Laying down while meditating?

[InvalidInk]

I got into meditation from yoga and at the end of the yoga session they suggested to meditate in the "corpse position" which is laying down on your back. I have done it that way and enjoy it, but I have read many time not to meditate laying down. So, I have tried meditating in the lotus position many times but I don't like it nearly as much. I find it harder and longer to get my mind to settle down and concentrate, its more uncomfortable and distracting.

So if laying down while meditating is "bad" then why do I enjoy it so much more? I have heard because you might fall asleep, which I have done before but only when I was absolutely exhausted and probably would have sitting up right, ha. So what is the reasoning/benefits to sitting up right as opposed to laying down?

[Arius]

Originally Posted by InvalidInk

I got into meditation from yoga and at the end of the yoga session they suggested to meditate in the "corpse position" which is laying down on your back. I have done it that way and enjoy it, but I have read many time not to meditate laying down. So, I have tried meditating in the lotus position many times but I don't like it nearly as much. I find it harder and longer to get my mind to settle down and concentrate, its more uncomfortable and distracting.

So if laying down while meditating is "bad" then why do I enjoy it so much more? I have heard because you might fall asleep, which I have done before but only when I was absolutely exhausted and probably would have sitting up right, ha. So what is the reasoning/benefits to sitting up right as opposed to laying down?

I can think of falling asleep as the only real reason...I have meditated in the corpse position and fallen asleep although not tired...so I can see the point.

I too, love meditating in this position.

[manx]

hi InvalidInk
i have been meditating for many years much of the time lying down, sometimes i fall asleep sometimes i dont , if i fall asleep i must obviously need it so in my opinion if you find it more comfortable more pleasurable and more effective to lay down and meditate just stick with it ,it dont matter what the books say just go with it.
gary

[InvalidInk]

Ok, cool. If it feels right then it is right, right? ha

[Arius]

Originally Posted by manx

hi InvalidInk
i have been meditating for many years much of the time lying down, sometimes i fall asleep sometimes i dont , if i fall asleep i must obviously need it so in my opinion if you find it more comfortable more pleasurable and more effective to lay down and meditate just stick with it ,it dont matter what the books say just go with it.
gary

Gary, it is funny you say this because the truth is that I meditate every night before I fall asleep. I lay in bed and slow my mind and "wha la", it's morning.

[Edwin]

I like sitting in Lotus ( ok, half lotus, I am no athlete ) usually.

However, I try to meditate before sleep whenever I find that I have been too busy to take the time for meditation.
Because I originally started meditation because of my insomnia ( have been sleeping well since november last year, not counting my kids waking me up ) I have to meditate every day.

Because of that I once woke up in the middle of the night because my mp3 player's earplugs were irritating me

I sleep so much better since I started meditating !

[lebourdonant]

Hello all,

I think we should try to meditate wherever we are in which ever position we take.
let's come back to here and now, aware of your breathing, expand your consciousness.

Different positions have different use so there is nothing wrong with picking one; like laying down. but to achieve another kind of objective you may as well try another position.

actually a good alternative to lotus but with the straight back option is to seat on a chair. (the hedge of a chair is good).
the flat contact of your feet with the ground can be very healing (get the earth energy easier) and make the position very healthy for westerners with tight thighs. you can put a cousin on your knees if you don't know what to do with your hands.

[susi_gal]

i haven't heard one say lying down is bad, as long as your spine is straight it should be good, shouldn't it?

[twinkletoes]

I feel that whatever position you find comfortable is great for meditation. If you're comfortable you are already part way there. If hanging upside down works for yo then so it is. we are all different and if we adopt a set position for meditation we are all not going to feel eased, there are no hard or fast rules!

[amoghvc]

Well, one thing is correct, the spine should be erect. Also, the second point is that awareness / awake state should be maintained during the session.

So if I have understood what I have read over the years correctly, unless there is a chronic physical condition that limits the person from sitting in a straight position, the straight sitting position is recommended.

An erect posture is congenial and helpful in maintaining an alert mind I have observed this many a times myself. Also if I remember right, it helps breathe correctly as well. Breathing right, I have found, is the easiest way to control the mind.

Sitting up straight is a recommended way to do it which will get good results, albeit requiring a lot of discipline and training; then there is the way in which one can do it in right now for whatever reasons.

Just as in any scientific study, there are multiple ways of doing things, but there is always the recommended way which yields very good results and then there is the way in which it actually gets done due to what ever limitations.

One must practice in whatever way one can for now and aim to do it right, keeping in mind always that there is the recommended way to do it.

Hope this helps.

Amogh