Why do the greatest meditation/yoga benefits require DAILY use everyday for years?

[Magnanimous]

I'm just wondering for example if I got sick, or if life happened, does that eliminate my chances to get the best benefits from both practices? Obviously I don't think it will especially after a few years, but how come it is insisteed you have to do meditation/yoga EVERY DAY for years on end to get the best results?

I'm really struggling with the motivation to meditate that long and I want to start Kriya Yoga in a few weeks. I don't understand the logic behind you HAVE to do them everyday for years, and I don't know enough about the long term benefits of doing them everyday for years.

[Princess Arabia]

Because it takes great effort to achieve unnatural results for the body. The body doesn't know anything about these practices on a natural level so in order for it to be programmed it takes lots and lots of practices and repetition to program it. You don't need to constantly eat to know how to eat again and you don't have to run every day for the body to know how to run. All these practices require constant attention and effort because they are not natural workings of the body. The effects happen simply because of a response. The body responding to what it's being programmed with. 

A baby learns to walk in a very short amount of time, laughs, smile, teeths, waves, cry all these things are inherent and needs no practicing because they are natural to the body's functioning. These things you mentioned aren't, so it takes years and consistency to see results. I'm not saying they are not useful in certain ways and some results and effects can be very soothing to the body, but they are no more or less any different than any other body trainings, they are just on a different level and produce different results but nothing of any real meaning just as everything else, but only to the one interpreting them as such. Other people are doing other things to get other results for them and it's all a matter of subject/object relationship which really doesn't exist because there are no subjects and objects really only in appearance. It's all empty.

[CoolDreamThanks]

The path of meditation is such an arduous one. I’ve meditated for probably around 10,000 hours now and I’m still not enlightened. Was it very helpful and helped me to almost master my mind? Sure. Did I have enlightenment experiences during month-long solo meditation retreats? Sure. Would it require much much more to actually reach enlightenment this way? Obviously yes and I’m not too excited about that. It’s soo sloooow and difficult.  
 

Not sure about Kriya Yoga, haven’t practiced it enough.

[Davino]

I really don't resonate with that saying anymore. For me each sit is already a fulfilling experience and quite a change in my state of consciousness.

I don't know what may have caused this, in retrospective it was to find the techniques that suit me the most and having done lots of trips makes my consciousness so much more fluid.

Also accessing effortlessly the first Jhanas (concentration states) gives you a very pleasurable ground to land whatever technique . In this way it doesn't feel like a grind but as a joy.

In any case, you should feel results in every sit otherwise something is not right. It should be an incremental unfolding from good, to better the more you do it.

I do kundalini yoga, vipassana meditation and zazen in case you wonder. Those work so nicely for me.

[theleelajoker]

1 hour ago, Magnanimous said:

I'm just wondering for example if I got sick, or if life happened, does that eliminate my chances to get the best benefits from both practices? Obviously I don't think it will especially after a few years, but how come it is insisteed you have to do meditation/yoga EVERY DAY for years on end to get the best results?

I'm really struggling with the motivation to meditate that long and I want to start Kriya Yoga in a few weeks. I don't understand the logic behind you HAVE to do them everyday for years, and I don't know enough about the long term benefits of doing them everyday for years.

What if you see "meditation" simply as "being aware, being present, being open, in a state of acceptance" As a simple way of directing your attention? 

You can do that almost any time. Waiting for the bus, walking, etc. Really "sitting down for meditation" is for me then simply a more intense way of doing what I strive to do anyway in any situation. I don't see meditation and life as strictly separate.

Also, how you do things matter. I sometimes get incredible results (changes in my state of awareness) in short time

Edited June 14 by theleelajoker

[Salariatu]

Society is anti-natural. It takes practice to regain naturality.

[kavaris]

our whole lives are like a fitting a square peg into a round hole. you dont even have to think about why your suppose to practice, because the act of doing (or thinking) about it isnt whats detering you from it, rather its just time and age, and the mindset/configuration you are currently in. With age, you wont notice the difference between yoga, or meditation or riding your bike or playing hopscotch, etc. its just an activity, and you realize theres no such thing as having to had practiced ever, your mindset just changes and you do things without thinking in that way. hard to explain; but the things that drive you drive you different w age, and who you are is just, less new to everything, therefore nothing seems *incompatible*, or something like that. p.s. you should also do "freeya yoga" which is sitting, and not following rules or laws, that is, just sitting there, naturally, without resisting or following rules & laws to how you sit there.

Edited June 15 by kavaris

[Natasha Tori Maru]

I was taught as a child meditation acts to train you to be able to engage in mindfulness.

Meditation essentially lowers the barrier of entry to mindfulness.

Mindfulness: The quality of attention.

Meditation: The practice that cultivates that quality.

Like exercise: you want to keep a regular routine. Maintain muscle or fitness. If you don't, you are going to gas out quickly, or not be able to access the  abilities at all.

 

[gettoefl]

19 hours ago, CoolDreamThanks said:

The path of meditation is such an arduous one. I’ve meditated for probably around 10,000 hours now and I’m still not enlightened. Was it very helpful and helped me to almost master my mind? Sure. Did I have enlightenment experiences during month-long solo meditation retreats? Sure. Would it require much much more to actually reach enlightenment this way? Obviously yes and I’m not too excited about that. It’s soo sloooow and difficult.  
 

Not sure about Kriya Yoga, haven’t practiced it enough.

Forget time. Today is forever. Do the best meditation session you have ever done in your life. And see if tomorrow shows up.