My legs are killing me!

[Calvin]

Hello all, I'm new to meditation, I have only been practicing for a couple of weeks. I sit on a cushion on the floor in a cross legged position for between 30-45 minutes. Everything goes pretty well, I watch my breath and try not notice the thoughts running through my mind. Towards the end of the session my legs start to become uncomfortable and eventually they fall asleep. Is this unavoidable? Does the body eventually adapt? Am I doing something wrong? Thanks in advance...

[JonW]

Hi Calvin,
Welcome to the forum.
For anyone new to meditation, regularly sitting on a cushion on the floor in a cross legged position for between 30-45 minutes would be a big ask.
First rule of meditation is: be kind to yourself.
Feel free to experiment with other positions.
I use a meditation bench which suits me fine. Many people I know sit in chairs. Some meditate in bed.
Please be kind to yourself.
All good things,
Jon

[FeeHutch]

What Jon said
Sitting in a painful position doesn't earn any brownie points and I found pretty early on that it had a detrimental effect on my practice, so I'm a big fan of sitting or laying comfortably.

[piedwagtail91]

moving 'mindfully' during meditation if perfectly ok.
i use a cushion, somedays 40 minutes is ok, somedays it's not, so i change leg position and make it part of the practice.
as fee says , you don't get extra brownie points for added difficulty.
i know a couple of people who can't sit or lie for long periods because of injury, so they regularly change position.

[SageMindfulness2015]

The walking meditation was created to allow Buddhist monks the ability to break their sitting practice. Sometimes just noticing the onset of pins and needles, the discomfort and then the alleviation of that discomfort can be something to savour and appreciate too.

[Gareth]

It's the same thing with an itch.

Sometimes I really lean into it and explore that sensation in minute detail.

Sometimes I just scratch it - mindfully of course.

[Bethany]

It might help to focus on your purpose for meditation. If you are trying to relax and calm your mind, try lying down. If you are trying to focus on your thoughts or clear your mind, try walking or sitting in a chair.

There is no magic to sitting on the floor. Do what works for you!