Sustain Your Practice

How can we each sustain our practice in the midst of the busy-ness of life? Here are some tips:

• Your time spent with Spirit builds your relationship with the Divine. Just like any relationship, the more time, energy and love you put into it, the more you get out of it.
• Make a place in your home that is just for meditation, with special, inspiring quotes, images, etc. Meditating in this sacred place will “set a vibration” that will begin to call to your soul the more you practice here.
• Realize that something cosmic and wonderful may not happen every time you meditate! Some meditations are “working” meditations but at those times you are probably making the most progress, though it doesn’t feel like it.
• Keep a meditation calendar of when and how long you meditate. There are even App’s for this!
• Yogananda suggests keeping a spiritual diary of each meditation, including what took place and how deeply you were able to concentrate.
• Invite the Divine to be present all day rather than compartmentalizing your meditation time. This makes it easier to concentrate upon the Divine when you sit down to meditate.

Start with a shorter goal, such as five minutes twice daily.

• Open the heart; don’t make your meditation mechanical. Yogic teachings state that techniques done with devotion and love for Spirit are ONE HUNDRED times more powerful when done with love and devotion—bhakti.
• Make a time once each week to meditate twice as long as your usual practice. This will grow your ability for a deeper practice.
• Before meditating prepare by listening to devotional songs, chants and music to open your heart.
• Practice walking meditation, or eating meditation, etc.— mindfulness in every movement and breath.
• Take advantage of Sunburst’s community of spiritual practice. The support and inspiration of community is essential for the path of Self-realization. Whether it’s online, over the phone, or in person, we are so important to one another, helping each other navigate this life successfully and awaken to our true nature.