Can you meditate lying down or is sitting better?

[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0=”h2″ question-0=”Can you meditate lying down?” answer-0=”Yes if it suits you but we would advise most people to meditate sitting.” image-0=”” headline-1=”h2″ question-1=”Why would you advise against meditation lying down?” answer-1=”it lessens the chances of you falling asleep unlike meditation lying down, and sitting with the back and the neck straight with the crown of the head pointing up, helps the breathe to move freely around the body and keeps the mind alert.” image-1=”” headline-2=”h2″ question-2=”Can I meditate standing up?” answer-2=”Actually you can! One can meditate even when moving, walking, dancing, eating, or washing the dishes – as it is a state of mind when one is paying attention, on purpose, with openness and compassion, fully absorbed in the activity. ” image-2=”” headline-3=”h2″ question-3=”Due to discomfort when sitting is it ok to meditate lying down?” answer-3=”Sitting is preferable to lying but if you find yourself in too much pain or discomfort to sit try lying down or the corpse position with feet up over the sofa” image-3=”” headline-4=”h2″ question-4=”” answer-4=”” image-4=”” count=”4″ html=”true” css_class=””]

Can you meditate lying down or is sitting better?

UPDATE: check out our guide to the UK’s best mediation classes online for you to see meditative sessions to suit all tastes or just book one of our new online classes right now on inhere!

With meditation all the rage right now due to the growing awareness of the positive impact on people’s lives, there are quite a few questions we are often asked, especially now that due to our guests’ requests we’ve started offering a lying option for our evening meditations.

Even though one can meditate in either position, we would advise most people to meditate sitting.

There are two main reasons for this:

1. it lessens the chances of you falling asleep unlike meditation lying down, and
2. sitting with the back and the neck straight with the crown of the head pointing up, helps the breathe to move freely around the body and keeps the mind alert during meditation.

Can you meditate lying down?

These reasons are linked to the crucial point that meditation is different from relaxation. Relaxation is an important by-product of meditation, however in itself meditation is a practice for exploring and relating to the mind. This exploration is easiest and most effective when one is relaxed and alert.

This is why most meditation classes offer only sitting options and dis-encourages those who want meditation lying down.

It’s because of this question we get regarding how to meditate lying down that we’ve launched a lying option for our evening meditation sessions is because we realise how important it is for busy Londoners to relax as well as to meditate. Our evening meditation sessions are designed to bring deep relaxation at the end of the day, so they are the most relevant sessions to accompany a lying down option.

Experienced meditators who are used to meditating lying down with an effortless alertness, without falling asleep, may be fine to lie down for meditation.

Additionally, one can meditate even when moving, walking, dancing, eating, or washing the dishes – as it is a state of mind when one is paying attention, on purpose, with openness and compassion, fully absorbed in the activity. We intend to bring movement meditation classes to London in the near future.

Of course, this is just our opinion so we thought we’d also include this video from @alex_shailer who has a similar opinion

How to Meditate Lying down

1. Pay attention

2. Relax

3. Bend knees to 90 degrees so that feet are flat on the floor

4. Consider the corpse position if you feel discomfort

5. Don’t fall asleep!

So we hope that’s answered your can you meditate lying down or is sitting down better question!