One of the challenges of practicing Zen is the having a good daily meditation routine. For myself there are two things that can really help the practice.
First, dedicate a specific time to meditate everyday and stick with it. First thing in the morning I find to be the easiest and best time. I get up earlier than I normally would so I can meditate before heading to work. I also try to do a shorter sit in the evening as well but I find that I’m fighting sleep rather than meditating.
I believe most practitioners just find a corner somewhere in their home to meditate. This can make the practice rather impersonal. It can really help to create a dedicated space setup solely for sitting. It should be decorated in such a way that when you look at it, it makes you want to sit there. Here’s the meditation platform that I built in my backyard. Now that many of the plants are starting to take, it’s a place I love to meditate in.
With summer coming to an end my time meditating outdoors is becoming numbered. But creating such spaces can greatly increase your desire to get to the cushion. There’s no right or wrong way to create such a space just make it something that speaks to you. Happy meditating!
