Just like you shouldn’t force a clear mind in meditation — because there really is no such thing — Headspace cofounder and former monk Andy Puddicombe said you should not force posture. You might imagine the correct way to sit during meditation is very upright and pretzel-style on the floor, but Puddicombe told POPSUGAR that, generally speaking, he doesn’t suggest that at all.
While it does depend on the person, Puddicombe, also the executive producer of the new Netflix series Headspace Guide to Meditation, noted that unless you’ve done a lot of yoga and are comfortable being cross-legged — whether in Lotus or another position — he recommends sitting in a chair while focusing on the breath. “Sit on a chair that feels comfortable,” he said. “The trick is to set the body up in the same way that you would like the mind to behave. So we want to be on the one hand relaxed, but on the other hand focused.”
Therefore, it’s about being comfortable but not too comfortable. “If we’re horizontal, lying on the sofa, then we might be a little too relaxed, and we’re probably more likely to fall asleep,” Puddicombe explained. Though it’s typically OK to drift off during yoga nidra specifically and other techniques that call for you to lie down, he said that for meditation, “over time you’re going to get more from the practice by staying awake.”
