Using Pomodoro Technique for Meditation spread throughout the day ?

[effortlesslumen]

I just had the idea of accumulating more medative time during the days im struggling to perform a longer practice, using a pomodoro timer. As a tool to boost my mental capability for more serious and longer sittings. Maybe also for mental preparedness and for the sake of rewiring the brain. What do you guys think? I often know when i reached the limit for the day and notice my brain is processing the session. But i still got the feeling i could do a little more. I do know that, that kinda thinking is not fit for a more profound practice but im still curious of other opinions.

Edited December 17, 2022 by effortlesslumen

[Carl-Richard]

You could test it out. Just make sure it's structured and you're actually using a timer. I found that most of my meditation gains would occur at the 45 minute mark, also at the point of the day where I'm the most alert (the window before or after dinner where my stomach is not too full or not too empty).

My experience is that meditation is like an unwinding of tension, and that if you interrupt the process, the tension quickly starts building up again. So if you want to go deep, it's in a sense quality over quantity. You want to go all in for each session and see how far you can go, not spend progressively longer time in half-assed states.

Edited December 17, 2022 by Carl-Richard

[Tyler Robinson]

5 minutes ago, Carl-Richard said:

You could test it out. Just make sure it's structured and you're actually using a timer. I found that most of my meditation gains would occur at the 45 minute mark, also at the point of the day where I'm the most alert (the window before or after dinner where my stomach is not too full or not too empty).

My experience is that meditation is like an unwinding of tension, and that if you interrupt the process, the tension quickly starts building up again. So if you want to go deep, it's in a sense quality over quantity. You want to go all in for each session and see how far you can go, not spend progressively longer time in half-assed states.

And what happens when you don't use a timer. 

 

[effortlesslumen]

26 minutes ago, Carl-Richard said:

You could test it out. Just make sure it's structured and you're actually using a timer. I found that most of my meditation gains would occur at the 45 minute mark, also at the point of the day where I'm the most alert (the window before or after dinner where my stomach is not too full or not too empty).

My experience is that meditation is like an unwinding of tension, and that if you interrupt the process, the tension quickly starts building up again. So if you want to go deep, it's quality > quantity. You want to go all in for each session and see how far you can go, not spend progressively longer time in half-assed states.

Your own insight about the  45 minute mark is quiet interesting, I havent noticed something like this myself, but it makes sense. Most of the time i stop, when i beginn to slack off accompanied with the feeling of progress

Definitely going to try it out for a short while and share my experience. As you pointed out the risk of half-assed states and the flaw of not going deep. Thanks

 

Edited December 17, 2022 by effortlesslumen

[Cathal]

@effortlesslumen So when we say meditation, most people aren't really meditating, they are just looking at there own hindrances for an hour straight unable to relax out of it intentionally and watching a tv show, they are in a basic alert state but it is not meditation and neither having a felt tone of established in mindfulness, it is not that you have to try harder but understand what right effort is.

Right effort is just the amount of effort we need to maintain sati and to wake up as soon as possible when we are absorbed into unwholesome objects of the mind and introduce wholesome objects - so really it is absolutely an amazing idea and as you say, rewire you brain, to actively gladden ourselves (a teacher who will teach anyone anapanasati for free via skype) into a wholesome state for 5-10 minutes several times a day so when we go to sit for 30 minutes or an hour we can really enjoy it

I myself sit twice 50 minutes a day, and unless I recognize the dukha as dukha and sit 5-10 minutes a few times throughout the day to throw that garbage out of the mind, that later evening sit is entirely different and i find it incredibly hard to stay fixated on wholesome objects.

 This is how the Buddha taught anapanasati/mindfulness of breathing

[effortlesslumen]

2 hours ago, Cathal said:

@effortlesslumen So when we say meditation, most people aren't really meditating, they are just looking at there own hindrances for an hour straight unable to relax out of it intentionally and watching a tv show, they are in a basic alert state but it is not meditation and neither having a felt tone of established in mindfulness, it is not that you have to try harder but understand what right effort is.

Right effort is just the amount of effort we need to maintain sati and to wake up as soon as possible when we are absorbed into unwholesome objects of the mind and introduce wholesome objects - so really it is absolutely an amazing idea and as you say, rewire you brain, to actively gladden ourselves (a teacher who will teach anyone anapanasati for free via skype) into a wholesome state for 5-10 minutes several times a day so when we go to sit for 30 minutes or an hour we can really enjoy it

I myself sit twice 50 minutes a day, and unless I recognize the dukha as dukha and sit 5-10 minutes a few times throughout the day to throw that garbage out of the mind, that later evening sit is entirely different and i find it incredibly hard to stay fixated on wholesome objects.

 This is how the Buddha taught anapanasati/mindfulness of breathing

Amazing . I tried it today, but i only measured the time and put more mindfulness into the shorter meditation sittings  becoming more aware of the process itself. As soon as i noticed some lack of commitment i took a break, staring at the wall and relaxing the mind and walked around the room. I also measured the time of the break to see whats the least needed amount of time to get back in for another round.  Maybe the timer isnt necessary but it feels like a good indication of progress. 

I will do a longer practice in the evening and i will see how it effects my mental state. To be completely honest, sometimes a longer sitting of mine looks like, as you described above.

Edited December 18, 2022 by effortlesslumen

[Cathal]

@effortlesslumen The timer is great. It's a powerful tool to both not developing getting attached to tranquil states that come into absorption and to diligently sit when we are in difficult terrain and developing a trust that we will commit to the timer and not lie with ourselves.

Great stuff, as I linked to that teacher Dhammarato, if ever comes the time you want to talk to a good teacher he talks to anyone on skype freely and runs an online Sangha community that discusses the Dhamma and practice 

[Thought Art]

I use a timer called Tao Mix on my phone for meditation and journaling timer.

Edited December 18, 2022 by Thought Art