Spiritual Forums - Why Meditating in Bed does NOT work!

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Talking about posture, what about our mental and emotional posture, purity of intent, orientation of innocence ...

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Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

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Talking about posture, what about our mental and emotional posture, purity of intent, orientation of innocence ...

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For me,it's more about bringing stillness to the mind.From that point,the access to the subconsious becomes easier.
In simple words,the whole purpose of meditation isn't to feel bliss or anything like that,but to meet with your inner self.

(This is my own view.Others might dissagree).

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Originally Posted by lomax

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Of course! We cannot predict or anticipate bliss, much less any other experience or enablement. It just happens, if it is meant to happen.

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Originally Posted by FairyCrystal

When you meditate in bed you get the following: You move straight into Delta.
Delta is when both the body AND mind fall asleep and become inactive.
It's a restorative phase.
No juicy nothing can happen if you meditate then. It won't bring you anything.

So it's best to meditate during the day or evening.
:hug3:

Thank you for posting this. As some posts mentioned, there are different types of meditations. I would add that, most of the time, trying to practice deep meditation while lying down won't yield good results. I feel it has something to do with being vertical (ish) so I suggest no meditating in bed at all -- at least if you want to practice deep meditation. Lying down will help with relaxation but it won't allow your consciousness to really expand.

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Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

For me personally, meditating in bed has another name....Yoga Nidra.

The only pitfall about meditating in bed, is that there is a tendency to become so relaxed that one can easily fall asleep...which is what the body and mind probably needed anyway.

If the practitioner can remain aware while the body and mind sleeps, this leads into the state called Turiya, which is neither waking consciousness nor the dreaming state.

In my experience, if your body and nervous system really need to sleep, yes, you will fall asleep even while sitting. But if you're 'on the fence', you will fall asleep while lying down and you will fall into a deep meditative state while sitting. Also, turyia is deeper while sitting. I have never seen any exception to this. Now I know very little about yoga nidra but it seems it is not meditation per se: "The goals of both yogic paths, yoga nidra and meditation are the same, a state of meditative consciousness called samadhi." (source: wikipedia's page about yoga nidra).

And of course,

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Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

Yes, I fully realise and understand that meditating in bed is "not recommended" by the majority of meditation teachers and practitioners, but if there is anything life has taught me (especially lately) it is to question all of those recommendations with regards to personal necessity and experience and yes, to even go against what the majority says if it simply "does not apply"....then one is pretty much on their own and yet one can find their own answers within instead of accepting the advice and recommendations of others at face value this way.

this is fully true.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

Exactly.

Some of us cannot sit on the floor in padmasana for any extended period of time... especially those who have osteoarthritis in their knees and hips...does that mean we cannot meditate?

For me personally, meditating in bed has another name....Yoga Nidra.

The only pitfall about meditating in bed, is that there is a tendency to become so relaxed that one can easily fall asleep...which is what the body and mind probably needed anyway.

If the practitioner can remain aware while the body and mind sleeps, this leads into the state called Turiya, which is neither waking consciousness nor the dreaming state.

Yes, I fully realise and understand that meditating in bed is "not recommended" by the majority of meditation teachers and practitioners, but if there is anything life has taught me (especially lately) it is to question all of those recommendations with regards to personal necessity and experience and yes, to even go against what the majority says if it simply "does not apply"....then one is pretty much on their own and yet one can find their own answers within instead of accepting the advice and recommendations of others at face value this way.

I have practiced "conscious sleep" for years and I agree with you that meditating in bed can be an awesomely enlightening experience. As you duly noted, "If the practitioner can remain aware while the body and mind sleeps, this leads into the state called Turiya, which is neither waking consciousness nor the dreaming state."

Well said !

:hug3:

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Originally Posted by lomax

That is precisely why I focus on stilling the mind. In that stillness, the subconscious emerges.

As noted in a previous post of mine, I have practiced "conscious sleep" for years and have watched the inner pressures from the subconscious manifest in the forms of dreams. It's a fascinating practice --- stilling the mind --- as it does facilitate one's ability "to meet with your inner self".

People share different opinions.At the very end,what really matters,is what works for you.

Hello,

My simple opinion here.

A direct contact with what some call the Divine can be cultivated no matter the state of the physical body or the brain frequency of it. Would it be sitting straight in stillness, walking, eating, breathing, sleeping or in death.

Life is so short, so why not also learn to use to explore lucidity in sleep? We do spend about a third of our lives in that state. An interesting approach on that level is Dream Yoga. Norbu in his book Dream Yoga and the practice of Natural Light gives some nice indications about it.

Regards,

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Originally Posted by Still_Waters

I have only experienced lucid dream and sleep spontaneously, as a result of practicing deep meditation (turiya in wake state). Do you have a particular method that you can share to enter sleep and / or dream consciously?