How to Meditate Incognito on Berlin’s Public Transport
How to Meditate Incognito on Berlin’s Public Transport
(And Why Nobody Actually Cares That You’re Doing It)
You don’t need a cave in the Himalayas. You don’t need silence. You don’t even need privacy. If you live in Berlin, you already know that the city doesn’t give you any of those things anyway.
But here’s the secret: none of them are necessary.
You can meditate on the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, tram, or bus just as easily as you can at home — maybe even more easily. Why? Because public transport strips away your expectations. You’re already in limbo. You’re already in motion. And nobody is watching you.
They’re staring at their phones. Or out the window. Or at some invisible point in the middle of the carriage that no one wants to admit exists. So if you want to meditate? Go ahead. No one’s stopping you. And no one really notices.
Still, if you’re the type that prefers to keep things under the radar (Berliners tend to), here’s your complete, absurdly thorough guide to meditating incognito on public transport.
1. Wear Sunglasses (Even Underground)
Yes, even in the U-Bahn tunnels. You don’t need to see the sun to justify them — you just need a little plausible deniability.
Dark shades let you close your eyes halfway or fully without anyone really knowing. From the outside, you might look like you’re just zoning out to music or thinking about your next pitch deck. But inside? You’re sitting with your breath, your body, your awareness.
The lack of eye contact alone makes it easier to drop in. No scanning. No catching glimpses of yourself reflected in the glass. Just you and the rhythm of the ride.
Sunglasses are the classic Berlin wall — they let you be seen without being open.
2. Hold a Book (You Don’t Even Have to Read It)
There’s a special move: the open-but-upside-down book.
You rest it on your lap, face down if you want full absurdity, or right side up if you think someone might notice. Your hands rest on either side. Your gaze goes soft. And your focus turns inward.
You’re not trying to fool anyone. You’re just signalling “I’m busy” without needing to perform activity. You can even let your eyes go out of focus on a single word or line — let it become your point of attention. Let the text dissolve into a blur while you sink into stillness.
Pro tip: pick a book with a serious title. No one bothers people reading Das Kapital or Being and Time. Especially upside down.
3. Put in Headphones (Don’t Play Anything)
This one’s essential.
Nothing says “Do Not Disturb” like a pair of over-ear headphones. You don’t even need them to be on. In fact, it’s better if they’re not. That way you can listen — to your surroundings, your breath, your heartbeat, the hum of the train — while signalling that you’re “elsewhere.”
People respect the headphone boundary. It’s the unofficial BVG social contract. Put them on, lean back, and no one asks questions.
Bonus move: loop the cable into your pocket or let the bluetooth light blink visibly. You’re now invisible.
4. Noise Isn’t a Problem. Use It.
People often say they “can’t meditate with noise.” But meditation isn’t about shutting the world out. It’s about letting it be what it is — and choosing not to react to it.
Berlin’s transport is loud. Trams squeal. Bus doors hiss. S-Bahn brakes make sounds that could summon forgotten gods. All of that becomes your meditation soundtrack.
Treat every noise like a bell. Let it bring you back. Not back to silence — back to awareness.
You can’t stop the noise. But you can stop needing it to go away.
5. Use Stops as Markers
One of the easiest ways to stay grounded is to use each station stop as a check-in.
Train slows. Doors open. New energy comes in. Some leaves. You notice your body. You notice your breath. You don’t have to change anything — just become aware.
Then the doors close. You start again.
Each stretch between stops becomes a mini-meditation. You don’t need a timer. Berlin’s timetable is doing it for you.
6. People Aren’t Watching You
Let’s kill the biggest myth right now: people don’t care if you’re meditating. They’re too busy.
Even if they notice, it registers somewhere between “guy in weird hat” and “woman crying into a croissant” — both of which are common enough that no one stares for more than a second.
You’re not performing. You’re just being. And Berlin is one of the best places in the world for that.
This city has people walking barefoot through Tempelhof, others raving in full fetish gear at 9am, and a man who sings falsetto to his parrot on the M4 every Tuesday. You closing your eyes for three stops? You’re practically a ghost.
7. Eyes Soft. Jaw Unclenched. Shoulders Dropped.
This is the posture that gets you into that floaty, aware state — without looking like you’re about to ascend into the cosmos.
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Keep your eyes half-closed or gently unfocused.
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Let your jaw hang loose.
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Let your shoulders fall down and back.
It’s subtle. It’s natural. You’re just a person resting.
From the outside, you look tired. From the inside, you’re tapping into something much deeper.
8. Breath Anchors That Don’t Look Obvious
You don’t have to breathe deeply or dramatically. Just notice.
Pick one of these:
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The air moving in and out of your nostrils.
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The rise and fall of your chest under your coat.
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The subtle tension and release in your belly.
Don’t control it. Just feel it. Let it happen. It always does.
Someone coughs. A phone rings. A child shouts “Scheiße!” in the corner. You notice. Then you come back.
Again and again and again.
9. No One Needs to Know What You’re Doing
This is the magic of incognito meditation: it’s yours.
You’re not advertising. You’re not escaping. You’re not trying to seem enlightened.
You’re just… sitting. While the train moves. While the city breathes around you. While your mind settles into its own rhythm, slowly, softly.
And maybe, just maybe, by the time you get to your stop — you feel a little different. Not “transformed.” Not “healed.” Just a little more yourself.
A little more here.
10. Berlin Is a Perfect Place to Practice Letting Go
Meditation isn’t about escaping life. It’s about being with it.
And nowhere tests that like Berlin public transport. It’s gritty. It’s unpredictable. It’s full of characters and chaos. It’s real.
So next time you find yourself squashed between a baby stroller and a man eating tuna straight from the can, close your eyes. Feel your breath. Let the moment be what it is.
And meditate.
No cushion. No altar. Just you and the city — sharing a ride.
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