A Guide to The Various Meditation Postures
Sunday, October 5th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Since ancient times, people have practiced meditation for the numerous benefits it offers. Incorporating meditation into your everyday life could make a huge difference in your mindset and attitude.
Most forms of meditation call for the spine to be straight and the posture to be erect. The explanation for this is that sitting upright encourages the movement of your spiritual energy. This is believed to be your life energy or force.
A straight back is essential to most of the meditation traditions, and is a standard component of the various postures used in this practice. Here’s a look at a few of them.
1. Seated posture. The individual sits upright while maintaining a straight back. Spine and head are aligned and straight. The thighs are parallel to the floor. The hands are placed on the arms of the chair or on the knees.
2. Cross legged position. This is a very common posture; the lotus position is included in this category.
3. Kneeling posture. The person is positioned with both knees resting on the floor. The buttocks rest on the heels and toes, which are placed side by side. The hands are placed on the thighs.
4. Lying down position. In yoga this is referred to as savasna; it’s also known as the corpse position. The person lies down on the floor keeping the legs unbent and at ease. This posture isn’t that common since it so closely resembles the sleeping position. The individual can occasionally nod off. This is more useful for stress reduction rather than as a meditation method.
As well as the postures, there are a number of actions or gestures that might form part of the meditation experience. Among these are hand gestures called Mudras. A theological meaning is at the root of these gestures. Founded on the yogic school of thought, they might affect the consciousness. A typical example is the placement of hands in Buddhist meditation. With the thumbs touching, the right hand is positioned on top of the left hand.
You can also encourage a state of meditation through the use of repetitive activities like deep breathing, chanting and humming. There are also those who use walking meditation. Typically, the eyes are closed or partially closed during meditation. However, Soto Zen practitioners perform their meditation with their eyes wide open in front of a wall.
To gain the benefits of meditation, follow the training of the type of meditation you have decided to practice. Be aware that persistence and acceptance are required to achieve success. This might help you during difficult times of meditation and will improve focus in your daily life.
