When should we Meditate?
The best time to meditate is just after getting up each morning. A good night’s sleep will leave us refreshed and clear-minded, with no residual problems or worries rattling around inside the mind. Perhaps more importantly, you are less likely to fall asleep while meditating, because you are rested and ready to begin a fresh new day. If you do become tired while meditating, try some quick and easy exercises to re-invigorate the body. If you are a little hungry, perhaps a glass of juice or a fruit can tide you over until after the meditation.
Ideally you would begin your meditation at 6:00 am each day. The world is definitely in a peaceful state, the vibration around us is calm and quiet. Construction noise has not yet begun and traffic is less agitated. You may choose to have a shower before meditating, especially if it helps to wake you up and keep you alert. A shower is like a purification ritual, letting us begin the daily meditation process with a clean body. If you do meditate at 6:00 am, it is okay if you return to bed briefly to catch that last hour of shut-eye.
The good news is, there are a few other times through the day when it is also advisable to meditate. Many people get a lunch break, that is a good time, preferably before you eat your meal. It is always best to meditate on an empty or nearly-empty stomach. Meditating after a big meal is not optimal, as your body is very busy digesting, when you want it to be calm and still.
When you get home from work, is another great time. You can purge your day-to-day thoughts and worries, and perhaps open your heart more in preparation for a pleasant evening with your loved ones. Meditation can be used to eliminate mental concerns as well as become clear-headed.
Meditating before supper is great timing, since after a large meal you may feel sluggish or lethargic. While eating, chew thoroughly & try to feel that you are absorbing all of the positive energy and nutrients that your food holds, instead of gulping down the food in a hurry. Anything that we do calmly and consciously aids in our overall development of a beneficial environment for meditation to grow within us.
The next great opportunity to meditate is at sunset. At the end of the day, the level of activity, noise and disruption in the world around us is gearing down. Sunset is renowned as an opportunity to sit quietly and watch a beautiful natural spectacle, in case the sunset is visible to you.
Finally, meditating before bed is also advisable. This lets you once again clear away any disturbing thoughts or emotions that may have arisen through the day. Focusing on purity or light is a gentle way of enhancing one’s sleep pattern. By meditating before bed, you may find that you rest better, or may need fewer hours of sleep. Of course, this improves with time and practice, it may not be immediately evident for introductory meditators.
Finally, any time when you feel receptive is a good time to meditate. Some people like to supplement their main meditation with several short meditations through the day, very briefly, even as little as 2 minutes helps. One hugely important trick is to meditate every day, so if you have not done it yet, do it now!
