring videos about meditation (like Leo's) and then do not do the practice. Later you will naturally start wanting to do it and you will start. Then start applying discipline a little bit. For example, do like 5-10 minutes, but every day. Push yourself little by little to disciplined practice. Watch a documentary about zen monastery or about yogis or self help videos whatever inspires you to do meditation. And do less than you think you must (shorter sessions, less painful techniques). But also apply some discipline to yourself, start becoming consistent. You can use applications or websites that can help you stay on track. For example, this https://chains.cc/

 

[Max_V]

You just do it. 

Commit to it.

Make a specific time in your day the time where you meditate. Write down the reason why you do it and discipline yourself to stick to it. After a while you won't need to anymore because meditation itself becomes too enjoyable for you.

[Saarah]

@key Develop a desire or motivation to connect with being. It helps to notice how much 'doing' you engage in all day, and you will begin gravitating towards just wanting to stop and get to know yourself with being. This also helps you to do meditation for the process and not striving for results that may get you demotivated when they don't come. Remember also the whole process is about coming back after thoughts distract you and take enjoyment out of practicing this skill. Relax into observing things. Try to set some time with a little force and effort at first but always remember the whole motivation for doing it and the importance of connecting to being for your life day to day and also in the big picture. 

[RossE]

2 hours ago, Max_V said:

You just do it. 

Commit to it.

Make a specific time in your day the time where you meditate. Write down the reason why you do it and discipline yourself to stick to it. After a while you won't need to anymore because meditation itself becomes too enjoyable for you.

This. At first it's a pain, or was for me, but after a month or two of daily meditation there's a good chance you'll have seen some benefits and will want to stick with it. I've now done 427 days in a row and don't plan to stop anytime soon 

[Max_V]

@RossE Nice, keep at it.

I'm close to my completing my first two years  

[Viking]

develop negative and positive motivations.

for example a negative motivation would be- if i wont meditate I will keep suffering from my monkey mind and I will suffer from negative thoughts for the rest of my life

and a positive one- I will be able to think more clearly, be more creative and enjoy life more.

that way one takes you by the shirt and pulls you forward and one pushes you on the back so you will be more motivated. at the end of the day its all a matter of habit, just to get to the habit is the hard part and motivation helps with that.

[key]

@Naviy

Yes a guided based application with reminders seems to be the easiest way to jump into it.

17 hours ago, Max_V said:

You just do it. 

Yes, to just do seems to be the only way isn't, otherwise you're just not doing.

13 hours ago, Ilya said:

develop negative and positive motivations.

for example a negative motivation would be- if i wont meditate I will keep suffering from my monkey mind and I will suffer from negative thoughts for the rest of my life

and a positive one- I will be able to think more clearly, be more creative and enjoy life more.

Do you think attaching negative and positive motivations towards meditation, which in it's essence is to bring awareness to emptiness, a good foundation for starting the practice? it seems most 'teachers' preach a non judgmental, open minded approach.

17 hours ago, Saarah said:

@key Develop a desire or motivation to connect with being. It helps to notice how much 'doing' you engage in all day, and you will begin gravitating towards just wanting to stop and get to know yourself with being. This also helps you to do meditation for the process and not striving for results that may get you demotivated when they don't come. Remember also the whole process is about coming back after thoughts distract you and take enjoyment out of practicing this skill. Relax into observing things. Try to set some time with a little force and effort at first but always remember the whole motivation for doing it and the importance of connecting to being for your life day to day and also in the big picture. 

Yes I agree

[Truth Seekah]

19 hours ago, key said:

How the F do I start doing?

 

[Viking]

2 hours ago, key said:

 

Do you think attaching negative and positive motivations towards meditation, which in it's essence is to bring awareness to emptiness, a good foundation for starting the practice? it seems most 'teachers' preach a non judgmental, open minded approach.

at the start meditation is all about getting used to do it, no matter by which means. later you can develop a non judgemental approach, right now you cant do that because you struggle to do the meditation.

check that post out 

 

[phoenix666]

@key kicked my ass into motion some months ago .. 

 

[everythingisnothing]

@key If you need some motivation or if you‘re concerned whether it has any effects, you can check out my instagram @didyoumeditatetoday. I upload videos of my 1 hour sit daily and talk about the sessions and benefits of meditation. I‘m also going live today, so you can join me. 

 

[pluto]

Once you get a taste of the deeper layers and how amazing it feels just to be there in the silence where all is seen and all is heard you will naturally be drawn to "being" more often. You always have to push yourself in the beginning but eventually like Osho says "Once you get the knack of it" its smooth sailing from there on.

[Space]

@key I'd say four things are key to implementing a meditation habit:
1) Start now and commit to never miss a day. Easier said than done of course, but very important. Missing a day here and there isn't really going to affect your meditation in any way, but unless you're really committed to it skipping even once will then give you a reason to be able to skip another day and another day etc. So do it every day, even if its just 15 minutes.

2) Weave it into your daily routine. Routine is key! Like most people, i'm sure you have a fairly standard daily routine. So commit to doing your meditation at a particular time of the day, every day. Eventually it becomes part of your routine and there's a lot less resistance. I would generally advise to do it in the morning because you're more alert/fresh, there's less distractions and you're less likely to procrastinate etc. You can also motivate yourself more by saying "I can't or won't do X and Y until i've meditated this morning". So then you're more likely to just get it done. But do it whenever you want.

3) Interest and desire to become more conscious and aware. Cultivate a genuine interest in spirituality and discovering yourself.

4) Finally, as other people have commented, you've just got to do it. This is where the rubber meets the road. You've got to push through the resistance. No one's gonna do it for you.

[phoenix666]

1 hour ago, pluto said:

Once you get a taste of the deeper layers and how amazing it feels just to be there in the silence where all is seen and all is heard you will naturally be drawn to "being" more often. You always have to push yourself in the beginning but eventually like Osho says "Once you get the knack of it" its smooth sailing from there on.

absolutely true. for me it has been a struggle for a long time. right now I feel like I've come to the stage where it really is enjoyable sitting in silence. sometimes when I am surrounded by chattering, people or general in a crowded and loud place I catch myself thinking how much I'd rather sit somewhere alone in silence on my meditation cushion.