When Is The Best Time of Day To Meditate? By Comparison!
What Do Sages, Gurus and Seasoned Meditators each Recommend? If you are going to meditate – When Is The Best Time of Day To Meditate? By Comparison!
Which times of the day will you find it to be the most beneficial?
Here is a question I have been pondering recently. When Is The Best Time of Day To Meditate? Is it the morning, mid-day, evening, or night? Or is there some other time in between? In fact, does it even matter?
Of course, it is different for different people. None of us is the same. It is what makes us Individuals – we have different habits and preferences. In everything we do – and for sure this is a good thing. If we were all the same it would be pretty boring. It is one of the things that makes us human beings and it is the age-old question really – who is right?
We all have different preferences. Some of us like to get up out of bed late some of us early. In life, there is much that helps to define us as unique so the above question – When Is the Best Time to Meditate? – there really is no right or wrong answer. When it comes to Meditation it is always beneficial. It doesn’t matter when or how long you do it for.
Just the important thing to know is that whether you meditate for 10 minutes or 2 hours it will be good for you.
In a sense, time is not really important but of course, here is the elephant in the room – If you do actually choose a time to time to mediate is there any added benefit? This is what I really want to look at today…
The Best Time of Day To Meditate? (TOC)
Now, when we look at the likes of Buddhist Monks and Indian Yogis they are pretty strict with their day to day rituals. They go to bed at the same time, wake up around the same time, eat breakfast at the same time and begin their meditation exercises like clockwork at the same time every day.
There is definitely something to be said about routine. In nature, it is known as the circadian rhythm. If you time it correctly every morning you will notice the birds for example all start singing at the same time. In fact, all wild animals unless disturbed will usually follow a routine where their sleep/wake cycle is fully in sync with night and day.
Buddhist Monks and Catholic Nuns seem to be just as much in tune with these natural forces. From the standpoint of spirituality certainly, this does leave a lot of question marks. Is it this relationship with time and nature through the power of meditation and its close cousin prayer that makes an individual closer to god?
*Note: My perception of God is a force of good. The planet Earth; as a living breathing organism, a universal mind that connects all life on our plane of existence. Something that breaks down the walls of religion and our personal belief systems.
I’m going a bit deep here I know but here is my point – it is obviously a preference for the more spiritually aware to meditate (or pray) at certain times but is this actually the best time to do it? Is this just a generational habit that has been passed on for people? Originally based around one person’s sole decision? Perhaps rooted in whenever was convenient at the time or does this connect to the circadian rhythm like a cosmic power that can only be accessed during a short window?
Let’s look into this a bit more closely…
Is the Morning the Best Time To Meditate?
If So, Then When?
I believe this to be the case and probably most people if you ask them will say something like “In the morning is the best time”. Surely, because this is when the mind is at its most alert. This is my assumption anyway.
I think a lot of people will surely agree. Not everyone will but anyone that knows what it is like to wake up at the crack of dawn and feel completely awake may understand.
Early morning providing we don’t go back to sleep is when our brain is the most alert.
Our brainwaves are between a Theta and Beta range (I think) and our consciousness is at its most advanced stage. Typically we move into an Alpha state (in my opinion) with only lapses into Beta and Theta brainwaves but in the early morning, after a good nights sleep, we definitely come to life.
So yes I would personally say the morning is the best time to meditate. Mostly, because I find when I wake up at 5:00 or 6:00 AM my mind is a lot more lucid than normal. This is 100% when I am at my most creative so surely for me at least I would say this is the best time. However, my trouble is with meditating first thing I will usually just want to fall back asleep.
It’s probably the same for a lot of others I think as well. As good as the morning is maybe’ first thing’ is not the best time.
But, What Time Is Good?
Well, recently, I read a book by the 14th Dalai Lama Gyalwa Rinpoche called ‘The Dalai Lama’s Little Book of Inner Peace.
Briefly, in this book Rinpoche discusses his morning rituals. For me this made me wonder if this could be the best time to meditate. Around 6:00 AM but after allowing yourself enough time to wake up properly beforehand.
It might sound a bit extreme for some people but according to my book Rinpoche (I’m assuming he still does the same) wakes up every day at around half 4:00-5:00 AM. For the next hour, he takes some time to relax, has a cup of tea, soime breakfast (I assume) and watches the morning news.
Right up until 6:00 AM and then he will meditate for 2 hours until 8:00 AM.
So, 6 o’ clock for the Dalai Lama of Tibet and he must meditate throughout the day as well. Not as much as the less bound of duty monks but still he must have later sessions than his one from 6 till 8 in the morning.
Which is his best meditation session throughout the day though? He does not disclose this in his book but here is another interesting example to look at.
Another prominent figure in the new age arena is Jaggi Vasudev aka Yogi Sadhguru. A very famous Indian Yoga Guru and Author.
“Life happens in many dimensions. All the time happening but not in the experience of most people unfortunately”.
Now, In Sadhgurus words, the best time of day to meditate is when the body is in a state of flux. This is very interesting because according to Sadhgurn our body is in a state of flux during both sunrise and sunset.
The message by Yogi Sadhguru is that he will usually be compelled to awaken every day around 3:30 AM. Just as the sun in India is beginning to set. During this time (Sunrise) and also during Sunset is when it is the best time to mediate. In fact, for his students of Yoga he says that the only times they should practice is before 8:30 AM and after 4:30 PM
Also, what is important to note is for those of us in the Western Hemisphere Sunrise and Sunset happen at different times.
Those that live closer to the equator will usually find this time varies. Whilst it might be 4:00 AM in India in the UK it could 6:00 AM for example. It really depends on your location but you should know when sunset is. If you can train yourself to wake up at a good time every day then this should be pretty clear.
However, if in doubt check out this online tool to find what time Sunset and Sunrise is where you live [CLICK HERE]
Now, Just To Elaborate Further
From some of the information shared by Yogi Sadhguru there are actually 5 different periods across the day and night that are significant. Including 4 different Sun Cycles. [R]
These times are… 1# Bhrama Murtam – which is just before Sunset.
From 3:40 AM (IST) to 3:50 AM (IST).
From what I gather this is a kind of a quick warm-up meditation.
This is followed by another session around actual 2# Sunrise possibly around 4:30 AM ~ 5:00 AM
Then Another at 3# Noon. I guess 12:00 AM
Then at 4# Sunset. Around 4:30 PM ~ 5:00 PM
and finally at 5# Midnight. 12:00 PM<
I mean this kind of does make sense apart from the Noon part. If Sadhguru is telling his students not to practice Yoga between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM then surely how about during Noon (12:00 AM) I don’t quite understand that part. Maybe I have misinterpreted something. If anyone would like to clear this up in the comments please do so. I would appreciate it.
Anyhow, let’s move on. So I wonder if the Dalai Llama also practices some form of Bhrama Mutra. It does say in his book that he wakes up around 4:00 AM so maybe he gets up a little bit earlier. That is what I wonder about.
Meditation Just Before Sunrise
This is a curious thing for me. The Pineal Gland needs both sunlight and darkness to properly function. Like our usual two eyes that we need to see, there must be a period when our Third Eye closes and opens.
The first rays of sunlight of the day that shines in through the window. Does this signal the Third Eye to awaken and does the darkness the begins during sunset begin to close the third eye? Many scientists will agree that the pineal gland creates the sleep hormone melatonin but does the pineal gland respond to the 24 hour solar and lunar cycle.
It is certainly very interesting and all one needs to do is to meditate at one of these times to know.
In Conclusion – What Is The Best Time To Meditate?
For me going over this information. Sunrise seems to be it. Depending on where you live but it is still good to experiment. Try meditation at Sunset, Sunrise, Noon and Midnight – whatever feels the most powerful should be the one for you.
Your Feedback – Share Your Thoughts
Is there anything that I have missed? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below;
#PeaceOut
Alex B. Chivers
SecretGardenofMind.com
*Please note this website is formerly known as Meditation24x7.com have decided to go for a name change – look out for lot’s more new content coming soon…
