ON MEDITATION POSTURES

COMFORTABLE – YET ALERT

Most importantly, your posture should allow for an upright and ease yet comfortable position. While most traditional meditation postures involve a cross-legged position, it is completely legitimate to meditate sitting on a chair.

Whether you are sitting on a meditation cushion, a chair or a park bench, make sure to have a stable and solid seat. Do not perch or hang back.

Long-time meditators point out that the back ’s position is much more important than the legs’.

Try to sit relatively straight without getting rigid – in a way when you can be alert and relaxed at the same time. Remember that meditation is not about getting to an internal place where there is perfect balance – much rather, it is like being a tight-rope walker adjusting their balance moment by moment internally and externally.

SEATED

If seated, do not lean back in the chair but have a self-supporting spine. You cannot be a meditator and a couch potato at the same time! Keep your back in a comfortable, naturally straight posture almost as if you were suspended from a sring by a puppeteer.

The soles should be touching the floor. Thighs should be horizontal – ideally the knees would be a little lower than your hips. You may want to experiment with having a block or cushion under the feet, or a cushion in the low back to support the low back.

ON THE FLOOR

If on a cushion on the floor, cross your legs comfortably in front of you. Make sure to let your pelvis tilt forward but do now overarch.

Sometimes it is easier to get your knees down if you are elevated. You may want to sit on a cushion to raise your hips above the knees, and if the knees are not resting on the floor, support them by placing cushions underneath. Here again, having the back straight is really important.

For a low center of gravity, it is nice to have a tripod of these three points (two knees and your buttock) to create a stable base for holding the rest of your torso upright.

Another option might be to kneel: use a meditation stool or sit on a pile of cushions with your legs either side of the cushions (it is called the Burmese fashion). Again, having some padding underneath the lower legs and feet can help.

POSTURE

Once you find an ideal posture straighten but do not stiffen your upper body – the spine has its natural curve. Your head and shoulders can comfortably rest on top of your vertebrae. Line up your ears with your shoulders.

Place your upper arms parallel to your upper body and let your hands drop onto the tops of your legs. With your upper arms at your sides, your hands will land in the right spot. Too far back will make you stiff, too far forward will make you hunch. You are tuning the strings of your body – not too tight and not too loose.

Drop your chin a little and let your gaze fall gently downward. Even though it surely helps with tuning in, it is not necessary to close your eyes completely. You may choose to lower your eyelids and simply let what appears before your eyes be there without focusing on it.

Most meditators practice with palms facing downwards and resting on their knees or with the hands in their laps, facing upwards, with one hand over the other and the thumbs touching.

Mouth should be kept closed – it is helpful to have the tongue resting lightly against the palate at the top of the mouth.

Eyes are usually closed but you may wish to keep them open if that feels more comfortable.

You may find that it takes a while before you are able to sit  comfortably in such a position for a longer time –  each of us is different, your body may need more time to stretch out than mine but it is well worth practicing.