Why do some people meditate for such a long time?

Another frequent question is: 
„Hi Thomas- I often notice that people use this app ...  (ref: Insighttimer.com , the author) ... to meditate for hours at a time... would you perhaps be able to explain to me why they do this?”

Trying an answer: 
:) "Some people may think: „A lot helps a lot!“ 
Others just fall asleep while meditating. 
When they wake up, the timer asks them if they want the overtime to be counted, and they do. 
There are maybe some people who don’t have anything else to do, others may replace one addiction with another. 
In some special life situations I myself keep meditating for longer sequences than normal
(for healing, for solving a problem, supporting others, to relax and recover, ... or just listen to god) 
Some people might try out how long they can bare it to live without food, drinking or metabolism at all (save money , they don’t have or don’t want to spend? While others are spending all their money on luxury retreats in luxury spas or hotels, meditating for hours not even taking breaks for having delicious meals.) Some may just be trying to prove being an advanced yogi? 
Others may want to wait for the experience of enlightenment. I’ve met some who meditate to prepare for their transition to their next incarnation. 
So You might guess, there are as many reasons as there are persons meditating. Most of the time, when persons are meditating with a certain goal this is not working nor is it leading into meditation. 
This is why I keep saying to my students: 
„Don‘t be a person!“ and „Meditate to just meditate and nothing else but meditate.“ 
There is a trick to help You keeping Meditation - and Your self-definitions (this summary of Your roles as a person, Your goals and wishes) apart from each other: 
David Simon once taught me: 

Before You even start Your meditation, ask Yourself the 3 (or 4 soul-questions): 
Who am I ? 
What do I really want? 
What is my Dharma? 
(What am I grateful for?) 
In this order these questions are leading You to a good starting position. 
Alow Yourself about 1 minute with each question. Then breathe in - and out - and let go of all the questions and answers. After this preparation just follow Your Primordial Sound Mantra, always returning to it, once You realize to be loosing track. It’s as easy as that. 
When starting to repeat Your Mantra set Your inner clock to a certain time. Maybe use the Insighttimer to lead You back out of Your meditation. Once the time is done, stay some more minutes just sitting“ 
Being all one, in the end it’s not at all important how long the members of the Insighttimer community are meditating, as long as they are making it a daily habit, what would You think? 

Namasté 
Thomas“

PS: I am recommending the Insighttimer App for Smartphone-Users. Join in for free. 
Visit me there, join in to one of my groups, find answers to all Your questions on meditation and build up a daily habit of contemplation choosing the way You like. 
There You can meet Millions of meditators of all around the world, meditate together with thousands of Your meditating friends at any time, meet and ask over 3000 of the worlds best and approved meditation teachers, let Yourself accompany and support at Your daily practice, choosing from over 8,345 free guided meditations, music tracks, talks and courses. Have fun meditating. 
Meet You in the Gap ;)

"Because fear, as I have observed, is a dreadful thing."

This morning, the day after Halloween 2012, perhaps the scariest - and for millions of us - the #Sandiest Halloween of mankind so far, I came across an interview that was done already in the 70s of the last century. 
The subject was: Ffff....E... hehehe...A...aa...R...rrrr!

Halloween 2012, scariest so far ...

At first I thought: Wow, that's a long interview, an hour (!), who knows if I can take that, but - hey presto - the time was over. Perhaps one of the shortest hours I've ever experienced. 

The subject however is - in my opinion - as relevant as ever. 
Maybe it has evolved considerably already for the one or the other of us. Got any fear? Looking forward to Your answers, first of all, let's plunge into it ...

20th February 1974 6th Conversation with Dr. Allan W. Anderson 

'Fear'

Dr. Allan W. Anderson: Mr Krishnamurti, if I recall correctly I think, we had begun to talk together last time, just at the point where the question of fear arose, and I think we both, perhaps, could explore that together a little.

Jiddu Krishnamurti: Yes, I think so. I wonder how we can approach this problem, because it is a common problem in the world. Everyone, or I can say, almost everyone is frightened of something. It may be the fear of death, fear of loneliness, fear of not being loved, fear of not becoming famous, successful and also fear of not having physical security, and fear of not having psychological security. There are so many multiple forms of fears. Now to go into this problem really very deeply, can the mind, which includes the brain, really fundamentally be free of fear? Because fear, as I have observed, is a dreadful thing.

So what is Your fear?  And if You got any, would You like to share some of it, just to let go of it? 
(Maybe start just with the ones in Your consciousness ...)
Something that works for me: Fear is very similar to suffering. Once You share it, You got only half of it left. Does that work for You as well? Or would a list of fears multiply? 
This might be a good chance to let some of it go and maybe reflect on it from a distance? 
#Fear is as well tagged on Twitter.  What do You feel and what are Your impressions if You follow the track? Is it relief or a drag?
I am interested in how You see the "dreadful thing" and am looking forward to your comments down below :)