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60 Days of 60 Minutes of Meditation - Let's Not Do Anything Together

Matua

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Day 39

I had a generally good meditation. I wasn't too focused all the time, but I always pulled myself back from my thoughts and re-centered.

I got myself a four-legged cushioned stool to sit on for meditation to help sit upright, without any back support.
The stool is small enough, but still high for me to sit comfortably and get into a good posture. Compared to my previous seating, it was much better and my legs don't feel "sleepy" due to resting them on top of each other.

I can see myself taking this stool outside to meditate if I wanted to, so it's a great addition to my life.
 
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MTF

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I am curious now: Are you guys going to keep meditating for an hour after the challenge is done?

I plan to continue even though I sometimes go for several days having half-awake, "bad" sessions that don't seem to "work." (I know it's probably not the case, it's just how it feels)

But practicing Michael A. Singer's stuff is way more powerful for me. It's literally changing my life. Perhaps meditation helps on some level as well but it isn't as direct as actively letting things go.
 

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woke up at 5a with mind racing ..... used @MTF technique of 'observing without getting involved' ....... took a few minutes ..... was able to chill and go back to sleep

did similar in a crazy project that was piling on yesterday ..... breathe. calm. accept that 'it is'. let it dissipate.

powerful stuff.
 
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sarasara

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Do you feel overwhelmed by the incessant mind chatter? Do you struggle to focus? Do desires rule your life? Are you dealing with recurring mental issues like anxiety, feelings of guilt, shame, fear, inadequacy, stress, etc.? Do you find it impossible to just stop and relax?

As entrepreneurs, we're all about taking action. We may mask our inner issues with endless hustle. We may tell ourselves that we can't afford to take a break because our competitors will get ahead. We may use solutions that address the symptom but not the core reason. For example, we may use technology to block sites that distract us. While we won't be able to access them, our desire to check them will be back once the obstacle is gone—or we'll find another, perhaps even worse outlet to meet the underlying need.

As entrepreneurs, we often ignore our mental health. We may even tell ourselves that our mental struggles are, in a twisted way, good for us.

Stress? That's a normal part of life, isn't it?

Anxiety? It's good for me as it keeps me alert.

Incessant mind chatter? This means I have a ton of ideas.

Deep down, we may know that there's something wrong if...

...we can't sit down with our friends and family and just enjoy being with them because we're constantly thinking of our business...


To give everyone a few days to prepare, we can start on Monday, December 14. Who's in?
Very interesting issue and I am in
 

MTF

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woke up at 5a with mind racing ..... used @MTF technique of 'observing without getting involved' ....... took a few minutes ..... was able to chill and go back to sleep

did similar in a crazy project that was piling on yesterday ..... breathe. calm. accept that 'it is'. let it dissipate.

powerful stuff.

Excellent work! Thank you for sharing.
 

MJ DeMarco

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Ya'll think it's worth it to start a thread on meditation software, like Calm, Synctuition, or others?
 
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MTF

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Ya'll think it's worth it to start a thread on meditation software, like Calm, Synctuition, or others?

Maybe it will be useful to others.

I think ultimately it's another distraction. It's kind of counterintuitive to use another piece of tech to do something we should be able to do naturally.
 

MTF

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Day 40 completed.

Very calm and highly aware. So much smoother than the last few days when I couldn't stop listening to the mind.
 

Matua

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Day 40

Today was a lot more calmer than yesterday. It wasn't as quiet, but I still found myself in a calm place.
Yesterday, I had a plethora of anxious thoughts just overwhelming me so I was kind of expecting a bad meditation the next day. But when I asked myself, "Is my mind feeling sad/anxious today?"

Complete silence.

It went a little peaceful from there on out.

I am curious now: Are you guys going to keep meditating for an hour after the challenge is done?
Absolutely.

The hours sometimes may feel dreadful, but I believe it's important to spend a little time with yourself to see what's going on internally. Sometimes we distract ourselves from our own problems and these thoughts will come out when we least expect it. It's best to deal with them now and have a better understanding of who we are and what we're capable of.

But practicing Michael A. Singer's stuff is way more powerful for me. It's literally changing my life. Perhaps meditation helps on some level as well but it isn't as direct as actively letting things go.
In a way, meditation can be viewed as a tool. We use it to stay mindful, re-center, and spend time with ourselves especially when things in life overwhelm us, like the one person I know who spent two full days meditating when he got robbed at gunpoint and lost everything.

Does meditation help out?
Yes.

Does meditation help out in combination of Michael A. Singer's works?
Absolutely.
 

Sheens

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Day 40 completed. Yikes!

This session was an outlier. At one point, drifted so deep on a thought I had to go back to focusing solely on breathing for awhile to untangle from it. Lost the now often.

On the bright side, the ability to focus completely is not at all a negative.

While completing any dental procedure or surgery, I wholeheartedly appreciate being 100% in the present and focused. Distraction isn't a concern because it isn't allowed in my mind; it's not an option. I'm looking to reach that level of presence in meditation.
 

MTF

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Day 41 completed.

Inspired by Michael A. Singer's lecture I listened to yesterday, I tried to refocus on my breath as soon as even a flicker of a thought appeared and damn, that's so hard.

Here are some quotes that made me try this:

The act of directing your consciousness is true yoga. Your work is with the consciousness, not with the mind. At all times, your consciousness should be where you want it to be.

Before the thought even blossoms into a complete thought, you withdraw your consciousness from it.

The minute the thought starts getting created, the yogi notices. And you're not interested in what it has to say. You don't even want it to finish formulating to find out what it's about so you can decide whether you're interested.
 

redshift

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Inspired by Michael A. Singer's lecture I listened to yesterday, I tried to refocus on my breath as soon as even a flicker of a thought appeared and damn, that's so hard.

You can try counting instead. Its easier than breath and helps strengthen the center of consciousness. "one" on inhale, "two" on exhale, up to 10, then reset. If you lose count or go over, start again. Once you can hold this for a few minutes without losing count, focusing on breath becomes much easier. Singer mentions this in his course around the end as well when talking about meditation techniques.
 

MTF

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You can try counting instead. Its easier than breath and helps strengthen the center of consciousness. "one" on inhale, "two" on exhale, up to 10, then reset. If you lose count or go over, start again. Once you can hold this for a few minutes without losing count, focusing on breath becomes much easier. Singer mentions this in his course around the end as well when talking about meditation techniques.

Yeah I remember it. But for now would rather just focus on the general feeling of consciousness than counting. Feels too much like a crutch.
 
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Mutant

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You can try counting instead. Its easier than breath and helps strengthen the center of consciousness. "one" on inhale, "two" on exhale, up to 10, then reset. If you lose count or go over, start again. Once you can hold this for a few minutes without losing count, focusing on breath becomes much easier. Singer mentions this in his course around the end as well when talking about meditation techniques.

This is what I've been doing a lot of! :smile:
If I've been trying to observe my thoughts at the "middle distance" but been getting too involved, I revert back to counting. Though in 1 out 1, in 2, out 2 - so I count each whole breath cycle - just makes sense for me !
There've been moments where I've been able to keep the stillness a short while without counting or a mantra, but they're hard to hold, as I then notice, & feel like commenting on it :rofl:

It kinda feels a bit like switching between goals a bit, but they're all related somehow so it works.
Am I trying to practice emotionally distancing myself from my thoughts as they run & just observe?
Am I trying to practice releasing thoughts as they come, & re-focus on a task?
Am I trying to sit quietly in the moment?

Eh, all of the above :rofl:
 

MTF

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Day 42 completed.

Calm session. Focused on the general feeling of presence, in the first half on breath, in the second half on—may sound a little weird—occupying a specific place in a specific moment of time (makes you realize how unique each moment is since it'll never again be replicated).
 
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Olimac21

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Day 47 done.

So so session, I got a cluttered mind. At the end got a bit better but I felt physically tired.

Btw I made a short video on Friday:

Things within our control

It might add value to some of you when it comes to meditation or choosing what to do throughout the day. I am thinking about recording my reflections after I am done with the 60 days challenge too!
 

Andy Black

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Day 47 done.

So so session, I got a cluttered mind. At the end got a bit better but I felt physically tired.

Btw I made a short video on Friday:

Things within our control

It might add value to some of you when it comes to meditation or choosing what to do throughout the day. I am thinking about recording my reflections after I am done with the 60 days challenge too!
Well done creating a video.

You ask people to comment below, but comments are turned off.
 

Madame Peccato

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I'm starting this tomorrow. Why not today? Because it's 11 AM and I've been up for a while already. I want to do this first thing in the morning. See you then.
 
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MTF

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Btw I made a short video on Friday:

Things within our control

It might add value to some of you when it comes to meditation or choosing what to do throughout the day.

What you said in the video is very true. Mental disposition can make any circumstance (particularly one we can't control) bearable, if not enjoyable. That was one of the big ideas of Stoics. Reminds me of this quote from the Enchiridion:

What then should a man have in readiness in such circumstances? What else than this? What is mine, and what is not mine; and what is permitted to me, and what is not permitted to me. I must die. Must I then die lamenting? I must be put in chains. Must I then also lament? I must go into exile. Does any man then hinder me from going with smiles and cheerfulness and contentment?

Also, if you need a modern practical application of appreciating whatever life throws at you, here's a great educational video in case you find yourself in a similar, such common in our lives today, situation:

View: https://youtu.be/Ngk3VX405GE
 

Matua

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Day 42

Last minute meditation to end the day. I avoid doing meditation during the night, but these past few days have been the exception for me. I still managed to do them thanks to the challenge and consistency of it all.

Yesterday, time flew by insanely fast. But today?
I got to appreciate how absolutely quiet it was during the night. It almost seemed abnormal, but this near-soundless environment gave me a feeling of being present in the universe. It was a good experience. The mind chatter was still there sometimes, but I took my focus from it and re-centered myself.
 
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Madame Peccato

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Day 1

Woke up at 6, dressed, drank some water, and sat down to do this.

The first 40 minutes went well, lots of thoughts that I merely observed, and time went by swiftly, but then around the 45 minutes mark I couldn't resist and checked my phone's timer.

It said "14 minutes left". I went back to my thoughts and completed the 60 minutes. I'm pretty happy with how it went, I was expecting to do much worse in regard to checking timer or feeling uncomfortable or bored, but it wasn't the case.

There is something to being completely alone in the dark and in complete silence. I enjoyed it a lot, and I look forward to doing it again tomorrow.
 

MTF

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Day 43 completed.

Average.
 

Olimac21

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What you said in the video is very true. Mental disposition can make any circumstance (particularly one we can't control) bearable, if not enjoyable. That was one of the big ideas of Stoics. Reminds me of this quote from the Enchiridion:

What then should a man have in readiness in such circumstances? What else than this? What is mine, and what is not mine; and what is permitted to me, and what is not permitted to me. I must die. Must I then die lamenting? I must be put in chains. Must I then also lament? I must go into exile. Does any man then hinder me from going with smiles and cheerfulness and contentment?

Also, if you need a modern practical application of appreciating whatever life throws at you, here's a great educational video in case you find yourself in a similar, such common in our lives today, situation:

View: https://youtu.be/Ngk3VX405GE
Thank you for the comments and I loved the video, those guys are hilarious lol.

I really like stoic ideas in general and have done a lot of work on myself to incorporate them throughout the years. It has definitely served me well and made me a stronger person overall.
 

Black_Dragon43

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Speaking of the above, I find anger much easier to deal with than a sense of depression/meaninglessness. Anger is easy to notice and goes away quickly.
I agree. I think anger is a sort of boiling up of energy that dissipates itself up quite quickly if you stop fueling it by focusing on the thoughts that cause it. Whereas something like depression/meaningless does not necessarily have a cause that you can pinpoint, and can turn more into a bedrock type feeling that is hard to shake. I think if you happen to be more of the intellectual type, you are more likely to struggle with the meaninglessness, simply because you tend to think about things more. I am like this, but it's definitely not like most people.
I really like stoic ideas in general and have done a lot of work on myself to incorporate them throughout the years.
I like them as well, however, I have always found the eastern approach (through meditation) to be more effective for me personally. With much of what I read form the Stoics, I struggled to apply it. Such as focus on what you can control - well, how do you do that? Many times it feels like you can't control your mind, and you go on compulsively thinking. It's only the Eastern approach that showed me how to actually bring about change. I think Stoics have the right words, but for me at least, the shortcoming was that I just didn't know how to apply these things. Maybe I just didn't understand it well enough...
 
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