Working With Emotions
Do I have to sit to meditate? How should I sit?
Meditation Positions and Posture
Sitting is the most common meditation posture we teach at Ten Percent Happier but you don't have to sit to meditate. The goal is to maintain an alert focus on whatever anchor you've chosen — like your breath, sounds in your environment, the feeling of your feet on the floor, or your hands. Meditation isn't restricted by position, ability, or equipment, so try some different options and see which ones work for you.
Sitting Meditation
If you’re able, sit for meditation with an upright spine, lift up through the chest, do not over-arch or slouch in the lower spine, and relax the abdomen and shoulders. The chin should be slightly tilted down. Your hands can be folded in your lap or resting on your thighs. Make sure you have enough support under your seat so that your butt is higher than your knees (you may have to sit on a taller cushion to do this). This helps create the gentle arch in your low back that is essential for supporting the upper body without creating too much tension in your back. If you are sitting in a cross legged position, you may also want to put cushions under your knees to support them.
As an alternative to sitting on the floor, you can opt to sit in a chair, following the posture instructions above, and with your feet resting flat on the floor. If your legs are shorter, you can place a block or stack of books in front of the chair so you can rest your feet flat without straining.
Meditating Lying Down
If you want to meditate lying down, lie flat on your back with your feet slightly apart. Placing a pillow under the knees may be supportive, or bending the legs and resting the feet on the floor can also be a comfortable posture. You can place your hands either out at your sides or your left hand on your heart and your right hand on your stomach.
Standing Meditation
Standing seems simple, right? When you meditate while standing, try setting yourself up first by lightly rolling forward and backward, left and right on your feet — then come to center. Relax the abdomen and the shoulders. Tilt the chin slightly down, and keep your gaze soft. Your hands will be at your sides. Take a deep breath and you're ready.
Walking Meditation
Traditional walking meditation is done very slowly, with care and attention paid to how your feet make contact with the ground and leave the ground. However, you can meditate while walking at any speed. In the app, search for Walking to find different meditation teachers’ approaches to walking meditation. You can also read more about walking meditation in our newsletter article Don't Just Sit There: An Introduction to Walking Meditation. Once you get the hang of it, you can practice meditation easily throughout your day. You can even incorporate loving-kindness into your walking meditation.
Here are several guided walking meditations on the app to get you started:
Do what it actually takes to be happier.
