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If you are new to yoga or you are a seasoned yogi here are some positions you might like to try when you are doing your meditation practice.
Keep in mind if you have any injuries or are tight in your legs or lower back. Always find a comfortable position that suits your needs. There is no right or wrong way to meditate but it is thought that being in a comfortable seated and upright position is the best way to be as you can fully centre yourself and bring the energies into your body.
Seated Meditation
Now you might think ‘I am not happy on the floor’ and you don’t have to be. Seated means either seated in a chair or on the floor. If you are in a chair, try not to lean back to much and rest on the back. You need to be in an upright position. Maybe put a cushion behind your lower back to push you upright more. Have your feet flat on the floor and hands resting wherever is comfortable. Usually placed on you lap.
If you are on the floor, sit either cross legged, if that’s comfortable or legs out in front. For people with open hips, half lotus or lotus is comfortable. If sitting on a hard floor, you might need a blanket under you to soften your ankles. You can also have the blanket under sitting bones to have the pelvis slightly higher than the knees, this in turn will allow your spine to be straight.
Allowing your eyes to close and breath. Feeling comfortable.
Laying Down Meditation
As a yoga teacher and most teachers will agree that seated meditation is the most beneficial but if it is more comfortable for you to lay down then you are more than welcome to. You might suffer from sciatica or lower back pain in which a seated position is hard for you.
There are different options for you here.
Come to a completely flat position and allow your feet to fall out to the sides having them about hip distance or mat distance apart. Have your arms down by your sides with palms facing up. Drop you chin towards your chest so you are lengthening through the spine. Allow your eyes to close and breath.
Another option is for you to have knees bent mat width apart and drop your knees in towards each other till they are resting together. Have hands down by your sides and drop chin towards the chest. Breathe here. This is a good one if you have lower back issues.
You could also rest your head on a pillow or bring the pillow to under your knees, elevating your legs slightly.
Whichever one you chose, just breathe, release, and relax.
Standing Or Walking Meditation
This isn’t one which is practiced much but could be a great add on to your practice if you are an office worker or if you are seated at a right angle for long periods of time. We need to move our bodies to find the right position which is good for us.
Come to a standing position with your feet hip distance apart and a slight bend in the knees. Reach from the crown of your head as if someone were pulling you up to the sky, tuck your pelvis under and keep the knees soft. Bring hands either to prayer position by your heart or bring them outstretched as if you are holding a giant beach ball. This will allow the energies to flow easier.
Another standing option is to come to Mountain Pose, do the same above but have hands resting down by your sides or in prayer. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Imagine all your negative thoughts and energy flowing through your body and into the earth.
Walking meditation can be done anywhere and you might say ‘I can’t walk with my eyes closed’ and no its not like that. You will be walking and taking in the things around you. Notice all the colours, notice the smells, notice the earth and air around you. Take a walk back to nature and just be present here. Let go of your thoughts. Notice how your body feels. Does it feel tight? Does it feel good or bad? Just allow your mind to connect with your body and bring yourself peace and awareness through the breath movement.
What you need to remember though is whichever position you choose, just be present, be alive and breathe. Find a position which suits your needs and really allow yourself to let go. Enjoy being in the moment.
You can practice meditation for anything from 5 minutes to one hour or more. Enjoy.
I hope you find this post helpful.
Let me know!
Have a blessed day!