“You meditate for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour”

“You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour—Old Zen Saying” has been printed on many posters. However, it’s not clear that this actually is an old Zen saying. “Sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re too busy, then you should sit for an hour.~old Zen adage” was cited on Twitter on March 6, 2010.
 
   
Google Books
A Life Worth Breathing:
A Yoga Master’s Handbook of Strength, Grace, and Healing
By Max Strom
New York, NY: Skyhorse Publishing
2010
Pg. 48:
You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes a day— unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour. —Old Zen adage
   
Twitter
IntegralYogaMagazine
‏@IntegralYogaMag
Sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re too busy, then you should sit for an hour.~old Zen adage
6:48 PM - 6 Mar 2010
 
Twitter
Andrew Stone
‏@twittelator
Meditate 20 minutes a day - unless you are too busy. In that case, meditate an hour!
8:32 AM - 19 Mar 2010
 
MindBodyGreen
The Busy Person’s Guide To Meditation
BY ANNA PATRICK
FEBRUARY 14, 2013 12:21 PM EST
There is an old Zen saying: You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re too busy. Then you should sit for an hour. While that may seem well and good for practicing monks and yogis, finding time to meditate on a daily basis may seem unreachable for those of us in the western world, with our endless to-do lists and emails. For many of us, thinking about the next moment is our prerogative in the present moment.
 
Twitter
Ian Deveney
‏@DeKroonCat
You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re busy; then you should sit for an hour.
9:09 AM - 26 Feb 2013
 
Facebook
The Idealist
September 8, 2013 ·
“You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour.” ~Old Zen adage