Starting Spiritual Practice
How can a hundred-day exercise help sustain spiritual practice?
English translation draft · Based on the Chinese article. This is not a word-for-word translation approved by Master Shengyuan.
First plan which practice you want to maintain, then try doing it for a hundred consecutive days to help gradually form a habit. Scripture recitation, meditation, and practice exercises were examples I gave. What matters is genuinely doing it every day and establishing a firm foundation, rather than merely setting a hundred-day goal.
A fixed time can make continuity easier. Miao Nian shared that work was demanding and she often returned home tired, so she practiced after waking in the morning while more refreshed. Completing it made her feel reassured and grounded. This arrangement fitted her work circumstances. You can likewise consider when your own practice is most sustainable.
However, personal willingness to change remains important. If you do not want to do it at all, a hundred-day plan made by someone else may end after one or two days. I proposed this exercise to strengthen the habit gradually through daily action. Continued practice may help cultivation, but reaching a particular day does not automatically produce every result.