30 Day Home Solo Meditation Retreat

[Aaron k]

Hi everyone, i've decided to pull my sleeves up and dive deep into this work after watching heaps of Actualized.org videos, reading heaps of nondual books and theory  and contemplating and i know now what enlightenment is conceptually after 3 years of trying to wrap my mind around it.

so i'm basically a dead beat, i haven't worked in over 6 years, i pretty much just stay at home stay up till 4 in the morning watching Leo and then sleep all day and i'm on a disability pension and have no friends what so ever! 

so to get to the point!  i will be trying to pull off a 30 day meditation retreat at home solo, meditating 12 hours a day without no distractions. so i'm exited to see what happens and if i can pull it off!

[tecladocasio]

good luck , nice attitude 

[PsiloPutty]

What's your current meditation practice like? 

[Aaron k]

@tecladocasio thank you!

[Elysian]

As long as you not working is not causing stress on you (say from family badgering you about needing to work), then I say go for it.

You needn't sit for an entire 12 hours, although you could. Starting the first day as soon as you get off the cushion try to maintain awareness of your breath the entire day. If you actively and persistently try do this, the entire day will become meditation and your progress will grow exponentially. 

The past few days I've done this, including while driving at work, and the progress is mind blowing. Just last night (and this is 3 days in) I've already came very close to Savikalpa Samadhi. I've already achieved it several times before, but over the past few months of solely meditating while on the cushion for 1-2 hours a day I never even came close. There's a huge difference between meditating for 18 hours a day and 2 hours a day. It also seems crucial to bring your practice off of the mat, to integrate mindfulness into your everyday life.

Good luck, and I know you said you have familiarized your self with the material, but make sure to pay close attention to the different states you pass through so you can compare your experiences with that of Gautama and the Yoga Sutras. It can be very helpful to gauge your progress. And even if it seems you've progressed rather quickly, don't let others tell you that you couldn't have done so in the time. Trust your gut, that sort of discouragement set me back a long time. If I would have trusted myself then that I had reached Nirvikalpa Samadhi, I would have pushed straight through to Sahaja Samadhi months ago.

Just because it takes someone years to do something, doesn't mean it will necessarily take you that long, especially if you are absolutely determined to know Truth.

Edited November 15, 2018 by Elysian
Grammar

[Aaron k]

@Elysian thanks for sharing your insights brother, much appreciated! 

[Aaron k]

@Leo Gura Do you have any tips or insights please?

[PsiloPutty]

1 hour ago, PsiloPutty said:

What's your current meditation practice like? 

The reason I'm asking is that 12 hours a day is hardcore and not tenable for most people, unless they're already consistent meditators.