When Is The Best Time To Meditate?

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When To Meditate
- Ch: 05 of Mindfulness, A Guidebook to the Present Moment -

‘I have so much to accomplish today that I must meditate for two hours instead of one.’ - Mahatma Gandhi

Most people start their mindfulness practice full of motivation. They want to read all the books, listen to the podcasts, attend the retreats, and meditate for long periods of time. Unfortunately, this initial motivation can quickly wane, causing their practice to falter. This process happens with all things: diet, exercise, training, study, and work. We can do it when we are motivated, but struggle when motivation falls. This is where consistency, routine, and discipline come in handy. If we commit to meditating daily, for a certain amount of time, as part of a routine, we are far more likely to maintain the habit for years to come.

We do not meditate when we feel like it, or just when the mood strikes. No, we meditate every day, without fail.

You can only have the meditation you are having.

The good thing about mindfulness is that it does not matter how you are feeling, and its purpose is not to alter your mental state, but simply to observe it. Therefore, if you are feeling tired or unmotivated, those mental states themselves can be the focus of that day’s inquiry. What does it feel like to be unmotivated? What does boredom feel like? How is my mind pulling me towards other activities?

If you remind yourself that you can only have the meditation you are having, then you are free to sit with those feelings and still be meditating. Although it may not feel like it at the time, those ‘hard’ sessions may be the most beneficial to you, as they provide you with an insight into your mind when it is troubled. These insights may help you to better navigate future pain.

To get the most out of your meditation practice, you should do it daily. Ideally this will be at the same time, in the same place, and for the same duration every time. This consistency will help you create a positive habit which in turn will help you to keep meditating even when your motivation wanes.

My preference is to do it in the mornings as part of my morning routine:

I wake at 06:52 am and attend to my bodily needs. I then sit down to meditate for 30 minutes, followed by a 45-minute exercise session. I finish with a 5-minute language lesson on my phone, followed by breakfast.

This is my ideal morning, and most days I follow it to the letter. That said, with kids, work and other commitments, life can sometimes get in the way. On those days I simply make my time up later or do a shorter session. However, no matter what, I always do some kind of meditation practice every day.

If you have a morning or nighttime routine already established, consider adding your meditation practice into it. If not, perhaps use this as an excuse to give a morning routine a try. When done well, they ensure that you get stuff done without having to decide to do it again, every single day. Rather, just like brushing your teeth or showring, meditation is something you simply do every day.

Some alternative options for when to meditate can be before or after work, during a lunch break, while waiting to pick the kids up from school, or attached to any other regular consistent daily event.

Play around with different times to find what works for you.