How Long Does It Take To Get Into Deep Meditation?

When we enter meditation, we usually tend to focus on the end result when we first start. There’s nothing wrong with focusing on the end goal, so long as we don’t lose track of the present and so long as we don’t make the outcome the only reason we meditate, as someone that’s solely focused on the end result is likely to give up. 

But this doesn’t just apply to meditation, it applies to everything else in life. We can’t be outcome dependent if we want to learn how to love progress, as this liberates us from any disappointment or failed expectations. 

High expectations emanate from the ego and the need to feel better, but we have to allow ourselves to be imperfect at things and accept the end result, while still knowing there’s something to do about it. 

With meditation, however, the goals can be simplified to merely feeling a certain way, but not every meditation will be the same. 

On some, you will feel a deeper sense of relaxation whereas in some others, you won’t feel as relaxed and you may feel like you’re getting worse at it, even if you aren’t. In reality, you’ll still get something out of it. It’s a bit like eating the same food over time. 

You either learn to like it or grow a distaste for it. But only a bit, because meditation isn’t this monotone practice, at least, if you’re progressing. 

From the start, it can feel a bit dull, but if you fall in love with it, you’re more prone to experience things that were new to you. Meditations tend to be tailored to whichever specific situation and circumstance we are in and help us tackle that. 

At times, we experience strong emotions, and thus, going deeper is harder. But typically, timewise, it takes me no longer than 10 minutes to start experiencing the meditation on a deeper level, but that depends on person to person. 

Setting a small commitment to meditation, i.e I’m just gonna meditate for 10 to 20 minutes a day makes the practice so much easier to follow. Micro-commitments can lead to bigger commitments over time. Setting the bar low makes it easier to create consistency.

Time Varies

Several factors can affect how long it takes you to get into a deep meditation. Some of these variables can range from predisposition to expectations with meditation. 

Predispositions are common, sometimes they emanate from a deeper part of us, such as our subconscious, or we get a sort of impostor syndrome for meditation, and because we don’t feel like anything is happening, we don’t go deeper. 

It’s the negative self-talk that gets in the way, but sometimes there’s some substance to it as if we’re, let’s stay, constantly worried about how much time left we have of the meditation, we aren’t actually meditating. 

Many people dip their toes into meditation by meditating for just 5 minutes a day, but for some, even that can feel like a waste of time, even if 5 minutes is better than nothing. 

The problem with micro-meditations is that they don’t allow people to experience the magic. 

It’s not uncommon for a meditation novice to compare their practice to an advanced meditator, but the advanced meditator went through the same hurdles the novice went through, the only significant difference that can be spotted between the new meditator and the expert one is consistency. 

There are minor variables that go along the way such as the previously mentioned expectation, which will fall into place so long as someone is consistent with the practice and learns to enjoy the journey, without caring about the outcome, but instead, being open to the outcome with open arms. 

Meditation can be a bit like playing a game where, if you win, you feel great about yourself but if you don’t you still get the enjoyment out of playing such game. 

Meditating allows you to redefine what you see as enjoyable and set the bar lower, thus, making it easier to get something out of even the smallest experience that you would’ve otherwise ignored. Meditation puts your attention on the now, and lets you enjoy what you do in real-time. 

This is the kind of thinking adopted by deep meditators, but fortunately, deep meditations aren’t exclusive to seasoned meditators. 

Now, it’s impossible to say for sure that a 10 or even a 20-minute meditation will make you enter a deep state of relaxation, but it’s often a standard for many to get some sort of sneak peek into what’s about to come, should they go on that lane. 

When Time Stops Existing

Obviously, time is real for our day-to-day, but when looking at things from the perspective of a meditative state, time becomes less relevant as you enter a level of awareness that makes you lose touch with time, which is an indication you’ve gone into depth with meditation. 

A 1-hour meditation feels like a 20-minute meditation, you reach a point where you no longer wonder how much time there’s left for the meditation but you instead, put yourself on a pause, much like you would pause a movie or a game. Losing track of time is also a characteristic seen in individuals who engage in their passion. 

When someone engages with their passion, they tend to remain present which can be a subtle way to get a taste of meditation. 

For those that have meditated for a while and reached this point, it’s common to feel like they are in a sleep-like state while retaining their awareness throughout the entire session. 

If you’ve ever had to wake up early in the morning and didn’t want to get up because the sleep felt so comfortable, it can be compared to meditation. 

Fortunately, unless you have a lot of things on your plate, you can continue to meditate if you reach a state of enjoyment as meditation is easier to time-manage than sleep, given how little meditation you need in comparison to sleep. 

The risk of this is the lack of consistency and creating a dependency on future meditations being just as relaxing and enjoyable. Even if it doesn’t happen, it’s okay. 

If you still stick with meditation, you’re more likely to replicate this calm state and it wounds up being reflected not exclusively on your meditation, but also on your day-to-day. 

Hence, this is why you hear many, including myself, describe meditation as a life-changing practice. 

Are There Any Quicker Ways To Enter a Deep Meditation?

For those that have tried to get into a deep meditation on their own but are unable to, and really want to experience another angle of meditation or simply feel like theirs isn’t working, there’s the option of a guide. 

With guided meditation, you’re more likely to experience a deep state of meditation quicker. The problem with guided meditations is your lack of control over the experience. 

The guided meditation may only last for 20 minutes, it gets you into a deep state but once the meditation stops, you want to continue on that lane, and thus the guided meditation becomes a craving. Even if it’s a sound one. 

But some advanced meditators use a guide to meditate throughout their entire journey, and there’s nothing wrong with that, as, at the end of the day, building the routine is what many struggle with, regardless of if it’s guided or not. 

However, if you feel like going to go the guided meditation routine, needless to say, choose one that resonates with you. 

There isn’t really a meditation that’s better than another, no matter what you’ve heard. We all have different needs. All in all, you shouldn’t rush the process with meditation. 

It’s one of those things you want to take your time with, just like you would take your time to try different dishes and find which one is your favorite. 

Choosing the wrong meditation can make you give up on the discipline and set back the progress you’ve accumulated up until this point. The good thing about a guide, however, is that you’re learning from someone that has been in your shoes.