I am thinking that I will meditate for only 30 minutes. Even if, at the 29th minute, I start seeing light or preliminary signs, I will end the session at 30 minutes.
The reason is that I have a very busy schedule. If I meditate for too long, I don’t complete my other tasks, and the cycle of disappointment continues. Meditation feels good, so I want to continue for longer and longer, but I am an ordinary person and I have goals. I want to have a successful life. I do not desire Nibbāna.
Also I think this will stop a craving for greater meditation experience. Or delusion or imagination.
Why do I meditate? Because I want to see nāma-rūpa. I want to know whether kamma is real or not. I want to see cause and effect.
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There are studies that show that mild time constraints can actually increase performance. The main thing that you need to do is create a habitual daily practice. It is so important. It should be habitual to the point where not meditating feels similar to forgetting to brushed your teeth.
Formal sit-down practice is good, but remember that you can meditate, often through the power of mindfulness in any posture throughout the day.
Try to get an additional amount of time (set a goal and increase it) through basic mindfulness. It will steal away from your productivity, but there are times, like walking here and there to go here and there where direct concentration on the task (of walking) is not needed. You could have mindfulness of movement. You could have mindfulness of eye door. You could have mindfulness of loving-kindness. All of these are meditations. Try to identify what tasks are not full throttle in requirements of concentration and devote a certain number of “total” minutes for mindfulness during these tasks…which can include mindfulness of that particular task as well. However, usually paying attention to movement or 6 senses when doing that task.
Don’t judge your samatha meditation by how well you feel, especially physically. Judge your samatha meditation based on how well you are focusing. Samatha, with the exception of 4 elements (as a samatha object not vipassana), is only in the mind. Remember that. Light of concentration should come only due to concentration. You can have light come to you in many different ways. Don’t pay attention to anything outside the object of your concentration. Only judge your meditation quality by the quality of repeated focus aka concentration.
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I talk about a lot of things on my Sunday Dhamma Talks.. which are uploaded in audio format as podcasts. I have sent out a pdf to those on the list to explain the latest 6 senses talk.
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