Eckhart Tolle's advice on meditation is simple: focus on frequency.
Tolle believes beginners often aim too high, attempting to meditate for far too long only to struggle with consistency. This often leads to frustration and, for many, abandoning the practice altogether.
Tolle suggests that instead, we make a shift towards frequent, short moments of mindfulness throughout the day - not long, often. This approach emphasizes presence in the now, the only place from which we can attain true inner peace.
Coincidentally this is the same advice that James Clear echoes in his incredible book on habit-building Atomic Habits. Clear recommends starting small to increase our odds of success and applying this strategy across different areas of life. For example, with reading, the goal, according to Clear, isn't to plow through books - but to weave reading into daily life. Not to read books, but to become a reader. Not long, often.
This mindset makes practices like meditation and reading more sustainable as we grind out the benefits of each practice. It's not about the amount, but the quality of time and level of presence. Most importantly, it’s about developing a growth path that keeps us moving forward and not overwhelming ourselves into submission in the process.
So the next time you try to meditate, or read, or go to the gym for "just" 10 minutes, or “just” an hour, or “just” 3 times per week, remind yourself of the great Tolle wisdom:
Not Long, Often.
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