Postures of Meditation : A Guide

People practice meditation because it provides advantages.  Incorporating meditation as part of your daily life can make a big difference regarding your attitude and outlook in life.

Because meditation is a procedure, it involves several steps as well as postures when doing it.

1. Cross legged posture

Various spiritual traditions and meditation teachers suggest or prescribe various meditation physical postures.

One of the most popular postures is the cross legged position which includes the lotus position.  It is taught in most meditative traditions that the spinal cord must be kept straight, so slouching is not a good idea.

When you sit straight, it encourages good circulation of what is called spiritual energy, or Ki, which is the life force and vital breath.

 2. Seated posture

New Age meditators often sit on a chair with bare feet.  Orthodox Christians often meditate sitting on a stool.  In Theravada Buddhism, the meditator walks in mindfulness.  In some traditions such as Zen Buddhism the meditator sits in a cross-legged position.

Though universally the meditator sits up keeping his or her back straight holding the spine and head in alignment, and thighs parallel to the floor.  The hands are rested comfortably on the arm of the chair, or or on the knees.

3. Kneeling posture

The meditator kneels with both knees on the floor keeping his or her buttocks resting on his or her toes and heels which are almost touching.  The hands rest on his or his thighs.

4. Lying down posture

Also known as corpse posture in some traditions or the savasna posture in yoga.

The meditator lies on the carpet keeping his or her legs straight and relaxed.  This is not used more often because it mimics the natural posture of sleeping.  Meditators not proficient in mindfullness can sometimes fall asleep.

This is gennerally most effectively to reduce stress rather than to meditate among the less experienced meditators.

5. Incorporating mudras or hand gestures.

There is often deeper religious and spiritual meaning behind these gestures.  They are usually based on Yogic philosophy, and can affect the consciousness of the meditator.

One common example are the hand-positions of Buddhists when they meditate.  The right hand rests on the top of the left hand with touching thumbs similar to the begging bowl of Buddha.

6. Incorporating various repetitive activities in stillness such as humming, chanting, or deep breathing

Humming, chanting, deep or cyclical breathing, etc. all help to induce a state of meditation.

The Soto Zen practitioners do their meditation in facing a wall with open eyes.  Most mediation schools assum that the meditators eyes are half-open or closed.

The duration and frequency of meditation vary.  There are nuns and monks who bow for a lifetime meditation.  The generally accepted duration for a simple meditation perios is about 20 or 30 minutes.  This length may increase as the process goes on as what experienced meditators revealed.

Most traditions require daily practice.

Some meditators may experience frustrations or guilt when they fail.  Sometimes, meditators may complain about "meditators knee" especially during long hours of kneeling or sitting crossed-legged. 

To obtain the deeper benefits of meditation, it is always advisable for the beginner to seek out and follow the advice and guidance of a teacher.

Bear in mind that perseverance and acceptance are needed to become successful at anything and meditation is no different.

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