“It is also important to grow used to sitting regularly for longer lengths of time. That’s because when you try to meditate, even if you’re able to sit for one hour, your real, true meditation may be no more than 15 minutes. So, as you work with your practice, work on sitting a little longer each time. This is another reason why it is important to go to retreats regularly and also to find a supportive sitting group in your area, where possible. These will all help you in deepening your practice.
“Many people come here to the Bhavana Society and hope to maintain a regular link to the center and to the monastics here. We ask them how much time do you spend on meditation? How frequently? These are essential matters. The answers help us help them. But what if that person doesn’t keep up their regular meditation practice? All of a sudden, problems arise and they consult us for help. It will be hard for us to give them the necessary help, because they haven’t been doing their homework!
~ Bhante Henepola Gunaratana. Preserving the Dhamma (Page 199, 200). Bhavana Society Forest Monastery (2007). www.bhavanasociety.org
Quote courtesy of the Bhavana Society Facebook page
