| The average guideline, for a meditation session, is | | | | eventually develop into a deeper meditation |
| 20 minutes for a minimum practice. Many | | | | experience. This also brings attention to the frame |
| advanced practitioners have longer sessions | | | | of mind you have before meditating: Approach |
| because meditation has become a rewarding | | | | each session without judgment. Approaching each |
| experience. | | | | session, without self-criticism, sets the foundation |
| If you have set aside the time, the amount of | | | | of your practice. |
| time practicing is not as important as the quality | | | | This also explains why some people cannot |
| of the experience. For example: If you manage to | | | | meditate without the guidance of a teacher. We |
| focus your mind and reach a state of awareness, | | | | often talk about "mind chatter," but it is usually |
| the amount of time it takes is irrelevant. | | | | random and unorganized thought. In the case of |
| Twenty minutes of fidgeting and self-judgment is | | | | constant self-criticism, this is also a form of |
| a waste of meditation time, but it is a lesson in | | | | negative mind chatter, which serves to work |
| patience and developing inner calm. This | | | | against us. |
| experience will frustrate you and serve as an | | | | Everyone has negative thoughts, but most of |
| obstacle to your meditation practice, but the | | | | them are fear based and are not rooted in reality. |
| deeper reward is to learn from past mistakes. In | | | | We all have the potential to purge negative |
| some cases, you would be better off to try 5 to | | | | thoughts from our minds, if we choose to do so. |
| 10 minute sessions, just to make a habit of | | | | This is why meditation is so valuable - you have |
| training your mind toward tranquility. | | | | the ability to change everything around you by |
| Sessions that bring about states of relaxation will | | | | cultivating positive thought. |