Finding a comfortable position while meditating may be one of the most important steps in cultivating a sustainable practice as any subtle discomfort in the body is easily magnified in stillness. While all pain and discomfort may not be relieved all the time, knowing which positions best support your body's needs can go a long way. With minimal discomfort, your mind can rest more easily in the present moment.
Let's take a closer look at mediation positions for the body.
It may come as a relief to know that you don't need to be sitting with your legs crossed, eyes closed and hands in a mudra (a symbolic hand gesture) to experience the benefits of meditation. Cue deep sigh, let’s read on!
Below are 4 positions you may want to explore as you find your way to the perfect posture.
Laying Down
We love a comfy horizontal position, but keep in mind we don't want to fall asleep during meditation, otherwise we’re sleeping, not meditating! Some people avoid laying down because they quickly drift off and that's ok, take it as a signal from your body that you need a little more rest.
If you want to meditate and not sleep try this:
- Hold one or both forearms up beside your body, keeping your hand open and fingers pointed up. If you begin to drift, your arms will collapse onto your body, gently waking you and giving you the opportunity to bring your attention back to the practice.
As for supportive props, we love the extra cushioning of the B Mat Strong, 6mm of natural rubber cradling the more tender parts of the body, like the tailbone. On top of the mat, fold the finely crafted and fairly-traded Turkish cotton Repose Blanket. Tuck a Cylindrical Bolster under the knees to relieve pressure from the lower back. Alternatively, bring your knees up with feet flat on the ground.
If you're working with neck pain, we recommend heating up the Hot and Cold Therapy Pillow and placing it behind your neck. The heat loosens tense muscles and reduces stiffness in the neck.
Lastly, eye pillows! These can be very beneficial in quickly achieving a state of concentration and healing. Eye pillows put gentle pressure on the eyelids, stimulating the vagus nerve which sends calming messages to the body that it is safe to relax. Try the Halfmoon Linen Eye Pillow, as it perfectly matches the Halfmoon Hot and Cold Therapy Pillow, we love that! For added therapy, try the Silk Eye Pillows made with crystals such as Rose Quartz, Amethyst, Jade and Clear Quartz.
Sitting
When we think of meditation, we may conjure up images of a person sitting on the floor with their legs oh so easily crossed. But, for many of us, that just isn’t the reality, and that’s ok!
Sitting is a traditional posture that some practitioners prefer as it keeps the body and mind alert and active—the chances of falling asleep are a little less. Sitting doesn’t mean being unsupported though. In fact, we highly recommend getting the support you need from mediation props, cushions and blankets.
For some, a sitting posture looks like sitting in a chair, legs uncrossed, feet flat on the floor and arms resting on the lap. Easy, peasy!
Keep these helpful tips in mind for a pleasant sitting experience:
- Keep your hips tilted forward. The knees will be below the hips in this alignment. Pop a simple cotton blanket or cushion under the sitting bones to raise the hips.
- Support floating knees with rolled up blankets to take any unnecessary tension off of the joint.
- Keep your spine straight with a pillow or rolled blanket at the lower back. Try not to lean against a wall or back of a chair, but rather use a prop to support an upright, spine-supported posture.
If sitting on the floor is your jam, pull up a cushion!
If your hips are open and you tend to be more flexible in the hip joint, a lower cushion would work for you, try the Crescent Mediation Cushion.
Otherwise, we love the versatility of The Calm Meditation Cushion and the Mod Meditation Cushion. At almost double the height, these cushions can be used with crossed legs or turned on their side for more height and used in a supportive kneeling position (see photo above).
Resting these cushion on a larger Zabuton suppot the shins, ankles, knees and feet. We love the colour options in the Halfmoon Zabuton Cushion and the extra-fine fabric quality of The Calm Zabuton by B Yoga.
Standing
Using the wonderful body that you have been given you can, you guessed it, stand and meditate! Pretend you’re a tree and plant your feet on the floor at a comfortable hip distance apart. Sometimes a gentle sway is helpful to relieve pressure in the hips and feet.
For extra floor support, we like standing on a rug or doubling over a yoga mat, like the B Mat Everyday.
Walking
Yes, you read that right! You can meditate while walking, and it may look a little different that you expect. When meditating, there’s nowhere to be and nowhere to go, hopefully that comes as a relief!
Walking meditation is traditionally done in a span of ~10 paces. So find yourself a bit of hallway, the length of your bed, a spot of grass and step mindfully.
If you're looking for an easy track, try the B Mat Strong in Long. The additional 14" can support another step. This mat is the most ideal mat for an at-home movement and mediation practice offering superior cushioning, comfort and support.