Growing Comfortable in Meditation

Continue to put sincere effort into reflection and your daily practice journal. As you do, mindfulness will gradually become sharper, and both insight and concentration will deepen naturally.

If rapture and happiness are already arising in your concentration practice, try to remain gently with them for about 20 minutes, allowing them to stabilize. Rather than forcing them to continue, focus on the breath and fully experience them throughout the entire body.

If the rapture seems to fade too quickly, lightly bring to mind—just once—the sense of breathing in and out with a gentle gladness. Do not interfere excessively. It is important not to over-manipulate the experience.

Gradually, the breath itself may feel as though it is filled with rapture. You may let it spread through the whole body on the in-breath, on the out-breath, or naturally on both. What matters is not fabrication, but clearly recognizing and abiding with the rapture that is already present.

Increase your sitting time little by little, perhaps by about five minutes at a time. If toward the end of the sitting your concentration weakens and discursive thoughts begin to arise again, do not push forcefully. Instead, return to the most stable concentration available to you. If first jhāna is already familiar, return to its rapture and happiness.

First, train the body and mind to become familiar with “being able to sit comfortably for the desired length of time.” This familiarity is important. When this foundation is established, the duration of sitting can increase naturally.

During the period of extending your time, fully experience the rapture and happiness that are already present. If you are familiar with first jhāna, remain with its rapture and happiness. This can help prevent burden or boredom from building around your concentration practice. Meditation should not feel like “enduring time,” but like “a time you wish to remain.” This helps sustain practice over the long term.