Meditation duration

[zzzzzz]

How can we increase the duration of meditation?

Please advise.

[SteRo]

Increase duration? Just prolong it.

Maybe you are actually referring to the hindrances for right concentation? These are:
sensual desire
ill-will
sloth and drowsiness
restlessness and worry
doubt

[zzzzzz]

Increase duration? Just prolong it.

Maybe you are actually referring to the hindrances for right concentation? These are:
sensual desire
ill-will
sloth and drowsiness
restlessness and worry
doubt

I mean i can't continue beyond certain point.
Just get stuck there.

[Laurens]

I mean i can't continue beyond certain point.
Just get stuck there.

What point to you expect to reach that is beyond where you find yourself being 'stuck'?

It could be that you are holding yourself back because you are attaching to an idea of a point beyond where you are in the moment, and averse to where you are currently because you feel it represents being stuck.

I find that meditation proceeds best when one is open and accepting to whatever is present. That means not trying to suppress certain states, or trying to encourage others. But just allowing things to be as they are.

This is one of the main reasons I think emphasis on Jhana is dangerous to people learning meditation, especially if they are doing so without guidance. If you are not careful it can lead to ideas that meditation is all about a special state that is different from where you are at, and you are trying to summon that state into existence in meditation. This is a recipe for feelings of frustration and being stuck. Meditation always proceeds from where you are at in the moment, from the cultivation of non-attachment.

[justindesilva]

Increase duration? Just prolong it.

Maybe you are actually referring to the hindrances for right concentation? These are:
sensual desire
ill-will
sloth and drowsiness
restlessness and worry
doubt

I mean i can't continue beyond certain point.
Just get stuck there.

This is common in meditation. The best is to stop meditation, relax, breath at ease. But start once again until you feel relaxed. I have undergone this stage. When we are more relaxed we can watch our own mind and sneak through the fetters. I once read that meditation is minding your own mind.

[form]

Dun force too hard. U will break.

[sentinel]

You meant "sitting" meditation right ? Actually , meditation extends beyong sitting posture .

[zzzzzz]

You meant "sitting" meditation right ? Actually , meditation extends beyong sitting posture .

Yes... sitting meditation

[NuanceOfSuchness]

I mean i can't continue beyond certain point.
Just get stuck there.

What point to you expect to reach that is beyond where you find yourself being 'stuck'?

It could be that you are holding yourself back because you are attaching to an idea of a point beyond where you are in the moment, and averse to where you are currently because you feel it represents being stuck.

I find that meditation proceeds best when one is open and accepting to whatever is present. That means not trying to suppress certain states, or trying to encourage others. But just allowing things to be as they are.

This is one of the main reasons I think emphasis on Jhana is dangerous to people learning meditation, especially if they are doing so without guidance. If you are not careful it can lead to ideas that meditation is all about a special state that is different from where you are at, and you are trying to summon that state into existence in meditation. This is a recipe for feelings of frustration and being stuck. Meditation always proceeds from where you are at in the moment, from the cultivation of non-attachment.

[Bundokji]

Just think of the causes that cut your sitting session short. For example, if you are sitting in a painful/uncomfortable posture, then your endurance of pain will not last very long. Also avoiding distractions like a family member or a friend interrupting your meditation session would help you sitting longer.

Whenever there are causes to avoid, there are causes to pursue. If your goal is to sit for a long time, and that gives satisfaction and sense of achievement, then setting an alarm that incrementaly prolong your meditation session from previous ones would give you a motivation to challenge yourself and sit until that alarm goes off. Also choosing a meditation object that your enjoy would enable you to last longer.

[sunnat]

(assuming that the technique is correct)

Persistent effort. Patience.
Over time, as you train yourself to stay continuously aware of things arising and passing away, the underlying tendencies will reveal themselves.
Abandon craving for things to be different.

[rhinoceroshorn]

I used to meditate for a short time because of leg numbness, but I solved this using those stretches: http://zenmontpellier.net/eng/lotus/lotuseng.html

Now I can easily sit for hours if I want without any numbness or pain.


If you are concentrating on your meditation object you'll not even notice the passage of time.

I would recommend starting with 20 minutes. Each day, increase 5 minutes every sit. Within 8 days you will be meditating for 1 hour! Is not it amazing?

Hope it helps.
With metta.

[zzzzzz]

Just think of the causes that cut your sitting session short. For example, if you are sitting in a painful/uncomfortable posture, then your endurance of pain will not last very long. Also avoiding distractions like a family member or a friend interrupting your meditation session would help you sitting longer.

Whenever there are causes to avoid, there are causes to pursue. If your goal is to sit for a long time, and that gives satisfaction and sense of achievement, then setting an alarm that incrementaly prolong your meditation session from previous ones would give you a motivation to challenge yourself and sit until that alarm goes off. Also choosing a meditation object that your enjoy would enable you to last longer.

There's no discomfort, no pain, nobody to distract...
Yes im quite comfortable with the meditation object which is breath.

Its just that after a certain point i just cannot continue....

[zzzzzz]

Just think of the causes that cut your sitting session short. For example, if you are sitting in a painful/uncomfortable posture, then your endurance of pain will not last very long. Also avoiding distractions like a family member or a friend interrupting your meditation session would help you sitting longer.

Whenever there are causes to avoid, there are causes to pursue. If your goal is to sit for a long time, and that gives satisfaction and sense of achievement, then setting an alarm that incrementaly prolong your meditation session from previous ones would give you a motivation to challenge yourself and sit until that alarm goes off. Also choosing a meditation object that your enjoy would enable you to last longer.

There's no discomfort, no pain, nobody to distract...
Yes im quite comfortable with the meditation object which is breath.

Its just that after a certain point i just cannot continue....

I think it's to do with the stamina....
So what can be done about that???

[zzzzzz]

(assuming that the technique is correct)

Persistent effort. Patience.
Over time, as you train yourself to stay continuously aware of things arising and passing away, the underlying tendencies will reveal themselves.
Abandon craving for things to be different.

What according to you is the right technique???

Effort is there...i give it my best
What do you mean by "abandon........ different"??