Need Help Starting a Meditation Habit

[Adam M]

Hello!  

I have been meditating almost every day for about a year now but I sometimes miss days and it makes me feel guilty and sad.  Recently I didn't meditate for 4 days in a row and I felt super bad...I just keep distracting myself.  

Any tips on how to make a successful habit?  Specifically a meditation habit?  

 

[Danielle]

Cultivate a real desire for truth. Why are you meditating? You get distracted easily because, in your mind, meditation doesn't serve a crucial role. Contemplate the effects that meditation could have on you if you just stick to it. 

Edited November 30, 2017 by Danielle

[Adam M]

@Danielle i think you're right.  I have been extrinsically motivated to meditate.  

Would reading books about the benefits of meditation help or would that be a distraction as well?

 

[Max_V]

@Adam M The thing that could motivate you is the experience of what does could lead to. Conceptualizing more is not going to help grow your motivation from my experience. 

You could try Leo’s guided No Self visualisation for example. That could produce a tiny glimpse of how deep this work goes.

When you experience first hand the depth, keeping the habbit won’t be something you worry about anymore. You just feel naturally drawn to sit down and meditate

Edited December 1, 2017 by Max_V

[Shroomdoctor]

@Max_V Did you have one of those experiences? If so, with or without drugs? 

@Adam M I think reading books can motivate you and is no distraction. Also, just take a few moments and think about WHY you want to do it? Just really think about it. And then think about why you don't want to do it today. And then decide what to do today. And don't feel guilty about it, even if you decide to skip a day.

 

Edited December 1, 2017 by Marco_the_Ape

[Max_V]

@Marco_the_Ape I had small insight this summer, I was meditating in the ice cold outside in Switzerland. There was so much resistance and I was pretty much in some form of existential crisis. 

Eventually I let go, and surrendered to the fear. Then this realisation came. “...... I am not these sensations that I feel... I am the one that is aware of these sensations.” 

That one hit quite deep and really sparked my motivation to do more conscious- and enlightenment work.

Edited December 1, 2017 by Max_V

[Shin]

Force yourself to meditate 1 hour everyday for 1 month, then stop completely for 1 month.

Suddenly, your motivation will rise 

[Danielle]

@Adam M Reading can help short term, but it won't suffice. When you're in midst of an ego backlash and when suicidal thoughts arise, anything that anyone writes or says will be irrelevant to you. Without an authentic desire to know who you are, not even the most complex amazing teaching won't be enough to keep you going. 

And like @Shin said, try not doing it for some time, it will be really painful once you've pierced through the veil 

 

[Guest Young Padawan]

You don't need a motive to do the stuff that you need to do, all you need is to stop other motives for everything else. Ask yourself questions like: Why do I want to miss today's meditation practice? What's more important than that? Etc..

You will eventually realize that every "do" is only a distraction from finding the truth which is "being".

[Nahm]

@Adam M Yo Adam, what is reality? What is an image? That’s what you were made from. What is an image? When you know, you’ll fall to the floor in tears & love. It’s epic. Biblical & Epic. 

[Ether]

Think about the benefits of meditation . Destimulation of the mind (less boredom), silent mind, peace, happiness (even if its limited)

[eputkonen]

On 11/30/2017 at 0:07 PM, Adam M said:

Hello!  

I have been meditating almost every day for about a year now but I sometimes miss days and it makes me feel guilty and sad.  Recently I didn't meditate for 4 days in a row and I felt super bad...I just keep distracting myself.  

Any tips on how to make a successful habit?  Specifically a meditation habit?  

 

For me, I meditate because I enjoy it.  Recently, I was traveling and busy and didn't meditate...but I don't feel guilty or sad or feel bad.  I don't beat myself up for missing it.  I find I miss it and want to do it all the more the next day.

So perhaps you need to clarify why you are meditating.  If it is work...a chore...something that must be done...we often resist and procrastinate.

 

[AleksM]

@Adam M Meditate everyday at the same time. Develop a morning routine and incorporate meditation into it. 

[Adam M]

@Source_Mystic thanks a ton friend  Your words are a great help!

 

[Shin]

[RossE]

The hero always stumbles around, frightened to take his journey.

[Matt8800]

I cant speak for anyone else but this is how I developed a consistent meditation habit:

I used to be one of those people that knew he needed to meditate but couldn't find the discipline to stick with it. Part of the problem was that, in retrospect, my meditation pretty much consisted of me sitting there with my eyes closed, trying to have few thoughts and bored waiting until my time was up.

About 10 months ago, I stumbled onto some DMT. I felt what it was like to have my ego shattered and I understood impermanence and interdependence. It was like someone flipped a switch on the back of my head that had been on the off position my whole life. I have meditated every day since then and my meditation experiences are totally different than they used to be.

I recommended to someone else to go through Leo's guided meditation to experience no-self, smoke DMT and meditate again on no-self on the come-down. He claims it changed his life and got him on track.

Sometimes someone just needs to have a glimpse of the sunlight for the first time to realize there is a beautiful sun to chase.