Sitting meditation: for how long do you sit?

[Vitalii]

When you practice sitting meditation (Dazuo/jinzuo), for how long do you sit?

[Blackfinger]

30 - 60 mins at the moment, though at least two sessions a day.

[joeblast]

highly recommend getting one's durations to the hour mark

[Vitalii]

In "Shiwulun" Wang Chongyang said about inner state during sitting meditation:

 

但有絲毫動靜思念，即不名靜坐。能如此者，雖身處於塵世，名已列於仙位

"As long as there is the slightest thought of motion and stillness, this is not what I call sitting in a motionless calm and silence (Jinzou). Those who can sitting in a motionless calm and silence, although their physical bodies resides in the world of dust / material world /, but their names are already in the ranks of the Immortals."

[joeblast]

wind (across the olfactory nerves) initiates motion (of throughtformenergy)

[宁]

wind (across the olfactory nerves) initiates motion (of throughtformenergy)

 

that's precisely why I'm avoiding group sessions lately,

other people's winds,

it will initiate more that thoughts though.

no beans before meditation, word

[ChiDragon]

In "Shiwulun" Wang Chongyang said about inner state during sitting meditation:

 

但有絲毫動靜思念，即不名靜坐。能如此者，雖身處於塵世，名已列於仙位

 

"As long as there is the slightest thought of motion and stillness, this is not what I call sitting in a motionless calm and silence (Jinzou). Those who can sitting in a motionless calm and silence, although their physical bodies resides in the world of dust / material world /, but their names are already in the ranks of the Immortals."

 

I would rephrase this line.

但有絲毫動靜思念，即不名靜坐。

 

If there is a slightest(絲毫) activity(動靜) in the thoughts, then it wouldn't be called still sitting(Jinzou).

[thelerner]

20 to 30, twice a day.

 

 

edit> A long time ago a member here that I highly respect (Taomeow?) once opinioned 'Its not real meditation til you get to 4 hours.' That's a little deeper into the onion then I can usually get, worthwhile though.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

20-30 followed by moving practices in the morning

 

sometimes more at night and in reverse order (moving then sitting)

[GrandmasterP]

20-minutes ( on a timer), once a day on workdays.

Twice a day ( usually but not always) on weekends and during work holidays.

Edited July 1, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[KenBrace]

Depending on how much time I have and how easily I'm able to relax, I usually go for 4-6 hours. I plan to spend some time in isolation this fall so I can do more like 8-12 hours though.

Edited July 1, 2014 by KenBrace

[KenBrace]

20 to 30, twice a day.

 

 

edit> A long time ago a member here that I highly respect (Taomeow?) once opinioned 'Its not real meditation til you get to 4 hours.' That's a little deeper into the onion then I can usually get, worthwhile though.

I wouldn't give a time mark for what is "real" meditation. Sometimes I can get deeper in 3 hours than I can in 5 hours on different days. Depends on how well you're able to clear your mind and relax. Not so much a definite time. Edited July 1, 2014 by KenBrace

[Vitalii]

When I hold a retreat for my students who have a good experience in practice, we do 3 sitting meditations during a day + Zhan Zhuan (2 hours) + Dao Yin/Qigong (dynamic exercises). Each sitting meditation takes 3-5 hours.

Prolonged meditation is very important for those who really want to progress in ones' practice.

Short meditation (up to 30 minutes) can help you to relax your body and mind, but can not awaken your original Qi and your wisdom, and run many of alchemical processes.

[joeblast]

"real meditation" happens after applying anapanasati sufficiently for a period of time to the point where there is unambiguous notion of the cranial nerves achieving a sufficient level of attenuation, the depth and duration correlates very tightly with the inertia of habit-energy.

[thelerner]

"real meditation" happens after applying anapanasati sufficiently for a period of time to the point where there is unambiguous notion of the cranial nerves achieving a sufficient level of attenuation, the depth and duration correlates very tightly with the inertia of habit-energy.

That's tightly written. Could you open that up a bit more?

[thelerner]

 

When I hold a retreat for my students who have a good experience in practice, we do 3 sitting meditations during a day + Zhan Zhuan (2 hours) + Dao Yin/Qigong (dynamic exercises). Each sitting meditation takes 3-5 hours.

Prolonged meditation is very important for those who really want to progress in ones' practice.

Short meditation (up to 30 minutes) can help you to relax your body and mind, but can not awaken your original Qi and your wisdom, and run many of alchemical processes.

Are all the sittings done in 'emptiness' or are there energetic components to it?

Also if we want to break this out a little more.

 

Do People have any special practices just before and just after long term meditation?

 

 

For example after meditation, particularly longer sessions, I touch myself. Ie, give my body a rub down, running my hands across long sections, giving particular attention to stomach, hands and feet, particularly the bottom of foot.

[joeblast]

"real meditation" happens after applying anapanasati sufficiently for a period of time to the point where there is unambiguous notion of the cranial nerves achieving a sufficient level of attenuation, the depth and duration correlates very tightly with the inertia of habit-energy.

That's tightly written. Could you open that up a bit more?

"settling the heartmind"

achieving "regulation without regulation"

 

part of anapana is achieving a state of regulating the breath, done until the regulating happens automatically - this is the inertia of habit-energy - the notion of "in the zone" where not very much mental capital is used to perform motions since it has been very well ingrained into the muscle memory. the stronger this inertia, the deeper state possible. doing this effectively is what led me to conclude that focused mindful breathing actually interacts with the medulla where the instruction set for the subconscious breathing protocol is etched. by paying particular attention to the sati portion of anapanasati, the aware mindfulness that is performed more thoroughly integrates the breath mechanics being employed, they more thoroughly carry forth when one is not consciously performing them.

 

the attenuation of the cranial nerves is a physiological relation to the old concept of taming the 5 senses. your sense inputs are very loud and consume quite a bit of energy - so "real meditation" I roughly correlate to the state where the excitatory signals of the CNs have all but fallen beneath threshold levels of stimulation - and all that extra energy, unmanifested, directly fuels the light of awareness. I've been working on some visual representations of this but I'm going to need to find a program that I can capture equations from - the equation changes when these thresholds are breached...

 

Are all the sittings done in 'emptiness' or are there energetic components to it?

Also if we want to break this out a little more.

 

Do People have any special practices just before and just after long term meditation?

 

 

For example after meditation, particularly longer sessions, I touch myself. Ie, give my body a rub down, running my hands across long sections, giving particular attention to stomach, hands and feet, particularly the bottom of foot.

I almost always as part of every single session do some measure of anapanasati. usually opening with gentle settling, once settled move on to breath, once resultant energy waxes and moves from within the stillness, then do energy practices of whatever fashion, finishing it up with utter and complete stillness.

Edited July 1, 2014 by joeblast

[AlexKarmazin]

I start meditating 30 min each day and now I meditating around 2 hours each day. Sometimes less sometimes more, I can't tell for sure because my practise always evolving. I have two main problems it is my body and my mind. Several months ago I had surprising improvement in my practise, I recognize that using Yin Chi could increase meditation time in 1.5 times just instantly. When I start paying more attention to Yin-Yan balance and intentionally mix Yin And Yan energy freshness start appearing and I could sit longer.

Edited July 1, 2014 by AlexKarmazin

[KenBrace]

I start meditating 30 min each day and now I meditating around 2 hours each day. Sometimes less sometimes more, I can't tell for sure because my practise always evolving. I have two main problems it is my body and my mind. Several months ago I had surprising improvement in my practise, I recognize that using Yin Chi could increase meditation time in 1.5 times just instantly. When I start paying more attention to Yin-Yan balance and intentionally mix Yin And Yan energy freshness start appearing and I could sit longer.

 

I doubt you were mixing yin and yang. Best way to get better at longer sessions is just to be dedicated. It shouldn't take long before longer sessions become quite easy with consistant practice. It's also good to exercise and stretch before meditating so your muscles can relax easier.

[AlexKarmazin]

I doubt you were mixing yin and yang. Best way to get better at longer sessions is just to be dedicated. It shouldn't take long before longer sessions become quite easy with consistant practice. It's also good to exercise and stretch before meditating so your muscles can relax easier.

I had yin and yan disbalance before and when I trying meditate it stops me from sitting long enough. But balancing yin and yan remove that obstacle and let me extend my meditation. I did not claim that I have big achievement just want to share my experience with others, maybe it will help someone. And do not misunderstand it is mixing not fusion, it is totally different things.

Edited July 1, 2014 by AlexKarmazin

[ChiDragon]

Vitalii....

What is your understanding or definition of "sitting meditation (Dazuo/jinzuo)"....?

Can you give a simple description....?

[KenBrace]

Vitalii....

What is your understanding or definition of "sitting meditation (Dazuo/jinzuo)"....?

Can you give a simple description....?

 

ChiDragon trademarks:

...?

...!!!

...

Edited July 1, 2014 by KenBrace

[joeblast]

I doubt you were mixing yin and yang. Best way to get better at longer sessions is just to be dedicated. It shouldn't take long before longer sessions become quite easy with consistant practice. It's also good to exercise and stretch before meditating so your muscles can relax easier.

[Green Tiger]

I was doing 30-60 for a while, but I'm finding it's easier to go longer now.

 

I'm always trying to push the edge of what is physically comfortable. When it starts to become uncomfortable, I feel like I'm not getting as much benefit.

 

I did about 90 mins on Saturday and I could see myself doing 90-120mins regularly by next winter.

[joeblast]

a big key for going longer - the zheng qi. partly from good application of qigong exercises, partly from good posture - another key, line the dantiens up vertically, include k1 if you are standing in the alignment. correct posture help reinforce the zheng qi that "righteously sits you upright"

 

so you dont have to sit there flogging yourself to stay in a meditative position, you mind fundamental things like this and the energy will manifest due to correct application of the fundamentals.

 

when the energy is abundant, posture is easy, when one can turn the light around effectively it helps time disappear.