Bhante Nyanaramsi: The Integrity of Long-Term Practice

Bhante Nyanaramsi’s example becomes clear to me on nights when I am tempted by spiritual shortcuts but realize that only long-term commitment carries any real integrity. I’m thinking about Bhante Nyanaramsi tonight because I’m tired of pretending I want quick results. Truthfully, I don't—or perhaps I only do in moments of weakness that feel hollow, like a fleeting sugar rush that ends in a crash. What truly endures, the force that draws me back to meditation despite my desire to simply rest, is that understated sense of duty to the practice that requires no external validation. That’s where he shows up in my mind.

The Reality of the 2 A.M. Sit
It is nearly 2:10 a.m., and the atmosphere is damp. My clothing is damp against my back, a minor but persistent irritation. I move just a bit, only to instantly criticize myself for the movement, then realize I am judging. It’s the same repetitive cycle. The mind’s not dramatic tonight, just stubborn. Like it’s saying, "yeah yeah, we’ve done this before, what else you got?" And honestly, that’s when short-term motivation completely fails. No pep talk works here.

The Phase Beyond Excitement
Bhante Nyanaramsi feels aligned with this phase of practice where you stop needing excitement. Or, at the very least, you cease to rely on it. I have encountered fragments of his teaching, specifically his focus on regularity, self-control, and allowing wisdom to mature naturally. His path lacks any "glamour"; it feels vast, spanning many years of quiet effort. The kind of thing you don’t brag about because there’s nothing to brag about. You just keep going.
Earlier today, I caught myself scrolling through stuff about meditation, half-looking for inspiration, half-looking for validation that I’m doing it right. Ten minutes in, I felt emptier than when I started. That’s been happening more lately. The more serious the practice gets, the less noise I can tolerate around it. Bhante Nyanaramsi seems to resonate with people who’ve crossed that line, who aren’t experimenting anymore, who know this isn’t a phase.

Watching the Waves of Discomfort
My knees are warm now. The ache comes and goes like waves. The breath is steady but shallow. I refrain from manipulating the breath; at this point, any exertion feels like a step backward. Serious practice isn’t about intensity all the time. It’s about showing up without negotiating every detail. That’s hard. Way harder than doing something extreme for a short burst.
There’s also this honesty in long-term practice that’s uncomfortable. You witness the persistence of old habits and impurities; they don't go away, they are just seen more clearly. Bhante Nyanaramsi does not appear to be a teacher who guarantees enlightenment according to a fixed timeline. Instead, he seems to know that the work is repetitive, often tedious, and frequently frustrating—yet fundamentally worth the effort.

Balanced, Unromantic, and Stable
I realize my jaw’s clenched again. I let it loosen. The mind immediately jumps in with commentary. Naturally. I choose neither to follow the thought nor to fight for its silence. I am finding a middle way that only reveals itself after years of trial and error. That middle ground feels very much in line with how I imagine Bhante Nyanaramsi teaches. Steady. Unadorned. Constant.
Authentic yogis don't look for "hype"; they look for something that holds weight. A structure that remains firm when inspiration fails and uncertainty arrives in the dark. That is the core of his appeal: not charisma, but the stability of the method. Just a framework that doesn’t collapse under boredom or fatigue.

I’m still here. Still sitting. Still distracted. Still committed. Time passes slowly; my body settles into the posture more info while my mind continues its internal chatter. Bhante Nyanaramsi isn’t a figure I cling to emotionally. He serves as a benchmark—a reminder that a long-term perspective is necessary, and to trust that the Dhamma reveals itself at its own speed, beyond my control. And for now, that’s enough to stay put, breathing, watching, not asking for anything extra.