When you think of meditation, you probably envision sitting down cross-legged with your hands on your lap while humming a mantra.
The most common (and maybe most often recommended) way to meditate is while sitting. However, that’s not the only way to meditate.
You can meditate in a lot of different ways, but the three main ways to do it are:
- While sitting (sitting meditation)
- While laying (laying meditation)
- While walking (walking meditation)
These are the three main postures of meditation. With time, you may notice that each posture comes with different benefits and you can choose the one that best fits your reasons for meditating at that given time.
Sitting Meditation
Sitting is the most common posture for meditating. Sitting cross-legged on the floor is the most common sitting meditation posture, but it’s not the only one.
You can also meditate while seated in a chair, provided you adhere to the seven-point posture guidelines for sitting meditation.
Whether in a chair or on the ground, there are seven points that you must check to ensure you have the best posture.
Sitting position
Find the most comfortable seated position. On the floor, it might be sitting with your legs crossed, propped up on a cushion so that your hips are higher than your knees. I have a great cushion that I love and I enjoy sitting on the floor with my cushion
If seated in a chair, sit towards the edge with your hands resting on your lap, your back straight, and your feet planted firmly on the floor. I actually do more sitting meditations in a chair these days as I do many guided meditation for students on zoom or attend sangha zoom meditation meetings since the pandemic started.
I’m happy though to be getting back to in person sits and getting back to more floor sits.
Spine/back
Sit in a position that allows your spine to hold you up. You shouldn’t be slouched, but try not to overextend your spine either. I sometimes share having a dignified posture.
Shoulders
Keep your shoulders relaxed to the point of being loose, but resist the urge to hunch over or slouch. You can do this by reminding yourself that you’re sitting upright.
Hands
Jaw
Relaxing your jaw before meditating—usually by gently moving it from side to side or opening and closing your mouth, disperses the tension that builds up there when you’re stressed.
Chin
Keep your head straight and/or tuck your chin slightly downwards to allow your neck to feel relaxed. Again this is sometimes where the dignified posture comes in.
Gaze
You can meditate with closed eyes or pick a spot about five feet in front of you to focus on. Don’t laser-focus on anything in particular. Just allow your eyes to focus on the chosen point.
Sitting is often thought the best way to start meditating as it allows you to relax and focus more easily on the task at hand.
Laying Meditation
While some people don’t see anything wrong with meditating while lying down, it is a posture that requires a lot of honesty.
If you know you’ll doze off while meditating on your back; this posture is not for you.
That said, lying meditation is very useful for relaxing your body. If you are like me, you may meditate as soon as you wake up and before you get out of bed. Many people do laying meditations just before bed for a “sleep meditation” to fall asleep on a positive tone. Some do it after a long day, but you can also use it as your daily meditation posture. Some use this meditation style for what is called Deep Relaxation or a Body Scan. The Body Scan is great for controlling awareness and moving it through your body.
To meditate by lying down, you must:
- Find a comfortable position to lie on your back.
- Prop your head up with a pillow or your knees with a cushion to relieve pressure on your spine.
- Stretch your legs in front of you.
- Keep your spine elongated.
- Rest your hands on your sides, stomach, or chest—whatever feels most comfortable.
Meditating horizontally is a great way to perform active muscle-relaxing meditation, such as the body scans I mentioned earlier.
Walking Meditation
Walking meditation offers physical and mental benefits since it involves movement as well.
This practice is great when you’re too sleepy to meditate while sitting or laying down. It also represents an important step towards mastering mindfulness meditation in other areas of your life, particularly when you desire to be close to Mother Nature.
Walking meditation might be ideal for people with injuries and chronic pain that make it difficult to sit down for long periods.
I’ve been doing walking meditations randomly for a few years. This year I started doing it on a more regular basis a few times a week. I think it is a good addition to my regular daily meditations for a different way to experience meditation and being present in the world. I especially love feeling the sun and breeze as well as seeing nature as I walk.
I got introduced to walking meditation through Thich Nhat Hanh pictured above and in the video below. He recommends this version of meditation for dealing with strong emotions like anger.
If you ever wanted to build a daily meditation practice check out this 30-day challenge!
This challenge is only up a few times a year with groups which offers the best experience, but in off times you can sign up for individual access. In the challenge I cover 4 different types of meditation including the 3 listed above.
Want to try adding mindfulness and meditation to your self-care routine? Click below to get details about the 30-Day Daily-Meditation Habit Builder Challenge.