For those of us living in the world and not holed up in a monestery, contemplative traditions recommend both a daily practice and occasional retreats.
Here are a few suggestions for cultivating a daily practice:
1. Develop a practice you can do on a regular basis. Someone once said, “It’s better to meditate for five minutes a day than half an hour on Sunday morning.”
2. Keep it Short. A friend once made a commitment to just sit on her meditation cushion at least once a day. Some days she’d plunk down, take one breath and hop back up again. I thought that was a brilliant move.
That inspired me to do the same thing with my yoga practice. The routine I’ve committed to takes me about seven minutes. Seven minutes I can do. My flow includes abdominal stuff, some deep knee bends, some side stretching and a ‘downward dog’ with variations. It’s fast and it hits all the vital zones.
The way I keep it alive is that I never force myself to do more. Sometimes, though, I get inspired and actually do more … and it feels great.
3. Make it a routine. One enterprising woman at the World Bank developed this flow: When she boiled water for tea in the morning she’d sit at the table, feel her breath and relax. When the tea kettle boiled, meditation was over.
4. Find a partner who will hold you accountable. As I like to joke, there’s nothing like having a partner who will shame you into meditating on a regular basis. Seriously, though, finding a like-minded person to sit with has huge benefits. This is what kept me in an ashram for so many years. When I needed inspiration, someone was around …. and hopefully I did the same for others.
5. Study. Read books, listen to talks. You may find yourself more inspired, more aware of what’s unfolding inside and perhaps a little less stuck when you hit some blocks.
What’s your practice and how do you keep it alive?