How do you approach long meditations (+4 hours)?

[koops]

This weekend Im attending a 4 hour long meditation session (+ another 4 hours optional).

I've never done that long before. Past 45 mins I just get too monkey mind.

 

For those long stretches do you switch some things up in batches, like: eyes open - closed, breath focused, body-awareness, mantra changing (internally), metta meditation?

Or you just stick to 1 technique the whole time?

 

 

[Thought Art]

I may sit, and then walk every 30 minutes for 5 minutes in a walking meditation. 

You are basically trying to be still etc, but your body will likely ache. I personally will in the early part of the meditation do some shoulder roles and neck rotations to massage out aches and pains, smiling into the body so I can sit with more ease.

You can treat this 4 hour sit as an experiment as well. Find out what works for you. Also, a bit of endurance and discipline will be usefull.

You may want to sit on a cushion for part of it, and then sit on a chair for part of it.

Sitting for long periods is really unhealthy. So, find a balance.

I personally like training with the Headspace app. It got me to a point where sitting is much easier because it helped me train the mind.

Edited December 14, 2023 by Thought Art

[gettoefl]

you have to set aside any outcome

if you want it to go a certain way, you will be miserable the whole time

leave mind at the door and just sit

telling someone you are going to do a long sit is the worst thing you can possibly do, you have now piled expectations on your shoulders 

when you end a long sit you will probably feel no different than when you started

this is a good sign that it's working and you won't need to torture yourself analysing it

better than any long sit is to commit to a manageable length regular sit for the rest of your life or until awakening whichever comes sooner

Edited December 14, 2023 by gettoefl