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

Andreas

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Day 4 Complete.

My hands were incredibly numb throughout the whole session and I couldn't figure out why until I realized that it's playing too many video games the day before that caused it. I noticed it in the past and I forgot about it, because it's been a while since I played. It could also be my body releasing tension since I had random muscle twitching throughout my body and my mind going haywire.

I don't feel discouraged.

Agitation is the mind getting rid of the stored garbage. It's mental detox. One day, my mind will be driving smoothly on tarmac in a Rolls Royce instead of off-roading in the Lambo.
 
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MTF

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Madame Peccato

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Day 30
Ok session.
 

Andreas

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This time I tried to meditate without taking a nap first. Bad idea! I kept nodding away and I was only 20 minutes in. I stopped, went to sleep, goofed around for a few hours and then did a proper 1 hour meditation with the lights on to make sure the session goes to full completion.

My day was not productive, but I did not want to deny myself steady progress in meditation.
 

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Day 15

This one was pretty much just ceremonial. I caught up with an old friend and we made some music together prior to the session, so my mind was occupied with just producing music. Whenever I found myself trying to observe and let go of thoughts - something inside would say "but I like these, I don't want them to go away."

I'm not sure how to feel about that.
 
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Madame Peccato

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Day 31
Today my mind was very quiet which made my job super easy. I am extremely relaxed today.
 

Andreas

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It's like my mind was wrestling with a tiger. I had to keep focusing on the breath again and again, and relax my face as well. God knows how much tension is stored in there. I'm not even 30 yet.

I also noticed that my body has grown increasingly intolerant of junk food. I ate a home made croissant today and I got instant headache. I think there is a major shift going on. Usually, discomfort is a sign of progress, as long as I keep the junk away from my body and stick with my meditation practice.
 

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Whenever I found myself trying to observe and let go of thoughts - something inside would say "but I like these, I don't want them to go away."

I'm not sure how to feel about that.

That's the ego talking, clinging to a past good experience instead of letting it go to be open to any new experiences coming your way (so essentially, your mind is busy reliving something in the past and wasting what's present in front of it right now). Just acknowledge that and let it go to the best of your ability.

Day 31
Today my mind was very quiet which made my job super easy. I am extremely relaxed today.

Would you say that after 31 days you have relaxed days more often?

Day 6 Complete

It's like my mind was wrestling with a tiger. I had to keep focusing on the breath again and again, and relax my face as well. God knows how much tension is stored in there. I'm not even 30 yet.

I also noticed that my body has grown increasingly intolerant of junk food. I ate a home made croissant today and I got instant headache. I think there is a major shift going on. Usually, discomfort is a sign of progress, as long as I keep the junk away from my body and stick with my meditation practice.

Isn't it interesting that what we do is simply sit and connect with ourselves and our minds make it so damn hard? I don't want to go too deep here but Michael A. Singer often refers to spiritual teachings suggesting we need to "die daily." This dying is dying of the ego. In his words:

You're not going to go where you want to go unless you let go of yourself. You must die to be reborn. You must let go of who you think you are in order to become who you are.
 
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Madame Peccato

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Would you say that after 31 days you have relaxed days more often?

Absolutely. I'm also more in tune with my emotions. I don't dwell over things as much, and I feel like a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders. I also give less of a F*ck in general about what happens around me.
 

Andreas

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Absolutely. I'm also more in tune with my emotions. I don't dwell over things as much, and I feel like a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders. I also give less of a f*ck in general about what happens around me.

Some meditation teachers talk about samadhi and although that term may have different meaning depending on who you ask or what context you use it, it is generally accepted as 'effortless concentration' or being in a state of relaxed attention. Have you experienced any of that, even in short flashes?

There were a few times in my life where I was able to focus on a task and feel so blissful at the same time, but it was all by accident and after finding out that people can do this on command with a lot of meditation practice, it caught my interest.

I don't expect myself to do this in such a short time since the people who achieved this were meditating for multiple hour(s) long sessions every day, but concentration is definitely a huge deal for me.
 

Madame Peccato

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Some meditation teachers talk about samadhi and although that term may have different meaning depending on who you ask or what context you use it, it is generally accepted as 'effortless concentration' or being in a state of relaxed attention. Have you experienced any of that, even in short flashes?

There were a few times in my life where I was able to focus on a task and feel so blissful at the same time, but it was all by accident and after finding out that people can do this on command with a lot of meditation practice, it caught my interest.

I don't expect myself to do this in such a short time since the people who achieved this were meditating for multiple hour(s) long sessions every day, but concentration is definitely a huge deal for me.

It happens to me when I draw, but that was a thing even before starting meditation. I'm super focused on my drawing and my hand's motion, but at the same I'm very relaxed.

As for having it happen with anything else, not yet no.
 
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Day 16

A much better session this time
 

bossadolfo22

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I think there must be some kind of preparation. One hour straight of meditation is too much for most people. I know from experience.
 

Bora.s

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I think there must be some kind of preparation. One hour straight of meditation is too much for most people. I know from experience.
Yes it is difficult in the begining, but you will get used to it. A guided meditation in a meditation center for an hour could be an option. I experience more energy flow if I meditate with others. There are lot of ways how to meditate.
 
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Madame Peccato

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I slept poorly, which in turn made the session go poorly. I was way too distracted for most of the time.
 

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Another decent session, really set me up to keep my head above water during a particularly stress-inducing day.
 
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Madame Peccato

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Okay session. The second half was way better than the first half.
 

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Did this one on a very empty stomach but after the initial thrashing about, it was a surprisingly concentrated experience.
 
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Ok session.
 

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I did this one after a long run, it was so much easier to stop the initial chatter after exhaustion. Scheduling may not allow me to do it regularly, but I will be trying to squeeze a couple of sessions in right after a run.
 

Andreas

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I had thoughts about negotiating how I would do my sessions or whether an 1 hour was worth it, but I went through with it anyway. To be honest, I have no clue if it's worth doing an hour consecutively, but I will never know if I don't do it.

This time I lied down and kept the lights turned on while opening and closing my eyes. I was surprised to find that it was better than sitting down. There was no head bobbing or lengthy, jaw breaking yawning fest. Next time, the windows will be open to avoid excess heat.

I will also use lemon essential oil because it gently keeps me alert and gives me something to bring my mind back to the present.
 

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Lots of little distractions made for a eh session.
 
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@MTF How is it going? Are you still meditating 1 hour per day or are you experimenting with different methods at the moment?

Yeah, one hour every morning. Day 77 today. How about you?

Other than focusing on breath (and primarily nostrils as suggested by some practices) no changes in how I approach this.

The interesting thing is that I'm no longer struggling with falling asleep at all which was my issue for many sessions during the first 60 days. It seems it was a transitory period (or maybe other lifestyle changes helped). Also, my mind is much calmer during meditation on most days. It does seem as if the worst junk/thinking habits have disappeared indeed as Naval mentioned.

Reading this now to learn about different types of meditation (he covers a lot even though it's a short book):

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0043VDI4C/?tag=tff-amazonparser-20

The author has been called "the world's happiest man" because of the positive changes in his brain caused by extensive meditation.


Very interesting person - he has many books out and also videos on YouTube.
 

happyhamnu

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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...

...we regularly feel anxious for an unknown reason...

...we can't focus on a single thing for more than a few minutes...

...we're stuck in an endless cycle of trying one thing, only to try another to then give it up and try yet another, never going anywhere...

...we have no clarity when making decisions...

...we're wasting time arguing over politics or anything else that is beyond our control.

And yet, despite all these worrying signs, we keep ignoring our mental health.

The last year has been very difficult for me. Grief, anxiety, stress, fear, rumination, inability to focus for more than a few minutes, judgment, and lack of acceptance have been ruling my life. I'm slowly going crazy, losing control over my mind.

I started seeking solutions to get myself out of this disquieting state. Which brings me to the topic of meditation.

I'll use the words of Naval Ravikant, a very successful entrepreneur, investor, and a brilliant philosopher, to explain the why and how:



source: Jorgenson, Eric. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness.

If you prefer it in audio, here it is:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2kgZ1Puye8&feature=youtu.be


Naval Ravikant recommends the following practice:



I decided to follow his suggestion. And then I thought: why not get some support and do it (or rather, "not do") with fellow Fastlaners.

The rules are simple:

1. You meditate one hour a day for 60 days, ideally in the morning. You sit down and do nothing (don't use any apps or guided meditation). Naval's suggested method is:

If thoughts come, thoughts come. I’m not going to fight them. I’m not going to embrace them. I’m not going to think harder about them. I’m not going to reject them. I’m just going to sit here for an hour with my eyes closed, and I’m going to do nothing.

No focus, no mantra, no dharma, no chakras, no Buddhas, no gurus, no gratitude, no scripture, no temple, no music, no gadgets, no apps.


2. You meditate every day. If you skip a day, you go back to day 1. We want to prioritize our mental health, build momentum and turn it into a daily practice. This is akin to a workout for your mind. It won't work well if you start and stop.

3. It needs to be at least an hour (use a timer). You can't do two 30-minute sessions or four 15-minute sessions. Once you start, you keep sitting until 60 minutes pass.

To give everyone a few days to prepare, we can start on Monday, December 14. Who's in?


----

Update after finishing the challenge on February 11th, 2021. Read my thoughts here:
Going to try this from tomorrow. Starting from March 1st.
 

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