Why You Meditate Matters More Than How Often You Do It

If your meditation practice started strong but slowly fizzled out, you're not alone—and the solution might be simpler than you think.

Sebene Selassie, executive director of the New York Insight Meditation Center, says the secret to sustaining meditation isn't willpower or discipline. It's reconnecting with why you started in the first place.

"The key in meditation is to take time to get in touch with what you want, what you value most," Selassie explains. When you understand your deeper motivation, that clarity naturally feeds your commitment and helps meditation become a real habit.

Her approach starts with feeling your body from feet to face, releasing tension as you settle into the present moment. From this grounded place, you simply ask yourself: What is my hope, vision, or intention for this practice?

The answer doesn't need to be crystal clear. Selassie encourages meditators to listen deeply beyond their thinking mind, tuning into what feels most true in the body rather than analyzing cognitively.

Your intention might be something specific like reducing anxiety or building compassion. Or it might be as simple as staying curious and open to whatever arises. Both are equally valid.

Once you've connected with your intention, Selassie suggests anchoring it in your mind and body, then letting it go. The intention guides you like a compass pointing north—it's a direction to follow, not a goal to fixate on.

Why This Inspires

This practice offers relief to anyone who's felt guilty about an abandoned meditation cushion. It reframes meditation as something you choose because it aligns with your values, not something you should do because someone said it's good for you.

By returning to your "why," meditation stops being another item on your to-do list. It becomes a practice that genuinely serves what matters most to you.

Rediscovering your purpose might be exactly what your practice needs.