6 Basic Postures for Meditation

     

Most people believe that the only way to meditate is by using the stereotypical Lotus position where the person meditating will sit legs crossed like a pretzel with their hands on their knees and their thumb touching their middle finger. Although, this is a common posture for meditation, there are several other postures that may be more comfortable for you to use. The first three are very similar as you will see.

A Right Meditation Posture plays a very important role during meditation. The activity of the mind and the body posture are directly related to each other. I t is almost impossible to be alert and fully present when your body is not in a proper position. When we choose a Meditation Posture we should always bear in mind that                

• The Meditation Posture should always enable us to relax and it should be comfortable.
• The Meditation Posture should enable us to stay alert and awake.

*If you do not yet know how to Meditate, check out my post: How to Meditate: The Beginner's Guide

1.    Burmese Style:

·         The legs are crossed and the tops/sides of both feet rest on the floor.

·         The knees should ideally also rest on the floor. Depending on your flexibility, it may take a bit of practice for the muscles to stretch and the knees to begin to drop. A cushion under the knee(s) can help.

·         Sit on the front third of the zafu (if round), which helps keep your back upright.

·         Imagine the top of your head being pulled upward towards the ceiling, which straightens your spine, then just let the muscles go soft and relax.

·         There should be a slight curve in the lower region of the back. In this position, it takes very little effort to keep the body upright.

·         If you sit more than 30 minutes a day, I recommend that you alternate which leg goes in front.

2.    Lotus Position

Half Lotus

·         The left foot is placed up onto the right thigh and the right leg is tucked under. This position is slightly asymmetrical and sometimes the upper body needs to compensate in order to keep itself absolutely straight. If you sit more than 30 minutes a day, I recommend that you alternate which leg goes on top.

Full Lotus

• The most stable of all the positions is the full lotus, where each foot is placed up on the opposite thigh. This is symmetrical and very solid, but only if you can be relax in it. Unless it’s easy for you, one can easily injure their knees trying to force it.

3.    Tailor Style/ Cross-Legged

• A common cross-legged position is with the lower part of both legs folded towards the body, crossing each other at the ankle or calf, with both ankles on the floor, sometimes with the feet tucked under the knees or thighs. This is great for beginners as flexibility and practice are needed for the other legs crossed styles. It also takes more meditation practice to learn how to meditate with the pain of stretching in those postures.

4.      Seiza Posture (with a bench, zafu, or just kneeling)

·         You can sit kneeling using a seiza bench, which keeps the weight off your feet and helps keep your spine straight. This is my favorite because it helps me stay in a constant position and won’t move like a pillow.

·         You can also sit kneeling with a pillow between your legs. If using a zafu, it is often placed “on edge.” This is the easiest to use because you can essentially use any type of pillow lying around for support.

·         Some people prefer kneeling, without any pillow or bench, sitting on their heels. This is difficult for me as I can not meditate for too long because the pain is too much without any support.

5.    Sitting In a Chair

It’s easier to stay upright and alert on a chair if you sit closer to the front edge and hold your own spine up instead of leaning against the chair back. If you sit with your pelvis against the back of the chair, you can use a cushion behind you to help keep your back straight. The hips should be slightly higher than the knees, this keeps you from slouching.

·      Keep your feet flat on the floor.

·      If you are much taller or shorter than “average” you can compensate using a cushion under the feet if shorter, or under the buttocks if taller.

·      The hands can be kept on the thighs, or folded on the lap, or on top of a cushion on the lap.

6.      Lying Down (If sitting is not an option)

·         The tendency to fall asleep is more of an issue, but there are ways of encouraging alertness when lying down.

·         Place your feet comfortably apart on the floor with the knees up, the knees not touching. If you fall asleep, the knees will bump each other or fall away and wake you up.

·         Another choice is keeping one of your forearms perpendicular to the floor, with your elbow and upper arm resting on the floor. If you get sleepy, it will drop.

·         Another option is holding the hands in a “mudra” with the thumbs touching each other. This can work as a feedback device: when you are beginning to lose consciousness and drift off, the thumbs will pull apart and that will wake you up to bring you back to your meditation.

Posture is very important while meditating. Bad posture can cause sleepiness, boredom, discomfort, frustration, and distraction. If you want to learn how to prevent bad posture, check out my post: 7 Common Posture Mistakes While Meditating

You can also check out my previous posts on meditation:

5 Benefits of Meditation

3 Simple Ways to Improve Your Meditation