How to Stay Awake During Meditation – 4 Techniques to Help You Stay Awake
How to stay awake during Meditation? Not quite simple as it sounds… You may find that you regularly fall asleep during meditation. This is completely natural as you’re causing both your mind and body to relax which is usually the process used to fall asleep. If you’re someone who simple can’t meditate without falling asleep, well this article also covers how to stay conscious while asleep!
How to stay awake during Meditation – Why the importance?
Learning how to stay awake during meditation can be an incredibly useful skill to have. There is the chance that you may still fall asleep, even after trying these techniques that should help you meditate without falling asleep. As such, we will also explore how to stay conscious while asleep for when the need for sleep overpowers you.
Technique #1: Choose a Meditation Location
Location plays a major role during meditation. If your usual spot is lying in bed, then this could easily be the reason you fall asleep during meditation. In which case, learning how to stay awake during meditation shouldn’t be too difficult of a task for you. Choose a chair or spot on the floor or a bench outside that you don’t use for sleeping. Refrain from ever actively sleeping in that location and you’ll be more likely to meditate without falling asleep. You can also use a sofa, even if you usually watch television from that position; the important thing is that you’re usually awake when sitting there.
Technique #2: Posture is everything
Learning how to stay awake during meditation doesn’t have to be a difficult task. Many of these techniques will not only help prevent you from falling asleep during meditation but they will also improve your meditation overall. So whenever you are choosing an upright posture for your meditation, be sure and keep your back straight. Imagine that your head and shoulders are attached to pieces of string. Then act as if these pieces of string are lifting your head and shoulders up with them while also straightening your spine. As if someone higher up is pulling on them.
Technique #3: Repeating Thoughts and Words
Concentration is important while meditating but focusing solely on breathing can become a little bit like counting sheep. When learning how to stay awake during meditation, one great technique is repeating words either in your mind or out loud. For example, if you are listening to a guided meditation, you might repeat what the voice is saying. You could make the words echo in your head or simply say them out loud. Alternatively, if you’re not using a guided meditation, you could count your breaths out loud or use your inner voice almost like a guided meditation.
Technique #4: Focus on Sensations
You may not find hunger, thirst or being cold to be incredibly positive feelings or sensations to have. But when you’re learning how to stay awake while meditating, they can be useful tools. Meditating on a full stomach (particularly after a hot meal) can make you drowsy and you’ll be more likely to sleep during meditation. In comparison, being hungry will keep you awake and give your mind an extra sensation to focus on. The same can be said with being thirsty of even too cold. You don’t have to try meditating out in the snow but being too warm and cozy can have obvious effects.
Technique #5: How to Stay Conscious while Asleep
This isn’t quite a technique for staying awake but rather the opposite. If you just can’t learn how to meditate without falling asleep then in might be time to contact your angels. If you’re using meditation as a method of contacting your angels then you can simply reach out while you’re still awake and you’ll find that your spirit is able to contact them whether you’re conscious or not. You’ll find yourself falling in sleep angels thoughts as your unconscious and subconscious minds deliver the message you wish them to hear. So if you meditate with this particular purpose in mind, you can still receive guidance.
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