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How to Sit for Meditation: Posture for Beginners

Find a comfortable way to sit, or lie down, for meditation, and set up a spot where you can practice for ten minutes without being disturbed.

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THE WRITTEN LESSONFollow along at your pace

You don’t need to sit cross-legged on the floor to meditate. You just need a position that keeps you still, relaxed and awake. This lesson helps you find yours, so that tomorrow’s session starts easily.

Chair or cushion

Sit on a chair, or on a cushion on the floor. Keep your back upright, but not tight, and let your hands rest wherever they are comfortable. A kitchen chair beats a sofa you sink into, because a sofa tends to make you slump.

Three cards. A person on a kitchen chair with an upward arrow and a green check, a person on a floor cushion with a green check, and a person sunk into a sofa, crossed out with a red cross and the words A sofa you sink into. A chip says Upright, not tight.(opens the full-size picture)
Upright, not tight.

Relaxed yet alert

The aim is a seat that is relaxed and at ease, yet alert. Pick a position you could hold for ten minutes without shifting every few breaths. Finer points of posture can wait. You can adjust them later, once you have a few sessions behind you.

A balance scale with the words Relaxed and Alert on its two pans, next to a person on a chair and a stopwatch at 10:00 with the question Could I hold this for ten minutes? A chip says Finer points can wait.(opens the full-size picture)
The test: could you hold it for ten minutes?

Your eyes

Your eyes can be open or closed, or rest in a soft gaze, partly closed and not focused on anything. If you keep getting sleepy, open them partway. If something that comes up feels overwhelming, open them fully.

Three cards show an open eye, a closed eye and a soft gaze with a half-lowered lid. Two rows below say Sleepy? Open partway and Overwhelmed? Open fully.(opens the full-size picture)
Open, closed or soft: use whichever keeps you steady.

Lying down

If sitting upright is hard, for example with chronic pain, tiredness or back problems, lying down is fine. It may be the most sustainable posture for you. Just know that sleepiness is more likely when you lie down, late at night, or when you are exhausted.

A person lying on their back with knees bent, next to the words Lying down is fine and Often the most sustainable posture. Under the heading Sleepiness is likelier when you, three cards show a bed labeled Lie down, a moon labeled Late at night and an empty battery labeled Exhausted.(opens the full-size picture)
Lying down works, but sleepiness is likelier.

Itches and moving

What if you get an itch, or your leg goes stiff? You can scratch it. First, simply pay attention to it for a moment. If you need to shift, move slowly, then come back. If pain keeps building, change position or stop.

Chips say An itch, A stiff leg and You can scratch it. Three cards show a magnifying glass labeled Notice it first, a slow arrow labeled Move slowly, and a return arrow labeled Come back. An orange chip says Pain building? Change position or stop.(opens the full-size picture)
Notice it first, move slowly, then come back.

Your spot

Finally, choose your spot, somewhere you can sit for ten minutes without being disturbed. Silence your phone, and lay it face down where you can’t see the screen.

A person on a chair beside a potted plant, labeled Undisturbed for ten minutes. On the right, a phone lies face down on a table under a crossed-out bell, labeled Silenced, face down.(opens the full-size picture)
A quiet corner and a silenced phone.

YOUR TURN

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Read the full lesson script

In this lesson, you'll learn how to sit for meditation. You don't need to sit cross-legged on the floor. You just need a position that keeps you still, relaxed and awake.

Sit on a chair, or on a cushion on the floor. Keep your back upright, but not tight, and let your hands rest wherever they're comfortable. A kitchen chair beats a sofa you sink into.

The aim is a seat that's relaxed and at ease, yet alert. Pick a position you could hold for ten minutes without shifting every few breaths. Finer points of posture can wait.

Your eyes can be open or closed, or rest in a soft gaze, partly closed and not focused on anything. If you keep getting sleepy, open them partway. If something that comes up feels overwhelming, open them fully.

If sitting upright is hard, for example with chronic pain, tiredness or back problems, lying down is fine. It may be the most sustainable posture for you. Just know that sleepiness is more likely when you lie down, late at night, or when you're exhausted.

What if you get an itch, or your leg goes stiff? You can scratch it. First, simply pay attention to it for a moment. If you need to shift, move slowly, then come back. If pain keeps building, change position or stop.

Finally, choose your spot, somewhere you can sit for ten minutes without being disturbed. Silence your phone, and lay it face down where you can't see the screen.

So remember: upright but relaxed, eyes open or closed, and lying down is fine if you need it. Before the next lesson, find your spot and your position for your first session. Next, you'll try your first five-minute session.