Over the years I have often been asked: When is the best time to meditate? My usual response is that the ideal time is upon rising because that’s when the engine of the mind starts up. It takes only a matter of seconds before the mind enslaves us to its habitual patterns, preoccupations, and attitudes, so if we can nip it in the bud with even a short meditation, then we are starting our day on the right foot. I have also said that a close second is to meditate just before we go to sleep, because the quality of our sleep is strongly influenced by the state of our body-mind just before we close our eyes.
That being said, we are not all the same, and things don’t always work out as planned, especially when the very mind that we seek to tame is the one doing the planning! So, bottom line is that the time to meditate is whenever you can.
A regular practice definitely has a cumulative benefit, so it is best if one can meditate at least once or twice a day. However, if your practice has been interrupted, for whatever reason, even for an extended period of time, don’t let the mind convince you that you’ve failed and it’s no use trying to start again. Pure awareness is our essence and is not tied down to any schedule or measurement of time. In fact, having no beginning nor end, it is not subject to the ravages of the time-bound mind. It is always accessible, here, right now: pure, fresh and undiminished, just waiting for us to tune in. It doesn’t matter where you’re at or where you’re coming from, it’s never too late to meditate! You are free the moment you let go!
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