“Think of meditation like a physical exercise. You wouldn’t start off jogging three hours a day, would you? Follow the same common sense. Start slow, gradually increase, and build yourself up. Develop meditation muscles. With time you’ll be able to sit for longer and longer periods. The problem is both physical and mental. If you force your body too much, it will simply be too painful–you’ll spend your entire session coping with the pain. If you force your mind too much, either you’ll feel burnt out or you’ll find you’ve been daydreaming for the last fifteen minutes of your meditation session.“

Excerpted from:

A Beginner’s Guide to Tibetan Buddhism: Practice, Community, and Progress on the Path
by Bruce Newman