The teachings tell us that we gain the best results from meditation by making it a daily practice. We benefit and progress more by meditating every day rather than occasionally. A shorter session done consistently is far more valuable than a longer session done rarely.
The best way to establish a daily practice is to make meditation a habit — something we simply do each day, rather than something we have to motivate ourselves to do. When each session requires planning, finding time, or summoning energy, it becomes easy to skip. We are skilled at finding obstacles: we’ll meditate after the housework, when we have more time, when we feel happier. There is always ordinary work to be done, and it is endless. The excuses never run out.
Establish a good routine: time, place and motivation
To make meditation habitual, it helps to sit at the same time each day, or to anchor it to something we already do — after our morning shower, or after brushing our teeth. This simple method is surprisingly effective.
It also helps to be clear on why we are meditating. The benefits arise quickly and are now well-documented by Western science: a clearer, more relaxed and concentrated mind; and a more relaxed body. In addition, from a Buddhist perspective, we become less caught up in negative or unwholesome states like hatred and attachment, while positive qualities such as equanimity, compassion, patience and wisdom gradually deepen.
The definition of meditation itself indicates that it is a source of happiness for us. As Geshe Loden explains on page 23 of his Meditations on the Path to Enlightenment, “Meditation is defined as thoroughly and deeply acquainting the mind with objects of virtue. Because virtuous minds are by nature happy and the source of future happiness, each time that you engage in meditation further happiness is brought into your life.”
Rejoice in small positive changes
As we practise, it’s important to notice — and rejoice in — even the small changes. Day to day they may be subtle, but over time they become real. We may find ourselves a little less reactive, a little warmer toward others, a little more generous and willing to help. Recognising these shifts, not with arrogance but with genuine appreciation, is itself a support for our practice.
Seen from a broader perspective, meditation is the method by which we attain realisations — significant changes in our state of being. With greater wisdom and inner qualities, our capacity to benefit others grows. When we consider that we have multiple lives, meditation may be the most valuable thing we can do in this one, alongside living ethically and positively. We do well to reflect on the good fortune of having encountered a reliable and living lineage, the opportunity to practise now, and the preciousness and impermanence of this life — and to hold a strong aspiration to benefit others, ultimately achieving enlightenment.
Show up every day: be steady but don’t push too hard
Our approach to meditation should be professional: we show up every day and do our best, regardless of how we feel. Our minds change — sometimes we are positive and settled, sometimes down or dull. When we are unsettled, mentally busy or upset, we may not feel like meditating. At these times it can be challenging and we can even feel some resistance. These times are often the best times to meditate – because it is when we most need it. With some effort and patience we can settle down and end up having a productive meditation session.
Individual sessions will also vary. Sometimes we concentrate easily and rest with the object of meditation without effort. Other times we are distracted or heavy. The key in those moments is simply to keep applying the methods — to keep returning, again and again, to the object. If we do this, we are making progress, even when it doesn’t feel that way. There is no such thing as a bad meditation session, as long as we are making that effort. This is how we build strength of mind — a strength that carries directly into how we meet the difficulties of daily life.
At the same time, our practice should leave us more peaceful and happier, not tense. We should not push so hard that sitting becomes a source of stress, nor fill our sessions with so many techniques that we never settle into genuine single-pointed concentration. The aim is balance — not too much, not too little.
Remember that meditation practice and daily life support each other
Finally, our practice and our daily life are not separate. What we do outside our sessions shapes the quality of our meditation. When we practise being ethical, letting go of excessive thinking, attending to the present, meeting difficulties without reactivity, and cultivating love and compassion in our everyday encounters — we arrive at the cushion with a mind that is already clearer and more settled.
In this way, meditation and life begin to support each other. The innate clarity within us gradually emerges, and our inner qualities grow. The result is something quite natural: a more relaxed, joyful way of being.