What is Ghatika?

In ancient India, a ghatika was a standardized length of time (similar to our modern minutes and hours), and was often measured using a “ghatika yantra,” or a water clock. A single ghatika is 24 minutes in length, or one-sixtieth of a 24-hour day. CCR co-founder Dr. B. Alan Wallace has long emphasized one ghatika as an ideal length of time for a meditation session, a recommendation which has historical precedent:

“A session of twenty-four minutes is a good starting interval; for most people, it is neither too short nor too long … and this is the session duration that the eighth-century Indian Buddhist contemplative Kamalashila recommended for beginning meditators.”               

– B. Alan Wallace, Minding Closely: The Four Applications of Mindfulness

In this video, Dr. Wallace explains the ghatika in-depth and offers suggestions on choosing the duration of a meditation session.

Join us for our Ghatika Monthly Meditation Sessions: The CCR hosts a “Ghatika Monthly” session on the second Saturday of every month. These sessions include a talk, 24-minute guided meditation, and Q&A portion. Join online or in-person for this opportunity to connect with the CCR’s certified teachers, as well as the global CCR community.

Sign up here to receive Ghatika Monthly announcements and session recordings.