January 8, 2026
Committing to a Daily Practice
Committing to a daily practice is no small feat. Work, children, painful emotions, or any number of causes can interfere. But it’s important to remember that you can always begin again. Just as we return thoughts to the breath over and over in mindfulness of breath meditation, we return to the cushion, shrine, or wherever we practice, again and again.
Showing up is a major accomplishment in and of itself, meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg says. While evaluating how your practice is going is certainly necessary, you needn’t do so every time. As Salzberg’s teacher Munindraji told her once, “Just put your body there.”
If you lack discipline or motivation, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, find something that inspires you—something that brings you joy. That might be art, journaling, or a community. Every year at Tricycle we offer a meditation program to encourage a daily practice because we know we all need extra support sometimes. (See here for more information about this year’s Meditation Month. Start from day 1 any time.)
Be patient with yourself and do what works. Also, consider using ordinary, everyday moments to cultivate your practice or the qualities that support it. And remember that life and mediation are a two-way street. As Salzberg says, “The way we do anything can reflect the way we do everything.”
This week’s Three Teachings reminds us that every day is a good day for starting a daily practice and offers creative ideas to help you stick with it. | 
No comments:
Post a Comment