Choose a time of day to Meditate where you can be alert and free of distractions.
This ensures that the body can fully relax and the mind has enough energy to become absorbed in its object of focus.
Living in India set me up for a great relationship with Meditation.
When I lived in India my favourite time to Meditate was in the early morning before sunrise. I loved the stillness of air around me. I lived in a remote area which was completely quiet overnight.
Waking up to silence was magical, each morning it inspired me to walk to what we called the “Meditation cave”.
Stepping into "the cave" was like going into another time and place. The beautiful dark environment along with the still and silent atmosphere made me want to Meditate, and I wanted to experience more of that velvety calm blackness.
A dark room helps your mind focus, it enables you to get beyond analytical thinking and go into deeper states of consciousness.
The velvety blackness helped my mind be still. It naturally enabled me to focus on my breath, and go deep into Meditation. Our brain can go into deeper states of meditation when it is dark because our melatonin levels are higher.
Melatonin is a hormone that is produced naturally by the body. When light decreases and disappears, Melatonin signals to the body that it is time to relax. When the body is in a more relaxed state there is a greater likelihood of going into meditation.
This means the early hours before we start our day or the evening hours before we go to sleep are the best times to Meditate.
Finding the best time for you depends on whether you are a morning or an evening person.
Try Meditating at both times of day to see which works best. Whether you discover its morning or evening, you may find that the twilight hours open up a whole new world for you.