To progress in meditation it is important to meditate at least once a day. If you are inspired then it is good to meditate 3 times a day. Regularity is very important to increase your ability to meditate. Some people may say that it is very difficult to find time to meditate in a busy day. However, if you really value something, then you will find time. 3 times a day we find time to feed the body. We must also feel the need to feed our soul, our inner being. If we value meditation, we don’t want to miss our regular period of silence.
The best time to meditate is early in the morning. Early in the morning the land is rested and more peaceful. There are also fewer demands on your time. Therefore, the morning consciousness is more conducive to meditation. Sri Chinmoy says:
“If you meditate in the morning, you will find that your meditation will be very fruitful. Before the sun rises, the consciousness of the earth is not yet agitated.”
In Indian scriptures it is said that the best time to meditate is between 3 and 4 in the morning. This is known as Brahma Muhurta or God hour. However, in the west, if we go to bed at 11 or 12, it will be too soon. If we try to meditate very early, we may find that our mind is drowsy, making actual meditation very difficult. However, it is beneficial to be able to meditate early in the morning as the peace we feel will stay with us for the rest of the day. If it is possible to meditate facing the rising sun this will also be very beneficial as we will get energy from the sun.
The next best time to meditate is at night. At night, the atmosphere becomes a little calmer as we forget about the problems of the day. However, if we meditate immediately after finishing work, we may still have thoughts of the day’s activities running through our minds. Before meditating it is good to take a shower and clear your mind of what has been going on during the day.
If you have time to meditate during the day, that’s good, however it can be difficult to go deep, so a short meditation may be appropriate. Whatever time you meditate, it is important to give meditation a high priority. It is better to meditate once a day with our full attention and concentration, rather than sitting several times a day with thoughts in our mind.
Whichever time you choose, and this can vary depending on personal circumstances, it is important to try to stick to your fixed time. Like regularity, punctuality is also very beneficial to make our meditation more powerful. It’s like eating food, at a certain time we are ready for food. At another time we can be ready for meditation. Our inner being will be more receptive.
