Meditate On Floor Without Hurting Knees

SuiDhaaga · Nov 13, 2019

I have weak knees to begin with and always do knee exercises daily.

Now I strive to meditate 20 minutes in morning, 20 minutes at night.

I like Burmese position because it feels like my hips are stretching. However it strains my knees (my right knee in particular), so I have to lie down a few minutes before getting up again.

Google shows that all sitting on floor positions can injure knee. Only sitting on chair is good for people with bad knees.

But I want to meditate while sitting on floor.

How to do this without straining knees?

Rihana · Dec 3, 2019

SuiDhaaga said: ↑

But I want to meditate while sitting on floor.

How to do this without straining knees?
Click to expand...

You can't given your knee problems. Why do you want to sit on the floor? What about sitting on a chair puts you off?

===================
General question: Do you meditate with your eyes open or closed? I was googling Burmese position and came across this page that says eyes open is better. I was surprised.
https://www.yogajournal.com/meditation/everything-need-know-meditation-posture

Relax your gaze two to four feet ahead of you on the ground in an unfocused manner. Don’t pick out patterns in the rug in front of you. Just maintain a loose gaze. Rest your eyes. Sometimes people do not understand why they should open their eyes during meditation. For one, we are always gazing at our world—why should we treat our meditation practice as a time to hide from our life? It is instead a time to look directly at who we are. So our eyes can be open as a gesture toward that intention. On a practical level, you are less likely to fall asleep with your eyes open.

If you are unable to meditate with the eyes open you can close them. It is important to make a conscious decision before beginning to meditate on which you will do or you will fidget back and forth the entire meditation session between those options. It has been said that closed eye meditation leads to more thoughts, daydreams, and distraction. But if this is not the case for you, you can certainly meditate with your eyes closed.

SunPa · Dec 3, 2019

@Rihana , thanks for the link, nice points on posture.

@SuiDhaaga , just curious, what mediation do you do?

Mediation bench or meditation cushions are much easier on the knee.

I like sitting on the floor to meditate. And somehow incorrectly convince myself that it is better. Actually being comfortable is more effective, so if sitting on the floor is normal thing for one and can sit 20-30 mins without any discomfort then it is great.

But for me sitting cross legged, in 15 mins I start to feel a little discomfort, I wiggle my toes, at times stretch my legs out etc which distracts the meditation. But since I placed a floor chair near a fully window and set that place as my meditation spot, I plonk myself there even when in pain, really pigheaded of me, though.

SuiDhaaga · Dec 6, 2019

Rihana said: ↑

You can't given your knee problems. Why do you want to sit on the floor? What about sitting on a chair puts you off?

===================
General question: Do you meditate with your eyes open or closed? I was googling Burmese position and came across this page that says eyes open is better. I was surprised.
https://www.yogajournal.com/meditation/everything-need-know-meditation-posture

Relax your gaze two to four feet ahead of you on the ground in an unfocused manner. Don’t pick out patterns in the rug in front of you. Just maintain a loose gaze. Rest your eyes. Sometimes people do not understand why they should open their eyes during meditation. For one, we are always gazing at our world—why should we treat our meditation practice as a time to hide from our life? It is instead a time to look directly at who we are. So our eyes can be open as a gesture toward that intention. On a practical level, you are less likely to fall asleep with your eyes open.

If you are unable to meditate with the eyes open you can close them. It is important to make a conscious decision before beginning to meditate on which you will do or you will fidget back and forth the entire meditation session between those options. It has been said that closed eye meditation leads to more thoughts, daydreams, and distraction. But if this is not the case for you, you can certainly meditate with your eyes closed.
Click to expand...

Lord Shiva meditates cross-legged on the floor, so I thought we should all do same.

Ironically few days after I start to meditate sitting on chair with eyes open, I logged into indusladiez and saw your post.

Mysterious universe

SuiDhaaga · Dec 6, 2019

SunPa said: ↑

@Rihana , thanks for the link, nice points on posture.

@SuiDhaaga , just curious, what mediation do you do?

Mediation bench or meditation cushions are much easier on the knee.

I like sitting on the floor to meditate. And somehow incorrectly convince myself that it is better. Actually being comfortable is more effective, so if sitting on the floor is normal thing for one and can sit 20-30 mins without any discomfort then it is great.

But for me sitting cross legged, in 15 mins I start to feel a little discomfort, I wiggle my toes, at times stretch my legs out etc which distracts the meditation. But since I placed a floor chair near a fully window and set that place as my meditation spot, I plonk myself there even when in pain, really pigheaded of me, though.
Click to expand...

I do meditation where I focus on single object, breathe deep and try to clear my head.

AmulB · Dec 26, 2019

SuiDhaaga said: ↑

I have weak knees to begin with and always do knee exercises daily.

Now I strive to meditate 20 minutes in morning, 20 minutes at night.

I like Burmese position because it feels like my hips are stretching. However it strains my knees (my right knee in particular), so I have to lie down a few minutes before getting up again.

Google shows that all sitting on floor positions can injure knee. Only sitting on chair is good for people with bad knees.

But I want to meditate while sitting on floor.

How to do this without straining knees?
Click to expand...

You can meditate sitting on chair too as long as ur spine is straight and put concentration that’s all u need for meditation