[vc_row u_row_style=”1″ lms_row_has_bk_offset=”0″ lms_row_bk_columns_offset=”0″ u_row_enrollment_restriction=”0″][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”5\/6″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-8″ el_class=”head-post”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
By Tergar Meditation Community Team \u2022 3 min read[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text el_class=”sharepost”]\n\t\t\t\t
SHARE:\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/a>\n\t<\/p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Start Meditating Now” style=”outline” color=”peacoc” align=”left” el_class=”btn-post” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fjoy.tergar.org%2Fjoy-of-living%2F||target:%20_blank|”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row u_row_style=”1″ lms_row_has_bk_offset=”0″ lms_row_bk_columns_offset=”0″ u_row_enrollment_restriction=”0″][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”5\/6″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-8″][vc_column_text]When starting a meditation practice, people ask how often should I meditate, how long should I meditate, and how many times should I meditate. Another question to be asked is whether formal meditation, sitting quietly in an upright posture for a dedicated amount of time, the type of meditation you should prioritize? Is the amount of time I meditate for, the number of times I meditate, and how often I meditate the key questions to be asked? Or is it more important to learn how to meditate anytime, anywhere<\/a>, in any circumstance?<\/p>\n Actually, Mingyur Ripoche says both formal and informal practices are equally essential to integrating meditation into daily life.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row u_row_style=”1″ lms_row_has_bk_offset=”1″ lms_row_bk_columns_offset=”0″ u_row_enrollment_restriction=”0″][vc_column lms_has_clearfix=”0″][vc_single_image image=”96230″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1633973886084{padding-top: 30px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;}” el_class=”hidden-xs”][vc_single_image image=”96096″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1633973863718{padding-top: 30px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;}” el_class=”visible-xs”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row u_row_style=”1″ lms_row_has_bk_offset=”0″ lms_row_bk_columns_offset=”0″ u_row_enrollment_restriction=”0″][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”5\/6″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-8″][vc_column_text el_class=”subtittle-open-post”]<\/p>\n If you\u2019re super busy\u2014like most of us these days\u2014you might be overwhelmed by the idea of establishing a daily meditation practice. And if you\u2019re a beginner<\/a>, you especially might not want to sit for long stretches at a time. But while formal meditation is an important aspect of practice, the good news is that consistency is more important than the number of minutes logged. Even 15 or 20 minutes a day is perfectly fine. In fact, keeping it short is helpful, because it doesn\u2019t allow too much time for some of the inevitable distractions\u2014boredom, restlessness, and the like.<\/p>\n Some of you will read this and think, \u201cSitting quietly, what a relief! That\u2019s exactly what I need\u2014to just sit still and get clear.\u201d However, the truth is, you can\u2019t live your whole life on a meditation cushion. And if it\u2019s the only type of practice you have, you\u2019ll discover that the skills you pick up in seated meditation don\u2019t work as well when you\u2019re out in the everyday world. It can come to feel like your practice is on one side and all the complicated challenges of daily life are on the other, and you have no idea how to connect the two.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row u_row_style=”1″ lms_row_has_bk_offset=”0″ lms_row_bk_columns_offset=”0″ u_row_enrollment_restriction=”0″][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”5\/6″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-8″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1646240260909{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 40px !important;}” el_class=”subtittle-open-post”]<\/p>\n This is the point of developing a habit of informal meditation. It doesn\u2019t matter what you\u2019re doing; you could be shampooing your child\u2019s hair, or writing a research paper, or sweeping the floor\u2014in any moment you just drop into awareness. Some of you are thinking, \u201cI\u2019m always on the go, in fact, I hate to sit still, so that\u2019s definitely the practice for me!\u201d However, if you only apply awareness while you\u2019re in the midst of mundane activities and never sit in formal meditation, you\u2019ll have difficulty building a solid meditation practice.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row u_row_style=”1″ lms_row_has_bk_offset=”1″ lms_row_bk_columns_offset=”0″ u_row_enrollment_restriction=”0″ lms_row_bk_offset_section_classes=”bk-qoute-full”][vc_column][vc_column_text]\u201cIf we try too hard, meditation becomes difficult. But it is so easy. <\/span><\/p>\n Meditation is resting in our own natural awareness.\u201d<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text el_class=”autorquotepost”]\u2013 Mingyur Rinpoche \u2013[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row u_row_style=”1″ lms_row_has_bk_offset=”0″ lms_row_bk_columns_offset=”0″ u_row_enrollment_restriction=”0″][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”5\/6″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-8″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1646240272645{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}” el_class=”subtittle-open-post”]<\/p>\n This is why the real answer to \u201chow often should I meditate?\u201d continues to be \u201cshort times, many times.\u201d That means integrating meditation into your daily life by alternating the two types. Make time to meditate formally for a set number of minutes, somewhere between 15 to 30 if possible. And, when you\u2019re out in the world, in bad times or good, make a habit of dropping into awareness countless times throughout the day. Gradually, this practice of meditating for \u201cshort times, many times\u201d will become second nature.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row u_row_style=”1″ lms_row_has_bk_offset=”0″ lms_row_bk_columns_offset=”0″ u_row_enrollment_restriction=”0″][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”5\/6″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-8″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1646240278838{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}” el_class=”subtittle-open-post”]<\/p>\n The idea here is not to struggle to see how long we can stay in awareness, but rather to simply return to awareness of breathing again and again \u2013 you can remember this with the phrase \u201cshort times, many times.\u201d For the duration of our meditation session, we just allow ourselves to come back like this again and again. Just continue: aware, forget, aware, forget, aware, forget.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row u_row_style=”1″ lms_row_has_bk_offset=”1″ lms_row_bk_columns_offset=”0″ u_row_enrollment_restriction=”0″ lms_row_bk_offset_section_classes=”bk-gris-mailing”][vc_column lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_hidden-xs”][vc_column_text]\n\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIf you enjoyed reading our articles, please join our mailing list\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tand we'll send you our news and latest pieces.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t [\/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/480861619″ el_width=”80″ align=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1633605225188{padding-top: 40px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1618452751051{padding-bottom: 30px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/6″ offset=”vc_col-lg-1″][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”5\/6″][vc_column_text el_class=”subtittle-open-post”]<\/p>\n Watch a video teaching by\u00a0Mingyur Rinpoche<\/a>\u00a0on how to bring meditation in everyday life.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/6″ offset=”vc_col-lg-1″][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row u_row_style=”1″ lms_row_has_bk_offset=”0″ lms_row_bk_columns_offset=”0″ u_row_enrollment_restriction=”0″][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”5\/6″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-8″][vc_separator css=”.vc_custom_1618424580871{padding-top: 40px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column_text el_class=”sharepost share-post-center” css=”.vc_custom_1619130357128{padding-bottom: 40px !important;}”]<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t SHARE:\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/a>\n\t<\/p><\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row u_row_style=”1″ lms_row_has_bk_offset=”1″ lms_row_bk_columns_offset=”0″ u_row_enrollment_restriction=”0″ lms_row_bk_offset_section_classes=”bk-cielo-post”][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”5\/6″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-8″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text el_class=”free-text-blog”]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text el_class=”free-text-blog” css=”.vc_custom_1625157115208{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text el_class=”free-text-blog” css=”.vc_custom_1625157098798{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]Learn meditation under the skillful guidance of world-renowned teacher Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche at your own pace.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text el_class=”txt-link-landing btn-mb20″]LEARN MORE <\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”92705″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row u_row_style=”1″ lms_row_has_bk_offset=”1″ lms_row_bk_columns_offset=”0″ u_row_enrollment_restriction=”0″ lms_row_bk_offset_section_classes=”bk-gris-post”][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”5\/6″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-8″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n Tergar Meditation Community supports individuals, practice groups, and meditation communities around the world in learning to live with awareness, compassion, and wisdom. Grounded in the Tibetan Buddhist lineage of our guiding teacher, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, our online and in-person programs are accessible to people of all cultures and faiths, and support a lifelong path toward the application of these principles in everyday life.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/12″ lms_has_clearfix=”0″ offset=”vc_col-lg-2 vc_hidden-xs”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Is formal meditation\u2014sitting quietly in an upright posture for a dedicated amount of time\u2014the type of meditation you should prioritize? And if so, for how long at a time? And how many times to meditate a day? Or is it more important to learn how to meditate anytime, anywhere, in…","protected":false},"featured_media":96296,"template":"","tags":[144,145,146,128,143],"blog":[122],"class_list":["post-96042","blog","type-blog","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-duration","tag-formal-meditation","tag-informal-meditation","tag-meditation-for-beginners","tag-times-meditate","blogs-how-to-meditate"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nEstablishing a Formal Meditation Practice<\/b><\/h3>\n
Establishing an Informal Meditation Practice<\/b><\/h3>\n
For Best Results, Alternate <\/b><\/h3>\n
PRACTICE SHORT TIMES, MANY TIMES<\/h3>\n
Join Our Mailing List<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
More Resources<\/h1>\n
Meditating In Everyday Life<\/span><\/h3>\n
Joy of Living Online Training<\/h2>\n
Theory and practice of meditation, step-by-step.<\/h4>\n
About the Author<\/h2>\n
By Tergar Meditation Community Team<\/a><\/h3>\n