Twenty minutes twice a day ...
... is a standard recommendation for meditation from a couple of traditions, such as Christian Contemplative Prayer , Centering Prayer , Zen or Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation . I had tried to adhere to this recommendation in the past, when I was in private practice. It was easier for me then to schedule my days. However I abandoned this practice after taking a full time job 12 years ago. So I tried again today. As it looks to be another busy day, my best chance was to do it in the morning. I set my timer for 20 minutes, and I tried to make myself as comfortable on the couch as possible. Due to arthritis, I cannot sit with my legs crossed anymore, but I managed to establish a relatively straight posture. When I finally closed my eyes, I was in a better position to observe my mind. It became impatient right away, trying to draw my attention to external distractions, such as Lady Wife doing her first morning steps in the bedroom upstairs. Then my mind calmed a bit, and I ...