Approaching Meditation as a Project

How a one-time effort can produce lasting gains

Exercise is a cruel mistress. If you give her time and attention, she rewards you with fitness, self-esteem and the ability to look better naked. But if you spurn her, even briefly, she wreaks terrible revenge. Hell hath no fury like a missed run (or five).

A medically-enforced three week hiatus caused yesterday’s run to feel like an Everest climb. As I struggled through a measly 3k, it occurred to me that every skill has a half-life. Fitness has a very short one, measured in weeks and months, although the basic skill of putting one foot in front of the other is a life-long talent. Peeling an orange is another skill that doesn’t fade, whereas a second language needs regular practice or it weakens.

Playing the piano falls somewhere in the middle. I took lessons for years as a child and built a base level of skill that never seems to fade. Yes, my repertoire shrank over the years and I can play only about four tunes these days, but the fingers still remember what to do. And a bit of practice sharpens them up in no time.

Meditation is exactly the same, despite what the monthly subscription apps would have you think. It’s possible to build a foundation of mental strength that lasts for years, with only occasional top-ups to keep…