March Meditation Challenge
Lets meditate for 10 minutes a day, for 10 days straight – who's with me?
My first attempt at meditation was as a twenty-three-year-old living in Japan. I remember sitting in my tiny Shibuya apartment and giving meditation ‘a go’… about four minutes later, I quit, certain it was overrated and disappointed that I hadn’t experienced anything vaguely mystical.
Not long after, a friend dragged me along to a Zen meditation course, which I found interesting in theory, but in practice, bloody hard.
Over the next three decades, I studied several different types of meditation, including Vipassana, the 10-day silent retreat I write about in Tilda is Visible. I highly recommend Vipassana, as both an organisation and a meditation style. For those of you who have read my novel, Tilda’s early departure from the retreat was needed for her character arc. My advice is, if it resonates with you, attend a 10-day retreat and stick it out. It is incredibly beneficial. Many of Tilda’s experiences were inspired by my time at Vipassana’s New South Wales Blackheath centre. However, unlike Tilda, I completed the 10-day retreat, despite struggling every second of the ten days, and continued to practise this form of meditation for a few years.
But the truth is, I never enjoyed it.
I did it because I thought I should.
I did it because over time there were obvious benefits.
But the practice itself felt like a drag. Making myself sit each day to face my thoughts was a mammoth effort – I never looked forward to it. For years, I thought that was what meditation was all about.
It’s not. Meditation can be fun and wonderful and something you really look forward to, even when the going gets tough.
In 2014, I was first introduced to the meditation style I currently use. It has been instrumental in changing my life. To this day, I continue to use this style, along with a mix of other techniques.
I would describe my style as eclectic and committed. I understand my energetic needs now and use different meditations to meet those needs. My practice is enjoyable and flexible. That doesn’t mean easy. Sometimes I’m going in deep to address a specific issue, and that is hard work.
My life reflects my discipline and commitment to one thing – sitting in meditation. It doesn’t matter how that looks, what style I choose, or how long I meditate for … All that matters is that I sit. And by doing so, I continue the loving relationship I’ve built with myself. Meditation is an act of self-love, and self-love changes everything.
Many of you have asked me about meditation. How I meditate? Where I meditate? What style I use? Lasy year, I held the first 10-day meditation retreat here on Substack. Now it’s time for another one.
Unlike the retreat I write about in Tilda is Visible, this 10-day challenge has no rules. In fact, rather than isolate from community, we’re going to build one through the chat function here, so you can ask questions and share experiences.
All subscribers will be able to participate in the 10-Day Meditation Challenge and in the Substack chat. Everyone will receive articles on meditation straight into their inbox.
Paid subscribers also get some bonus materials including a downloadable meditation diary and a meditation track composed just for this challenge, and some recorded prompts.
If you join in, the challenge is to meditate for 10/10.
Ten days straight. A minimum of ten minutes a day.
The rest is flexible. You can choose when to meditate. Where you’ll meditate. Even for how long – I’ll be meditating for longer than ten minutes each day, and so can you.
That’s it for now. Have a think about whether you want to join in and let me know.
We’re starting on Sunday March 16 for ten days.
More the come soon.
With gratitude,
Jane