When it comes time to practice, many of us know the thought, “maybe I’ll meditate later...” Then later becomes tomorrow, then next week, and we find our meditation cushion gathering dust.
Laziness and excuses are some of the biggest obstacles that we face as practitioners. But, “there is one trick to get over laziness,” says Mingyur Rinpoche. “The trick is a daily practice, and to make it part of our daily routine.”
Keeping track of our practice is immensely helpful in developing a daily routine. It keeps us accountable to ourselves, and also gives us the satisfaction and encouragement of being able to look back at all the practice we’ve done. For those of us working towards completing homework for Joy of Living or Path of Liberation practices, logging our meditation sessions is also essential.
The new Tergar Meditation Tracker App has been designed specifically for Tergar students and is simple and easy to use. The app includes two different tracking options: one simply tracks time, and one counts malas as well for those doing Ngöndro or White Tara practice. The time tracking function includes different bell sound options, and also functions as a timer. You can also set random reminders during your session to help with monkey mind problems. Your saved sessions are backed-up online, so you don’t have to worry about losing your practice log, or your phone. You can download the app on any smartphone or use it on the web. Find out more at app.tergar.org
For those who enjoy the more traditional, write-it-down approach, the 2019 Tergar Practice Calendar has just been published online for free download. The calendar has space to track practice and uses codes that correspond to the various Tergar meditation practices. This year the calendar includes special dates for Tergar and the Tibetan Buddhist calendar, as well as moon phases. You’ll also find inspirational quotes from Mingyur Rinpoche, including several from his forthcoming book In Love with the World: A Monk’s Journey Through the Bardos of Living and Dying, which will be released May 2019. Click here to get your copy of the 2019 Practice Calendar from the Tergar Practice Materials Store today.
To hear more tips from Rinpoche about how to build a meditation habit, check out his monthly teaching from May 2016.
Contributed by Jess McNally
1 responses on "Building Habits by Tracking Practice"
Leave a Message
You must be logged in to post a comment.
First trial. Not sure how the tracker works. I meditated for 30 min, but no track is visible. Can someone help?