Do not let the time be less than meets your deepest need
July 10, 2006
It has been quite a while since I posted an entry into this blog. My life has been very busy lately, and recently I took a four-day personal retreat to step back from the busyness and spend some quiet time with God. While on that retreat, I rediscovered something very important: I need a lot of meditation time to really experience the benefits that Course-based meditation offers.
Some people seem to be able to just drop into a quiet space and feel a connection with God with very little effort. The Course itself speaks of how it is possible for us to "give God only an instant, and in that instant join with Him completely" (M-16.4:6). But for whatever reason, this has not generally been my experience. In my morning and evening quiet times, I seem to need at least an hour to really feel that connection. Of course, sometimes I can experience it more quickly than that—I can think of many successful shorter meditations I've had-but on average it just seems to take me longer to really sink into that quiet center.
A part of me wishes I could get by with less, but the simple fact is that each of us has our individual needs, and we might as well accept that fact. The Course says in the Manual that as we progress on the path, we will have to discover for ourselves just what works for us: "After completion of the more structured practice periods, which the workbook contains, individual need becomes the chief consideration" (M-16.3:8). For one person, a half hour or less of morning and evening quiet time may be very effective; for another, like me, more may be needed. The key is to be very honest with ourselves about how much time we truly need and make sure that taking this time is a high priority in our lives. Perhaps the best instruction in the Course on this issue is this line from Lesson 193: "Morning and night, devote what time you can to serve its proper aim, and do not let the time be less than meets your deepest need" (W-pI.193.10:6).
"Do not let the time be less than meets your deepest need." I've tried to hew to this instruction since I got back from the retreat by doing one to two hours of meditation morning and evening each day (and other sessions during the day when I can). I've decided to regard these quiet times as staples in my life, every bit as important as eating, sleeping, and breathing. The results have been truly wonderful. While I haven't had what I would describe as spectacular experiences during these meditations, taking the extra time has allowed me to go deeper than usual. And even on the days when the meditations don't feel particularly deep, I'm finding that they have a positive effect on my day. I feel more peaceful, more grounded, more centered. The hourly reminders and other practices I do during the day are more rewarding. I'm better able to roll with the punches when things don't go my way. And I'm finding it easier to be loving and truly helpful to others.
What about you? How much meditation meets your deepest need? How much time should you take for those morning and evening quiet times? I encourage you to reflect on this, discover how much you really need and, most important, make a commitment to really do it. You may find, as I have, that the rewards are worth it.
Return to top | Send Reader Feedback | View Reader Feedback | Printer friendly version
Dear friend: We offer the materials on this website to you in the hope that they can serve you well on your journey home. Your continuing donations support the work of the Circle of Atonement. Thank you.
Click here to make a Donation.
This material is copyrighted by the Circle of Atonement, P.O. Box 4238, W. Sedona, AZ 86340. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed are the personal interpretation and understanding of the author(s).
Please report problems to the webmaster.
