What’s hard to make and hard to break?
I’ve maintained a 20 minutes twice-a-day meditation habit since 2006, including numerous retreats and even one where, for my teacher training, I meditated up for a month between six and 13 hours a day. But recently when I noticed my morning coffee was making me nauseous, I found it nearly impossible to surrender this seemingly innocuous, dearly loved, routine.
So when people tell me they have difficulty maintaining their meditation practice. I understand.
Habits can be as hard to make, as they are to break. Motivation is a key part to habit change and formation but there’s much more to it.
Why this is, is the subject of much research. Brain science shows that in order to create a habit we need to cut a new neural pathway and this can take up to 90 days or longer, to establish. The brain is plastic and through repetitive action we can either create great, or not so great, patterns.
The Vedic Meditation course I teach is designed to help you maintain a consistent practice. It is four straight days of 60-90 minute classes. You meditate each class for 20 minutes with me and then meditate in the morning before you return each afternoon. By the end, you will have meditated for 140 minutes and will be on your way to cutting a deep groove into the gray matter which is your brain. Included in the course is an overview of the science supporting meditation as a vital health choice, plus we plan together how you will maintain the habit you’ve begun to develop.
On going, I give you support through free online group meditation meetings, and your course fee allows you to resit any of the classes at any time. There is also a network of Vedic Meditation teachers whose group meditation classes you can access.
Forming a meditation habit can be straightforward if you attend an intensive course and have a teacher who is available to support you as your practice develops.
If you’re interested in talking to me about learning Vedic Meditation, please feel free to contact me to discuss your options.