100DaysofMeditation

Results&Observations

TableofContents

Background
OurSubject
TheMethod
Results&Observations
TheGood
TheUnexpected
TheReallyUnexpected

Background

FromJanuary1stthroughApril10thof2013Iparticipatedina100daymeditationpersonal
challengeorganizedbymembersofthe/r/meditationsubreddit.DuringthistimeImeditated
3090minutesperdayandabstainedfromalcoholandcoffee(althoughIdiddrinkgreentea.)
Also,inthetruespiritofmonasticism,Ididmybesttokeepcelibacy.Ikeptanonlinejournalin
thisGoogleGroupwhichtrackedassortedsubjectivedatapointsonmysits.
Ipresenttheresultshereinattempttobolsterthealreadyfairlywellknownhypothesisthat
meditationhasauniqueandpositiveeffectonmood,andalsotoputforthfordiscussionsome
otherunusualresultsofmypractice(seesection:TheReallyUnexpected)Finally,Iwantto
encourageanyonewhoisinterestedinmeditationtopickupaZafuandablanket,andgiveita
try.Ifthismethodworkedforme,itslikelyitcanworkforyouaswell.

OurSubject
Iwasbornin1981andIliveintheUnitedStatesIhavea9to5job,Iamofaverageheight&
weight,andIexercise13timesperweek.Idonttakedrugs,smoke,orhaveanymedicalor
psychologicalconditions.Ihaveawife,adegree,andIliveinasmallcityapartment.
WhenIwasfirstintroducedtomeditation,theconceptdidntmakeanysensetomeIcouldnt
understandwhatkindofbenefitjustsittingaroundcouldbringyouthatcouldn'tbehadinfar
greaterformfrom,forexample,napping.Ibegantoinvestigate,butIfoundthatalotofthe
contemporaryliteratureonmeditationisglommedtogetherwithwhatisknownas"newage"
books,whichtendtobecomposedof99%nonsensethekindthatmakesyougenuinely
concernedforthepersonwhowroteit(nottomentionwhomeverispublishing&purchasingit.)
Atsomepoint,however,Icameacrosstwoauthors
whoshedsomelightonthesubjectandalsoseemed
tospeakfromtheauthenticityoftheirownexperience,
whichrekindledmyinterestandmademethinkthat
perhapstherewasmoretoitthanIhadpreviously
realized.ThesetwoauthorswerethelateGopi
Krishna,andthecontemporaryauthorJ.J.Semple.
ThroughbooksofSemplesandthroughhiswebsite,I
discoveredanoldChineseTaoistmeditationmanual,
TheSecretoftheGoldenFlower,oftendescribedas
Zenwithdetails(picturedright&henceforth
abbreviatedasSGF),togetherwhichservedtopoint
meinamethodologicaldirection.

TheMethod
Aboveall,Iwantedtofindacleanmethodoneasfreefromunscientificbaggageaspossible.
Zazenseemedtoaffordthis,soItookafreeintroductoryclassmylocalZenCenter,which,
whileitdidntgivemeanythingIcouldnthavegainedwithafewonlinesearches,helpedmefeel
likeIwasatleastadheringtosomekindofacceptablestandard.TakentogetherwithSGFand
GopiKrishnasbooks,IfeltIhadagoodstartingpoint.AftersometimeandadjustmentIsettled
onamethodthatworkedwellformeitisasfollows:

1.Determinethebesthourofthedayforyouto
sit.Thisisactuallyveryimportant,asthetimingofyour
sitcanmakeorbreakit.Tworequirementsare
importanthere:
1. Thehouroftimeshouldbebeforeameal.
2. Itshouldbemorethan4to6hoursafter
consuminganykindofheartratealtering
chemicallikealcohol,caffeine(including
chocolate),sugar(althoughalittlesugaris
probablyfine),ornicotine.
Thereasonforthesetwocaveatsisthatyour
metabolismandheartrateareaffectedbydigestionand
evenmildstimulantsordepressants,tothepointthat
youwillnotbeabletomanuallyslowdownyourmetabolism,whichinturnwillpreventyoufrom
meditatingproperly.Thiscanbetrickytofitintoyourscheduledependingonwhetheryouarea
morningpersonornot.
Morning,Noon,orNight?
Thisauthorismostcertainlynotamorningperson,butdespitethat,Itriedseveralmorningtime
slotswithoutmuchluckbeforeultimatelysettlingonmeditatingintheearlyeveninghoursshortly
aftercominghomefromwork.InthemorningIfoundIwassimplytoogroggytofocusIwould
starttofallasleepandcouldntcontrolit.Itriedothertimesaswell,butfoundthatbothafter
dinnerandbeforebedwerenonstartersbecauseIwaseithertoofullortootired.Ifoundout
veryquicklythatsittingwithafullstomachorexhaustivelytiredismostlyawasteoftimeyou
cantslowdownyourmetabolismandyouneverenterthemeditativestateyoudbebetteroff
takinganap!
Thus,6or7pmpredinnerendedupbeingthebesttimeforme,althoughIfoundIhadtoeata
lateishlunchinordertonotbebotheredbyhunger.Drinkingasmallglassofmilkorvegetable
juicehelpedtaketheedgeoff.

2.Findaplacethatisasfreefromdistractionaspossible.Inmycase,thiswasmy
bedroom.Here,Icouldclosethedoorsandwindows,pulltheshades,dimthelights,andapart
fromoccasionallynoisyneighbors,bemoreorlessprotectedfromunwanteddistraction.

3.Findasittingpositioninwhichyoucanbemore
orlesscomfortableforanhour.Recliningisgenerally

abadideabecauseyourbodyassociatesitwithgoingtosleep,andyouwillfinditdifficultto
stayawake.Standingdoesntreallyworkbecauseyoutendtoneedtoshiftonyourlegs
occasionallyinordertokeepthemfromaching,andthismeansthebestalternativeistosit.
Aftertryingtositonabedpillow,thentwobedpillows,andfinallyacouchseatcushion,Icaved
inandboughtazafucushion,whichworkedremarkablywell,elevatingmylegshighenoughfor
themtobecompletelycomfortable(afteraboutaweekofacclimation)duringlongsits.Ialso
drapedaquiltovermylegsandfeetwhichhelpedtokeepthemwarm.Sittinginachairisan
option,andalthoughIdidnttryitpersonallyinthischallenge,itseemspossiblethatitmightwork
aswellifsittingcrossleggedisuncomfortableforyou.

4.Focusonyourbreathing.Thisisoneofthosethingsthatpeoplealwaystellyoutodo
whenmeditating,butnobodyeverreallyexplainswhyitssoimportant.Well,itturnsoutthatthe
reasonissimplybecausewhenyouarefocusingonyourbreathing,itdistractsyourbrainfrom
generatingotherthoughts,andthishelpsstillthemind.Itsespeciallyusefulwhenyourejust
startingout,becauseinitially,wranglingyourmindintostillnessisquitechallengingandcan
seemfutileattimesbutbyrememberingtoreturnyourfocusbacktotheregular,calmingrising
andfallingofyourbreathing,yourbrainwilleventuallysettle.
Position
Withyourbackcomfortablybutnotforciblystraightened,eithercloseyoureyesorlowerthem
suchthattheyareaboutthesameangleasthetipofyournose(butdontactuallylookatthetip
ofyournosethiswouldmakeyoucrosseyed.)Againitsonlyimportantinsomuchasit
reducestheamountofincomingstimulitoyourbrain.Forthefirst60days,Isatwitheyes
closed,whichhelpedpreventdistraction,butalsomadeiteasiertounconsciouslyslipintoa
daydreamifIwasnotdiligentlyfocused.Afterabout60days,itbecameeasiertokeepmyeyes
open.Youcanprobablydowhateverworksbestforyou.
LegStyle
Legstyleissomethingpeopletendtogethungupon,butitsbesttorememberthatthegoalhere
isnottomasterasanaposes,buttobeabletositcomfortablyforextendedperiodsoftime.This
meansitsokayifyouareinflexibleorweighmorethantheaveragepersonyoucanstill
meditate,youjustneedtofindwhateverzafu/chair/legpositionscombinationismost
comfortable.Initially,Ifoundthatthemostcomfortablepositionwasactuallyjustthetypically
crossleggedIndianstyle,thatmostofusarefamiliarwith,butthiswasonlygoodforaround
20minutesorso,afterwhichit
putunduepressureonmy
ankles.AfterafewdaysI
switchedtohalflotus
(pictured)whichisthesame
thingasIndianstylebutwithone

leg(anyleg)pulledupandoversuchthatitrestsontheoppositekneeorthigh,orwithinthe
spacecreatedbythekinkintheknee.
Inevergraduatedtofulllotus,nordoIthinkanyoneneedsto,unlesstheytryitandfindits
comfortable.Ivealsoneverbeenveryflexible,sodowhatworksforyou.Rememberthatthe
goaliscomfortoverlongspansoftime,soyoudon'tneedtooverachieve.

5.Bepatientwhileyourbackandlegmuscles
acclimatetothisnewposition.Thiswilltakeafew
sits,mainlybecausethisisnotapositionpeople
normallykeep,soyourlowerbackmuscleswillstartto
acheafter20minutesorso,andyourlegsandknees
mayfallasleeporbeuncomfortable.
Wheneveryoufeeluncomfortableduringasit,itsbest
toextendyourlegsorstandup/laydownifyouneed
to.Itmaynotfeellikeitatfirst,butintime,trustme,youllbecompletelycomfortable,itjust
takesafewdaysforyourmusclesandjointstoadjust.Ifafteraweekortwoonazafu,your
kneesoranklesarestillsoreoryourlegsarefallingasleep,trysittinginachairratherthan
sittingcrosslegged.Youcouldalsotryleaningagainstabedorcouchorsomesurfacewhich
willofferbacksupport.Finally,ifyouhaventgotazafu,youreallyshouldgetonethefirmness
ofthezafuwillgiveyourlegsadegreeofcomfortthatcantbefoundinapilloworcouch
cushion.Yourlegsshouldneverfallasleepafriendofminewhodida30daysitcomplained
evenduringthelaterdaysthathislegsconsistentlyfellasleep,anditturnedouthehadbeen
sittingonapillow.Doyourselfafavorandbuyazafuearlyon.

6.Consciouslystopyourmind
fromfollowingthoughtsthatit
creates.Thisisthekeystoneofmost
meditativepractice,andIfoundthat
whileinitiallydifficult,withevenasmall
amountofpracticeitwasquickly
achievable.Itsdifficultyisduetothe
factthatthemindinherentlyavoids
stillness,andatfirst,tothinkof
nothingseemsimpossiblesurely
eventheactofnotthinkinginvolves

somethinking?Fortunatelythereisnoparadoxandnotthinking,Icanassureyou,is
completelypossibleforanyperson,itonlytakespractice.ThecriticaldistinctionIfinallymade
wasinrecognizingthedifferencebetweenperceivingthoughts,whichisapassiveprocess,
versuscreatingthem.Theyaretypicallyverycloselybound,suchthateveryperceivedthought
createsnewthoughts,andsoonindefinitely,totheextentthatevenaswesleep,ourbrainis
repeatingthisprocessindreams.Theonlytimeitdoesntiswhenweareindeepsleep,butour
perceptionisturnedoffthenaswell,whichdrawsonetotheremarkableconclusionthatoutside
ofmeditation,wemightonlyexperienceathoughtlessstateofmindformomentsinalifetime,
howeverinmeditationweexperienceitforaslongaswelike.
AUniqueStateofMind
Theabovestruckmebecauseitmeansthatthestateyoureachinmeditationreallyisa
genuinelyuniquestateofmind,andonceIgottothedeeperstates,Irealizedhowtruethiswas.
Atthosestatesyoucanclearlysensethatyouareinadifferentmentalworld,andyoucan
persistthereforaslongasyoulike,atleastuntilyourlegsgettiredor,say,yourdownstairs
neighborsstartvocallyexpressingtheiraffectionsforoneanother.Forexample.
Whatyoullnoticeasyoupersististhatyourmindwillcometorestverynaturallyif,foraslong
as30minutes,youdontfollowthethoughtsorfeelingsthatwillconstantlybearising.Those30
minuteswillseemlike300,anditwilltypicallystartwithalotof"oops,IjustrealizedIwas
daydreamingagain"and"crap,Ijustreviewedaneventfromworkinmyhead",untilyou
remembertocomebacktoyourbreathingthisisthe"hack"thatwilldistractyourmindfrom
itselflongenoughforittosettle,andonceitssettled,itsmuch,mucheasierforittostaysettled,
butuntilyougetthere,itcanbepainfullyhard.Itsalsonotasgradualaprocessasonemight
imagineitsastairstepgraphwherefor25minutesorlongeryousimplywillnotnoticeany
change,andthen,atacertainpoint,younoticethatyourenotwhereyouwerebefore.
TheimagethatcametomindwhenIfirstgotthehangofit
wasthatofthebrainasthoughitwerealargejugofwater.
Yourthoughtsandfeelingsbehavelikewavesthattravel
throughit,sowhenyouthinkaboutsomethingor
submergeyourselfinafeeling,youareagitatingthejug,
whichcreateswaves,andsoon.Thisprocessisvery,
verysubtlebecauseyourbrainissensitiveeventothe
quietestofthoughts,andonceyoucreateone,thewaves
willbouncearoundyourbrainforseveralminutesuntil
theysettle.But,assoonasyoustopcreatingnew
waves,justasthejugofwaterwouldverynaturallysettle
andbecomecalm,sotoodoesyourmind,exceptthatwhilethejugwouldtakeonlyafew
secondstosettle,yourbraintendstotake3045minutes.Itsasensitiveinstrument,afterall.
Amusinglyenough,duringthisinitial"waitingperiod",Ialwaysthoughttomyselfevenatthe
100thdayItisntworkingthistime,whyIamIsittinghere?Icouldbedoingsomethingelse

rightnow!andsoon,andsoforth.Butnevertheless,afterthe3045minutemark,Iwouldslip
intowhatIbegancallingTheDeep.
TheDeep
TheDeepisapointat
whichyourealizethatnot
onlyhasyourmindsettled,
butyouveenteredinto
anothermentalstate
entirely.Fromaphysical
perspective,itcouldbethe
pointatwhichyour
brainwavesactuallyshiftto
alowerfrequencystateat
least,thatswhatitfeels
like.Itshallmarkis
stillnesstothepoint
whereyoufeelasthough
youaresuspended
underwater.Ididn'talways
getthere,andittookseveralweeksbeforeIwasevenabletoapproachit,butbeforelong,
gettingtherebecamethegoalofeverysit.Itmadetheexperiencerewardingandfascinating,
becauseIsensedaprogressionthatIcouldgofurther.
Breathingandheartratewerekey.Ihadtoslowmybreathingnevertothethepointof
discomfort,mindyouandindoingso,verygradually,myheartratewouldslowdown.IfIatea
heavymealorwastired,Inevergotthere,buteverytimeIdid,itfeltgoodonadeeplevel.
EverytimeIcameoutofTheDeep,Iexperienced,forlackofabetterword,ablissful,tranquil
euphoriathatlastedseveralhoursandwastheprincipalbenefitofpractice.KnowingthatIcan
beinthatstateifIwanttohelpsmedealwiththestressesofeverydaylife.

7.Repeat.Adheringtotheregimenandnotbreakingthechainwaschallenging,but
rewarding.KnowingthatIabsolutelyneededtobehomebetween67pmeverydayorIwouldnt
getmysitinputaframeworkaroundmydaysactivitiesandmotivatedmetogetworkdone.It
alsochangedmysociallife,forbetterorforworseforexample,onethingIcouldnolongerdo
wasgooutforhappyhourdrinksfollowingworkorrather,thefewtimesItriedtogotoabar
andnotdrinkmademefeellikeitwasntworththeeffort.ItwasinterestingtofindthatIreally
didntcareforsocializingunlessIwasdrinking,andthatdrunkpeoplecanbereallyobnoxiousto
bearoundwhenyourestonesober.Furthermore,knowingthatmeditationwouldrequirea
certainamountofenergy,Ifoundmyselfmoderatingmyworklevelduringtheday,suchthatI
didntendupcompletelywornout.

Results&Observations
TheGood
Meditationcompletely
eliminatedall(eventrace)
feelingsofstressandanxiety
after3040minutes.Thiswas
oneofthemostsignificant
observationsofthechallenge
period,anditmadeanincredible
measureofdifferenceonethatI
didn'tanticipatewouldbeas
effectiveasitwas.Knowingthat
Ihavetheabilitytoreliably
removeallstressfrommymind
hasmademegladIinvestedthe
timeintolearningtheskill.

Meditationtriggeredspontaneousfeelingsofhappiness,bliss
(no,seriouslybliss),andtranquilityforaperiodof23hours
followingasitinTheDeep.EverytimeIenteredTheDeep,after
sittingIwouldgetupandwalkaroundinwhatIendedupcallingthe
forcefield.Evenwhenwalkingoutontothebusycitystreets,itfelt
vivdlylikeIhadabubbleofprotectionaroundmethatnothingcould
touchme.Icantemphasizehowprofoundthisfeelingwasitwas
notjustregularhappinessorcontentment,itputmeintouchwithadeeperstrataofemotional
experience,thekindofwhichisonlytypicallyencounteredperhapsinfleetinginstantswhile
watchingapicturesquesunset,ortheviewfromanairplane.Thisstatepersistedforhoursata
time.
HappinessanEmergentPropertyoftheStillMind?
Iwassurprisedthatinadditiontothecalmingaspectofthesits,whatemergedspontaneously
washappiness.Thisresultwasinterestingbecauseitraisedthequestionofhowbeingcalm

andbeinghappyarerelatedie,whetherthiskindofhappinesscansimplyemergefrombeing
calmforalongenoughperiodoftime.Inanycase,itwasawonderfulexperienceand,although
ittookmeseveralweekstofirstgetthere,madeeverysitajoy.

TheUnexpected
Meditationdidnothelpmecontrolmystress
muchoutsideofthetimeofsitting.Asidefrom
affordingmeafewhoursinsidetheprofoundlyserene
forcefieldofthestilledmind,afterIgotupthenext
morningandarrivedattheoffice,thestressesand
tumultwerestillthere,andIwasstilljustasaffected
bythemsomeonewouldsaysomethingaggravating,
orahoboonthebuswouldbeyellingandscreaming
andmymentalandemotionalreactionswerejustas
upsettingasthey'vealwaysbeenlivinginthecity.
SerenityNow?
ItremindedmeabitoftheofthisSeinfeldclip.IfIwerelivingorworkinginamorepeaceful
environment,orevenifIdbeenmeditatinginthemorning,perhapsIwouldhavebeenableto
keepthegoodfeelingsgoing,butasitwas,theblissonlylastedsolong.Evenstill,knowingthat
IhadeventheabilitytogettoTheDeepmademefeellikeIatleasthadsomedefenseagainst
thestressesofeverydaylifethecitywaslessoppressivebecausenowIknewcouldescape.
Meditationmadetheexternalworldseemabitlessimportant.Thiswasasubtleeffect,but
alsoworthmentioning,andcouldbeeitherbegoodorbad,dependingonyourresponsibilities
andgoalsinlife.Theprocessofstillingyourmindhastheeffectofreturningyoutoasortof
zeropoint,whichcanactuallybebadif,forexample,therearepressingdecisionsthatyou
needtomake,orifthereissomethingthatyougenuinelyshouldbeworried,upset,orfrantic
about.PuttingmymindintoneutralinthiswaymeantthatIoccasionallyhadtoremindmyself
thattherereallywasaworldoutsideofmymeditativeforcefieldthatmightdemandmy
attention.OccasionallyIwouldfindmyselflettinglittlethingssliphere&there,ornotworkingas
activelywiththeteamasIfeltIcouldhave.
Itwasnotamajoreffect,butitwasnoticeable.Ishouldnotethatyoucanprobablytweakthe
meditativepracticesuchthatyoufocusyourthoughtsonaparticularthingratherthanstilling
themtothezeropoint.Thiswouldlikelyhavetheoppositeeffect,givingyoumorementalcycles
todevotetoyourworkorcreativepursuits,howevertomethatwouldntqualifyasmeditationso
muchasitwouldbeconcentration.

TheReallyUnexpected
Myforeheadcaughtonfire.Noreally.
Thiswasthesinglemostremarkableeventofthe
entirechallenge,andIhavenoexplanationforit,but
whattookplacewasthatafterabout30days,the
centerofmyforeheadfeltlikeitwasemittingor
radiatingwhatIcanonlydescribeakindofheatless,
lightlessflame.IcallitaflamebecauseitproducedI
sh*tyounotthedistinct,tactilesensationof
flickeringlikeacandleoverthesurfaceofmy
forehead,tothepointwherewhenitfirstbegan,I
actuallygotupandlookedforawindowIthoughtI
musthaveleftopen.
Ithoughtitwasaflukeuntilitneverwentaway(!),soafterdays,weeks,andthenmonthsof
increasingintensityandrangeofmotion,IhadtoconcedethatitA)wasnotaheadacheor
sideeffectof,forexample,withdrawingfromcaffeine,andB)wasrelatedtothepracticeof
meditation,asthemoreImeditated,overweeks,thestrongeritgot.Beyondthat,Ican't
speculate.Ithadzerootherapparenteffects,positiveornegative,butpersistedasakindof
weirdmeditationexhaustpipe.Afteraroundday60,Ifeltitconstantly,everysecondofthe
day,exactlyinthemiddleofmyforehead,pulsinginandoutinanunobjectionablebututterly
mystifyingway.
Itactuallypersiststothisday,however,asIeasedoffonmeditatingafterthechallengeperiod
wasover,itisnownotasstrongandgoesinandoutofbeingofitsownvolition.Itseasyto
ignoreanddoesnotimpairmyfocusoraffectmeinanywayitjustsortofis.Still,itis
remarkabletomethatithaspersistedforwhatisnow9monthsafterIstoppedmeditatingona
dailybasis.TheSGFbooktalksaboutitinmetaphoricalterms,andthefactthatBuddhistand
Hinduiconography,bothofwhichhavecenturiesoldhistoriesofmeditativepractice,showadot
orflameinthesameregionmakesmethinkitisperhapsacommon,benignartifactofpractice.
Idcertainlyliketoinvestigateitfurthertoseeifanykindofmeasurementscouldbetakenofit,
whethertopicalorviaEEG.(Doesanyonewithequipmentwanttomeasuremyforehead?Im
serious!Letmeknow!)Ofcourse,itwouldntsurprisemeifitwassimplypsychosomatic.
Celibacywaspracticallyimpossible.Iprobablyshouldnthavebeenshockedbythisfinding,
consideringthatlibidoisanevolutionaryimperativeandall,butitwashumblingtofindthatit
wasntpossibleformetogiveupcompletely.Instead,myrepeatedattemptstoremaincelibate
forlongerthantwoweekswasactuallyaratherfrighteningexperiencewhichcertainlygaveme

someinsightinto,forexample,thedifficultiestheCatholicChurchhashadwiththeimproper
conductofsomeofitspriestsitsimplydidnotseemhealthytoresistthisprocess100%,and
puttingguiltontopofitcantbegoodforonesmentalhealth,either.OntheoccasionswhenI
didbreakcelibacy,itwasbecausetheresistancewasactuallycausingmyentiremoodand
personalitytomorphmeintoanilltemperedbeastofaman,distracted,irritable,andunableto
focus,whichcausedittobeimpossibletoevenenterintoameditativestate.Becauseofthis,I
cantrecommendcompletecelibacyunlessyoufindthatithasnonoticeablesideeffects.
InsteadIfoundthataweeklyscheduleseemedbalanced.(Yes,TMI,butitsforscience.)