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The Best Time To Meditate
December 24, 2008 by Ray Baskerville
The best time to meditate is usually said to be first thing in the morning. First thing in the morning being the hour before dawn. For those of us who don’t live in a monastery it’s a pretty big ask. that those of us who don’t live in a monastery and have young children it’s just not going to happen.
The reason that this hour is specified as the best time to meditate is probably not applicable to most of us. The reasoning is, because most people are soundly asleep at this time the psychic space of the collective consciousness is not busy with their thoughts. At least in your immediate environment.
But are any of us really so sensitive that we would really notice the difference? I think not. We also have to remember that these directions on spiritual practice were written down a very long time ago. Before the advent of electricity most people’s daily rhythms were much more attuned to nature. Meaning they tended to get up with the sun and go to bed not long after it went down.
Considering then these things, and the many diverse demands on our time, let’s reconsider pre dawn as the best time to meditate.
Personally I don’t think it really matters, but there are different factors to take into consideration.
For Those who are new to meditation what is important is consistency. This means that the time of day you meditate should be a time in the day when you consistently can meditate. And then do, of course.
Those who practice yoga asana, an ideal time to meditate would be immediately after finishing your practice. There are those that believe that yoga asana practice is primarily a preparation and meditation. Whether this is true or not, it definitely is good preparation. For one thing yoga asana practice opens the body and allows a freer flow of prana or energy. It has subsequently softens and opens our consciousness. By this I mean that we become more present in awareness, and less caught up in the chatter of the mind. Yoga asana, when done correctly directs our awareness into the body, into a more direct and kinesthetic experience of ourselves. As such, yoga asana is in itself a form of meditation.
Another factor to consider in the best time of day to meditate, is the type of meditation to be practiced. If the practice involves a dynamic activation of your energy system it’s really not a good idea to do it at night. This type of meditation would include things like, chakra meditations, and any form of meditation when you are bringing energy into your body, or circulating energy within your body. These type of meditation it is a definitely more appropriate to do in the morning.
In conclusion I feel the most important factor in deciding the best time of day to practice meditation, is when is the time it works best? If during your meditation practice you are not really yet awake enough, or conversely are already too tired, it’s not the best time to be meditating. Equally if your time feels pressure and you are trying to squeeze meditation in, it’s unlikely to be very satisfactory.
The most important thing about your meditation practice is that you enjoy doing it, even when it’s challenging. So the best time to practice it is a factor in the equation creating consistency and ease, and limiting resistance, to sitting down and meditating.
From a completely different point of view, the best time to practice meditation is when you are upset. Once your practice is deep enough that you can be present with yourself when there is internal turmoil of one kind or another, you know that you are really making progress. There is too tremendous benefit to be gained from being able to practice meditation at such times.
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I think we all should look to meditation when we are upset. It should be a natural reaction yet we do not even think of when we are upset. What a difference it would make.
Right now for me it’s meditate when i can, at least it’s pretty regular right now. Funny how i can get up early to go surf, actually it’s kinda like meditation out on the board.
Hi Colleen
Ideally through our meditation practice we develop the ability to be increasingly ‘present’ with ourselves and aware of what we are feeling. As this happens it means that when we are upset we have a little more space in which we can let re-action arise without acting it out.
Even when what is triggered for us is to strong to allow this I advocate removing ourselves from the situation and ‘being’ with what is moving inside. This doesn’t have to be as ‘formal meditation, but the skill developed through meditation is applied.
Shantyguy – good to see you back. I don’t surf myself, but I have heard from other surfers that it serves a similar purpose for them and that’s great, personally I do feel there is greater benefit to be had on the cushion rather than on the board, it all depends what your objectives are.
best time is now
I guess we inspired you!