TRICYCLE Meditation Challenge

I'm way behind on my magazine reading. Only just found out about Tricycle's 28 Days Commit To Sit challenge. And I'm interested.

Our twenty-eight-day Commit to Sit challenge puts that daydream of an intense daily practice to the test. How different will you feel when you meditate every day for a month? What happens when you commit to the five traditional Buddhist vows for laypeople, including refraining from intoxicants and minding your speech? The meditation instructions provided here come out of the Vipassana tradition, which can be traced directly to the way the Buddha himself practiced. The program schedule is based on Vipassana retreats popular in the West and has been constructed to encourage and support your practice.

Twenty-eight days. How about it? My meditation practice is something I have neglect of late. While I practice yoga diligently and I approach it as part of my spiritual practice, I know it is necessary to actually sit and meditate if I really wish to deepen my practice. Perhaps that is why I have avoided it.

Meditation is difficult for me, because my mind is usually unfocused; precisely the reason I need it.

I came to the dharma and yoga at around the same time. But I have stopped identifying myself as a Buddhist for a while now. It was a quiet decision. I have not discussed it with anyone. Most of my important life choices are made quietly.

I have not abandoned the dharma. But there are issues I have to sort out before I can call myself a Buddhist. I just want to be more honest. Or just less hypocritical.

But I can meditate. And I can try to practice the teachings in my life. And if I can do that, it doesn't matter if I identify myself as Buddhist or not, does it?