Can I meditate anywhere?

[Evianna]

Can I meditate anywhere or do I have to be in a quiet private place.

[Unseeking Seeker]

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Taking meditation to be a flowing connection of attention in unexpectant childlike innocence and effortlessness with our innate divinity within, choose what works best to accentuate such an orientation of dynamic stillness and blissful silence.

***

[wstein]

Originally Posted by Evianna

Can I meditate anywhere or do I have to be in a quiet private place.

Yes, it is possible to meditate anywhere. In fact it is possible to live in meditative state for years at a time.

For beginners, there are more than enough internal distractions. A quiet place usually sitting or lying is recommended to avoid additional distractions. This makes it a bit easier to get to a 'quiet' internal state and stay there.

Of course if you (unnecessarily) insist in meditating in a certain style there are practical considerations. For instance, doing a walking mediation is not compatible with operating heavy equipment.

A safety issue: Inward mediation, most common type (eyes closed), necessarily leads to a reduced response to the physical world (if you even remember it exists). As such, it is not recommended to attempt to do 'deep' meditation while going about everyday life (like driving a car) until you have considerable experience in more modest forms of meditation while going about everyday life. A walking meditation is recommended to begin the transition out of exclusively doing sitting meditation.

In essence meditation is not the practice but the state of mind arising from the practice. The ultimate goal and as wstein said is to be in that state 24x7. Of course that's easier said than done, but not impossible.

In practical terms if you're not an experienced practitioner it's best to find a quiet place in your home and always use that same place. That's formal practice. If you're practicing mindfulness it can be extended into informal practice and to just about any aspect of life, but also as wstein noted there are practical concerns. For instance walking meditation isn't a good idea crossing a street with heavy traffic.

Aside from walking meditation you can be mindful of anything within reason. Eating, showering, brushing your teeth, etc. When there are no safety concerns just bring your full awareness to the task at hand, even if it's just bringing awareness to a few breathes or a bodily sensation. This is informal practice and it will compliment formal practice.

With enough practice and over time you will be able to do formal practice under conditions you might now think are incompatible with meditating, but they are not.

I'm not sure of your expeience level but here's a playlist of the basics. It contains five short videos and a few long ones. The first two lengthy videos are the same presentation in different venues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoPU...a&index=2&t=0s

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

For instance walking meditation isn't a good idea crossing a street with heavy traffic.

Use to do meditations while hiking in the mountains.

Never got 'lost'.

Before I started my walk and meditation, I would turn around and look at the mountain terrain. When I was done meditating, I had no idea where I was till i got my bearings by looking for my original mountain terrain.

Originally Posted by BigJohn

Use to do meditations while hiking in the mountains.

Never got 'lost'.

Before I started my walk and meditation, I would turn around and look at the mountain terrain. When I was done meditating, I had no idea where I was till i got my bearings by looking for my original mountain terrain.

The trick or secret is meditation without effort. Meditation outside practice.

It snowed the other day. About 5 inches. I'm thinking of taking a hike this weekend in the Siamese Ponds Wilderness Area. Easier terrain than the High Peaks and a lot less crowded. I doubt I'll see a single soul aside from the wildlife.

[lomax]

Originally Posted by Evianna

Can I meditate anywhere or do I have to be in a quiet private place.

Meditation is about reaching a specific point.After some successful achievements,your subconsious will know how to take you there with ease.
(depending on the goal).

That means that you could be able to even do it on the go,while walking,etc.\

I do plenty of invocations and energy work while i'm walking,even when i'm waiting on the line to get my coffee.