is it ok to meditate lying down?

Question

im too lazy to assume a lotus position while meditating. is it ok to just lie down w/o a particular position?

Answer 1

sure, if you don´t mind taking a nap :) I am lazy too ;)

Answer 2

You can assume ANY position that allows you to be comfortable while you meditate. The key is to NOT be SO comfortable that you fall asleep. I meditate ALL the time laying down on my back, with a pillow under my head and as long as I continue to concentrate I can meditate very well. I have only fallen asleep once while meditating and that was because I was very tired from being up for a LONG time (a couple of days in a row). A LOT of people are not flexible enough to assume the Lotus Position and it is very painfull. If you're trying to meditate while you're in pain and discomfort then that discomfort will interfere with your medtitative process and ALL you'll be able to think about is how uncomfortable you are. NOT a good thing at all.

Raji the Green Witch

Answer 3

Like the others say....you may fall asleep. It happens to me all the time. I sit on my balcony now before bedtime and meditate. I feel closer to nature that way too. Try it, it works for me. Not everybody can assume the lotus position comfortably. Just sitting in a chair and closing your eyes and relaxing works just as well.

Answer 4

Well, if you're being lazy you will just fall asleep! lol

But, yes, it is ok to lay down while meditating. At the end of any Yoga routine there is a final pose called "Corpse Pose" and it is simply just lying on your back with you eyes closed and being relaxed. You could easily make a meditation out of it!

Just be careful not to fall asleep! Especially if you light candles or incense...don't want to wake up without a house!

:o)

Answer 5

Yes, no special posture is really required unless you are following the practices of a particular school. I would echo the caution given by other posters that many folks tend to fall asleep if they try to meditate while lying down. Others have found sitting in a chair with their feet flat on the floor to be sufficient (just ask any silent meeting Quakers, for example).

Since I have medical issues, I do a simple form of secular mindfulness meditation to relieve stress and anxiety. This helps to reduce high blood pressure and the frequency of headaches. It is a practice recommended by my primary licensed physician and is not encumbered by any superstitious nonsense.

I have actually studied a wide variety of religions and paths. Being more musically inclined, I was initially attracted to the practices of Jodo Shinshu (aka Shin Buddhism) and Nichiren Buddhism - with the combination of chanting a rhythmic phrase (Nembutsu or Odaimoku) and/or sutra recitation to a visual object (a scroll of Amida or a Gohonzon). So I decided to create a nonsectarian alternative in that vein. One practice that I find helpful in the vein of the Way of Oneness (the
realization of interdependence) is to chant “Be One, Be Peace” in a position of gassho (hands, palms together in front of chest, fingers upward - a traditional gesture of respect) to an object such as a Dharma Wheel or a drawing of enso (a circle) as used in Zen. Five minutes of this every morning before work does wonders for my blood pressure and stress level.

You are more than welcome to use the chant if you think you may find it possibly useful.

I use two forms: “Be One. Be Peace.” for those who prefer a four syllable “mantra” like “Namandabu.” Or “Be One. Be Love. Be Peace.” for those who prefer the pace of a six syllable “mantra” like “Nam(u) Myo-ho Ren-Ge Kyo” or “Na-Mu A-Mi-da Butsu.” People who like (or are drawn) to chant are attracted to the rhythm.

For me, the purpose of any practice is to encourage self-reflection, internalizing this awareness , and wonder/gratitude/awareness of the interdependent forces of the Universe (Dharmakaya - in Shin this is symbolized as Amida Buddha which allows practitioners to perceive these forces as “compassionate” and “caring” thus allowing us to relate to them easier, or as the Gohonzon in Nichiren Buddhism which is a calligraphic representation of the “Ceremony in the Air” from the Lotus Sutra which is also a representation of the interdependent forces of the Universe).

Oh yes, and it didn't cost me anything to learn nor were there any "initiations" involved.

Some good resources on "secular" meditation are "The Calm Technique" by Paul Wilson as well as "The Relaxation Response" by Herbert Benson. If you need more formal "assistance" or "training" then I would look into Natural Stress Relief which was founded by former Transcendental Meditation instructors upset at the rising cost and ongoing superstittion associated with TM. They charge $47 for their training compared with the $2,500 that TM would charge you.

http://www.naturalstressreliefusa.org/

Answer 6

I will meditate reclining on a vibrating chair while listening to the music of Loreena McKennitt. The lights on the control will flash. I watch them and it puts me in a trans. All other lights are off except for a lit candle.

Answer 7

Any time I try to meditate lying down, I end up taking a nap...

Answer 8

Yes. Meditation requires to have a comfortable, disturbance free posture.

Answer 9

I have a bad back, so I meditate lying down. I don't notice a difference.

Blessed be.

Answer 10

Meditation is a state of the mind, not of the body.

Answer 11

Yes