For 6 months, my afternoon meditation took a backseat to everything else going on in my life. My life was full of positive things that needed my attention (wedding, new house, new job), and my afternoon meditation just didn’t make the list. My morning routine was strong enough that I continued to sit for an hour every morning, and I found this helpful, but I simply decided not to sit in the afternoon.
Was this a mistake? Was I harming myself by missing that second hour? Given what was on my plate, it sure didn’t seem like it. I was building the foundation for the rest of my life and growing in many ways outside of dhamma. If the foundation of my life is strong, I will be able to continue growing in dhamma for many years to home. If the foundation is weak, I believe it will become much more difficult.
Now that my life is stable and good, I have noticed some complacency. I find myself wasting time on the internet or finding other distractions instead of meditating. I’m reminded that looking within is hard and requires a strong intention and effort. When life is going smoothly, at least on the apparent level, it’s hard to find the motivation to explore the dark spots within. While I was only meditating 1 hour a day, it didn’t feel like I was growing in dhamma, but I was able to stand stationary on the path. Now that the rest of my life is settling, I think it’s time to rediscover the importance of meditating 2 hours a day. Time to meditate.
