Why do you want to meditate in the first place?

Don’t settle with a generic answer such as “to find peace”.

Dig deeper into what is at stake if you do not meditate and paint a vivid picture of how your life would change for the better if you do. Your motivation won’t be 100% the same as others. So, own it. 

If ever meditation feels like a chore to you, recollecting why you started in the first place will be incredibly helpful to keep you going. When you truly internalise and experience the benefits of meditation, it will become an integral habit – just like brushing your teeth. 

DO THIS NOW:

1. Write your purpose on a post it note and paste it at a visible location to remind you daily about your “WHY”.

2. Snap a photo of it

3. Share it down on this board with your name! :D

You can use this template below:

I’ve chosen to meditate daily even if [ describe potential that can get in the way ]. And I’m doing this because [ describe why it matters to you ]. 

Go on, create a post and introduce yourself. You can share

1. your name

2. where you're from (country or if you Singaporean, are you an eastie or westie or swiftie)

3. what animal or plant best describes you and why

4. Any anything else interesting!

5. Share your insight timer link too so we can add you there!

Of course, please keep this space wholesome and respectful.

Co-founder of Handful Of Leaves.

I'm 31 this year but often mistaken as a school kid (more so with my new haircut and perhaps due to the anti-aging effects of meditation 😆)

Born and bred in Singapore, but feel most at home in the forest monasteries in Thailand. I'll use every chance I have to be there.

End of last year, I made the big decision to step away from the day-to-day operations of the business, which I co-founded 11 years ago, to dedicate more time to deepening my spiritual practice.

So I've been hopping to different monasteries and sites, to learn, to serve, and to practice.

Here are some interesting pitstops!

End Nov 2023 -Start of Jan 2024

1.5 months in the Aranya Bodhi hermitage and Dhammadharini monastery in North California,

Mid Jan 2024

15 days in India for pilgrimage with Ajahn Achalo

Mid Feb-Mid March:

Rented an apartment 35 mins from Wat Marp Jan (Buddhist monastery) to work remotely, drive to the monastery daily at 6am to offer food to the Sangha, then spend half a day there to help out or to meditate.

End March - Mid April: Stay in the monastery.

Now that I'm back in SG, it is a true test of integrating Dhamma into my daily life. And thank you for joining me on this journey to commit to meditating daily. ❤️

Here's the link to find me on Insight Timer:

https://insig.ht/xhK7vN8HOIb

As the Buddha taught in the First Noble Truth, Suffering (Dukkha) should be understood.

And as most life coach or therapists would say "When you resist, the feelings would persist".

So let's challenge ourselves for the week to deeply understand - which ones of the following do we tend to suffer over?

1. Not getting what we want

2. Getting what we don't want

3. Losing what we love

4. Aging

5. Sickness

6. Death

I'm Jue Fei - a (newly) working adult of 2.5 years. I have interests in Sci-Fi, Technology & Philosophy (did that as my major), I think the FIRE movement is cool beans and find finance-related topics interesting. I keep a meme collection and love annoying my friends.

Going into this - I'd like to keep consistent practice a quiet, unassuming and ongoing matter, found myself liking the uneventful start and end dates. I'm seeing this as another leg in growing our daily practice, while not being too bored with it all (:

Hope to make use of this event to support and further my meditation practice, thank you Kai Xin for organizing this

I sit for as long as i can, some days i get till 29 minutes other days 18 minutes and still other days 8 minutes

I have no specific animal i like, i feed stray cats and that's about it.

my insight timer link:

https://insig.ht/I9G6fWOXTIb

Thank you

I have been meditating almost daily for a while now, though most of the time just for a short duration (5-15 mins), usually before and/or after bed. I do different types of meditation, ranging from anapanasti, metta, and some other random kinds from Insight Timer's recommendation feed that attract me.

Thanks Kai Xin for initiating this! Looking forward to seeing everyone on Zoom soon!

I work in the media industry so life does get quite busy at times. When things are especially bustling or urgent it makes me feel anxious :( Therefore, I joined this challenge in hopes of being more at peace.

My 2024 new year resolution is to be a wiser person. Going for the Dhamma Foundation Course (1) and starting a meditation habit are my first steps to achieving this goal.

During my free time, I do Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 🥋 although I get beat up by my friends 90% of the time, I enjoy the process of learning in every roll and doing 1% better every training.

My insight timer link: https://insig.ht/FTw3l4ylYIb

https://insig.ht/olSZ8ixk0Ib

I'm making an effort to keep a consistent practice regardless of my moods in order to see through my defilements and go beyond suffering.

And I’m doing this because: 1) I know that meditation is good for me in the long run. 2) To be a better Buddhist: To practice Suta and cultivate wisdom, which hopefully reduces my suffering when I die someday in the future 3) To be able to seek inner peace and joy within, undisturbed by the external world.

I'm doing this with an intention to start a new habit of finding pockets of time daily to meditate!

I find that the core of meditation is to sit with whatever arises, and that really is the essence of the Dhamma, I have experienced that it is a highly effective way to face craving and aversion head on. Mindfulness that is cultivated is also a great way to spot the intentions behind the actions I may want to take (provided there is at least a small restraint present first to allow myself to observe)

Other than helping myself, I also wish for the fruits of my practice to benefit those around me (family, friends etc.), and if i can't help them, at least help myself to unlearn the bad habits and wrong views I have accumulated and set a better example.

2. I am from Singapore

3. For what animal or plant that best describe me, I have engaged the help of chatgpt. With inputs bubble, smiley, alarcrity, cheerful, sadness, fiery, different answer came out. From sunflower, phoenix to creating fantastical creature called the "Emberfly". Hahah. But actually, I resonate to the character Sadness from Inside Out. The mixture of emotions that happened in 1 memory. Just joy and no sadness, sth is missing kind.

4. Just want to say thanks to Kai Xin for inititating this challenge!:D

5. Nil.

I have chosen to meditate daily even if I am tired or felt lazy. And I'm doing this because I want to tell myself that if i set a goal, i can do it, I can trust my own words. Bec I have the tendency to set goals that are too big that I cannot finish:(

I want to tell myself 为自己赢一次(win for myself), just like the movie, YOLO. I want to manifest something to create a different reality for myself that 我可以的(I can do it)

I am doing a personal project and doing a 30 days meditation challenge is part of the goals too.

I know meditation is good but I have always resisted so wanna see if I do it for 30 days, what would change or any realisation from there.