When your mind and heart are truly open abundance will flow to you effortlessly and easily.
Question:
“When I first learned to meditate, I was told to practice it for 20 minutes twice a day.
I was also told that it is advisable not to meditate for more than that unless I was attending a retreat.
When I asked my teacher why it’s not advisable to meditate for longer periods of time – he seemed reluctant to tell me – but in the end he said that it could make me very emotional.
I have heard from other people that practicing meditation makes them more nervous or lethargic, so I suppose meditation can bring up some unwanted feelings.
However, I have never experienced anything particularly unpleasant and I find it mostly enjoyable and very relaxing.
I do find that when I meditate for longer periods, sometimes up to an hour, I get more out of my practice and the effects of meditation stay with me for longer during the day.
The only undesirable side-effect I have had is that it can make me feel quite tired and I usually need to rest for about half an hour after a meditation session.
I suppose I get more tired because meditating for longer releases more stress.
I would like to keep meditating for longer periods of time but I’ve been wondering lately if it’s really as good as I think it is.
Is it possible that I’m overdoing it and that my body or mind will find it difficult to cope with in the long run?”
Response:
If you have been meditating regularly for over a year and a half, and you feel stable and productive in your daily life, then it is fine to increase the time of your meditation by 10 minutes or so.
Longer meditation will not necessarily make you more emotional, lethargic, or nervous.
As long as you have well-balanced activity in other areas of your life to integrate the effects of the extra meditation, you’ll be fine.
Also, once you increase your time to 30 minutes, keep it at that length.
Don’t do an hour when you feel like it, and then only 12 minutes another time when you are pressed for time.
The regularity of the time of meditation helps the physiology derive maximum benefit because the body thrives on utilizing cycles, or biorhythms for rest and activity.
That applies to sleep, eating, and exercise as well.
Love,
Deepak
