Seven Day Sit
Last night I listened to a Speaking of Faith podcast featuring Matthieu Ricard… a Tibetan monk labeled “The Happiest Man on Earth” after his brain was studied by scientists. He was one of those monks they hooked up to all those electrodes and measured brain waves as he meditated. (Click here for a fascinating article.)
Anyway, I have listened to this podcast before, but this time I was struck by something he said when asked what he would recommend to someone asking how to be happy. He said that happiness is something that needs to be cultivated. Worked toward. Built up. You can actually train your mind to be happy and compassionate. (Wow, right?!)
He also said he found it funny that people cultivate physical fitness by working out for 20 minutes a day, but they don’t cultivate happiness or compassion by simply sitting and meditating for that amount of time.
And when I heard that … ding ding ding! … I had an idea.
What if we all gave this cultivating happiness thing a shot. What if we all made a commitment to simply sit quietly and still for five minutes a day for one week and just observe what happens. I realize that one week is not a long time for training the mind. And five minutes is not much either. But let’s just start small and make it do-able and non-intimidating as we start. We can always build it up later. And plus, I’m a busy girl… and I’m sure you all are just as busy, but I feel like I can carve out five minutes in my day.
So what do you say? Are you game?
I am going to start this Sunday. (That’ll give people time to read this post over the next few days and join in if they want.)
So Sunday, if you want to do this with me, just find five minutes during your day (any time will do… it doesn’t have to be early morning to count) and simply sit. Could be in a chair with your feet planted on the ground. Could be on your bed. Could be on a meditation cushion if you have one. But just sit. Close your eyes if you want. Light a candle and stare at that if it helps. Or repeat a mantra to keep your mind active. Whatever. But do it for five minutes a day for one week. And let’s just see what happens.
If you’re in, please leave a comment and we’ll build up an accountability list. (I’ll need accountability to stay focused for seven days.) :)
I’m excited to do this and hopefully share this with you!
(Plus, for all those who commented on the last post… thank you again for being such a supportive community… I think this could only help our parenting. Five minutes of “me” time is precious gold, right?)
I’m in. Though I can’t make any promises… my monkey-brain seems to have trouble sitting still for more than a few seconds, so five minutes could be impossible. But I’ll try. And I bet I’ll get a *leeetle bit* better by the end of the week.
oh! i was coming to your blog to leave a comment about your previous post, but I wanted to respond to this too. I have listened to that speaking of faith podcast with matthieu about five times, because every time I hear something new, or it gives me a new idea. it’s so good! and this is a great idea. I’m in.
and also, i want to add my encouragement on your last post. i read it yesterday and have thought about it a few times since then. I feel like no matter what I do, it’s hard to feel like a “good mom” every moment of every day; even though I know in my heart I’m doing a pretty good job. so i really appreciate your honesty. it’s really refreshing.
I’m in!
I’m in! I’ll be on vacation, too so it will be a good time start.
Hi dear Penelope! I am in but I am situated in Eastern Europe. Will this count?
For a long time I want to give myself some minutes for meditation but I am always getting distracted by doing other things so now, this is a perfect opportunity! :-)
Both me and my hubby are in :)
yep — count 2 more people in … me and hubby.
I’m in!
Wonderful idea, I’m in.
[Just hung my new Tibetan prayer flags[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha's_Birthday] today and what a fantastic way to cleanse the mind with this new sit. Thank you, Penelope!
I need this discipline. I’m in too!
I’m in! With a little more than a month to go before my wedding, having an excuse to sit and be calm for five minutes a day will be a welcome change! :)
Count me in! I’ve tried to meditate in the past, with a lot of resistance from my monkey brain (I’m with you there, Colin!) This will be a great opportunity to try again.
I am in for sure. We all deserve at least 5 minutes to ourselves.
I’ve never meditated, but I need to cultivate some happiness right now, so I’ll give it a shot!
i’m in. it reminds me of the 5 minute smile meditation that elizabeth gilbert practices in eat, love, pray – and it profoundly transformed by this simple easy thing.
I’m in. I need this in a major way right now.
I”M IN! I have been running at a local provincial park in the mornings and I will cool down and sit in the woodland trail with a view of the ocean (off Vancouver Island) and sit for 5 minutes.
Great idea!
Me too. Love this!
Penelope!! I am TTTT-TOTALLY in!
Yes, I will do this. Thanks for bringing us along.
Awesome! Bite size awareness? I am so in!
I’m in!
I’ve been needing to truly commit to this.
Today I had decided to take the day off and get back in nature or take some time to savor, and watch, and feel. Even though I’m fuuuull of work for college. It will be better if I take this time and re-center myself.
It’s weird to think how this is actually a tough decision for us to make. I read somewhere a long time ago about how, most times, worry disguises itself as important… Which I find very true, but would need to be reminded of more often.
I’m so in for this. :)
I can do this.
I got online to a. catch up on your blog and b. go to “Speaking of Faith” to see what they had for the evening…kinda a two birds with one stone deal stopping by your place first…hee hee hee! What a great idea (I am IN sister-love!) xoxo
Me too. Funny how contemplating taking five minutes a day to be silent/meditate makes one stop and go, “Wait … is that doable?” — and yet we spend hours each week wasting time through many different means. Thanks for including us. I’m interested to see what happens with everyone!
I am in. I started developing a series of habits this year: made a list of things I’d like to try, see if it’s something that can fit in under 15 minutes to start and stick with it for 30 days. So far it brought A LOT of GREAT moments! And next one on my list is to have a 5 min meditation daily – just in time to try it with you, guys!
I’ll join! Thanks for suggesting this!
Yay everyone! Today is the day! Let’s sit! :)
IN!
Yep, I’ll do it!
Hi Penny,
I always say that being happy and being optimistic is a lot of hard work, but very, very worth it. Sometimes people tell me they´re not “like me”. Well, I´m not like me either, I mean, I work very hard to put a smile on my face and be nice and think positive and try to find good in difficult situations. But I think it is so worth it, because I feel I live on a pink cloud.
I may not be sitting for five minutes during the week, but I´ll be dancing and thinking happy thoughts, for at least five minutes a day – does that count? I hope so!
Sending happy thoughts to you!
Ha! A few minutes ago I finished reading from “The art of Happiness”-Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler, I marked the page, closed the book, got up and my next feeling was to check on your site ( I don’t read many blogs regularly- but I do this one :) This last week I’ve been scanning pages from my collection of books on Buddhism and meditation – looking for specific advice, but not knowing exactly what I was asking or needing to realize. I just knew the help was going to be somewhere in the text…naturally I found it. Apparently, what I needed to understand has to do with Happiness!!!! Yes, I’m in with you all! Ok- I’m off to meditate!
Thanks Penelope!
i’m in, too. and when i went to sit for 5 minutes today, i sat for 20. i love how that happened. felt good. i haven’t ‘sat’ for awhile… thanks for the inspiration. xo
Thank you Penelope – I was just about thinking to start something like that TODAY, as until yesterday I had some very stressy days. And right now I am reading this and even more motivated – I am in from today!
oh! i’m so excited to try this. i’ll be joining in one day late. xox
I’m in. Thanks to Shari guiding me here, I’ll be starting one day late too, but very grateful.
I’m in. May as well start now, right? Will be difficult because my mind is always on.
Hi Penelope! I’m so excited about this, something I’ve wanted to do for quite awhile. It’s just hard to remember with so much going on each day. It helps to think I’ll be sharing this practice with others, thanks for the inspiration!
I’m a day late, too, but I’m joining you – I agree with the idea that happiness needs to be cultivated. And I need it right now. Count me in :)
Wonderful idea. I’m in. I tried this once before with 15 minutes per day and then I let it fade away. I’m not sure why because it was really nice. Today I try again, with 5 minutes. I’ll begin now.
I am in for this very limited sit…perhaps it will take me back to sitting for longer periods.
Hi from Pristina, Kosovo. Just wanted to let you know that I’m in too. Thanks for the inspiration!
I am a bit late, but I am in!!! I will start this today. Love the idea. I think we can learn a lot from Buddhists, happiness just simply “is” for them, it’s part of their way of thinking!
I look forward to see what this may do for me! It’s a starting point.
Thank you Penelope for this lovely idea and inspiration. I am in. (late, but in!)
Hello Penelope,
Here’s a book that discribes the method to personal healing symbols
The Five Minute Miracle by Tara Springett.
xo
Suana
Hi Penelope,
I find it really great that your are inspiring people to practice meditation for five minutes every day. I’m definitely in!
I know “The Five Minute Miracle” by Tara Springett. Just like Suana says it is just the book for maximising the positive impact of meditating for five minutes a day. The book takes you through how to receive a symbol from your higher consciousness and practice with it to overcome any kind of issue – your issue or somebody else’s. In a way, it’s a wonderful way to discover and focus the power of your love. I’m using it every day for exactly five minutes and it has really helped me with a number of issues.
Wishing everybody all the best of luck,
Roger