Why don’t you take a seat?
We have work to do, my Brother.
Before we get into the meat & potatoes of teaching how to sit when you meditate it is important to make a note.
YOUR INABILITY TO SIT IS A NON FACTOR TO STARTING YOUR PRACTICE!
There are many forms of meditation. We tend to only think of monks seated cross legged, DEEP in meditation when we get the image of a meditator in our mind.
This isn’t the only way, just the most recognizable way!
If you are unable to sit cross legged, this is not an excuse to never start practicing.
Around these parts, we are not in the business of making excuses. We are in the business of adapting to our personal situation & pushing towards progress.
You own one of these right?
What about one of these?
Yes? Oh perfect, I had a feeling you were going to say that!
IF YOU HAVE A BED OR A CHAIR YOU CAN STILL MEDITATE!
If you can lay in a bed, or sit in a chair, you can meditate. Remember, meditation in it’s simplest form is simply bringing your awareness to your breath & being with it. You have NO excuse.
For a lot of people, especially those new to meditation the above two options are very appealing.
There is no shame in not sitting cross legged.
Set the Stage First
Meditation is a practice that is ritualistic. I believe it to be most effective when approached as such.
I meditate anywhere. On a subway, in a park, a crowded room, at work.
But the core of my practice?
It’s done in the same spot every day. Under similar conditions as the day before, within my control.
There is a designated place in my bedroom where the only activity I use that space for is meditative practice. Be it meditation, breathwork or yoga.
Despite not being a separate room, when I step into that space I am stepping into a room separate from the rest of the room.
The above mindset is not original to me. I first learned of it when reading “Hatha Yoga Pradipika” originally by Yogi Swatmarama, commentary done by Swami Muktibodhananda.
Chapter 1 Verse 12 for anyone who is interested!
Admittedly, and this is discussed in the text, our modern world is vastly different than that of ancient times. As such, the conditions we practice under have adapted. The space in my bedroom? That’s my adaptation to tap further into my practice.
The KEY POINT being setting up a space where you have curated the environment you practice in to a certain extent.
“Ok Fighter, but HOW do I sit??”
Before that:
How you sit matters, equally important to how you sit is how you approach sitting MENTALLY.
You are taking a seat to meditate. A choice has been made. Recognize that in your mind.
“I am sitting down now to meditate. I have nowhere to be but here & now.”
You are making a statement to yourself in deciding to take a seat. So honor that statement. Your practice is important & should be treated as such.
When you embody this, you can sit anywhere and practice.
“Okay Barsmaster (tm), tell me how to sit…”
Alright, you got it!
Cushion or no?
I use a cushion. The one I use you can get here on Amazon: Zafu Buckwheat Meditation Cushion (NON AFFILIATE).
If you are someone who has trouble sitting down on the floor a cushion can help alleviate that a bit.
Sitting on a cushion also sets you up structurally to practice better. This is because it places your hip bones higher than your knees when sitting cross legged.
An important factor, especially when discussing breathwork, because structurally your diaphragm is able to expand/inflate better. It is not crowded by your own posture.
Crossing your legs - Lotus Pose
Lotus Pose, much like hand placement (Mudras) are deserving of their own posts entirely & will get those in the future.
For the sake of RIGHT NOW, let’s talk about Quarter Lotus (Pada Padmasana).
Quarter Lotus is the easiest way to cross your legs for most. As you practice & strengthen yourself you can move up to Half Lotus (Ardha Padmasana) & then eventually into Lotus Pose (Padmasana).
To be real with you, I mostly use Quarter Lotus in my personal practice. I have a hip surgery under my belt & for prolonged sitting this is most attainable for me without feeling discomfort. (ADAPT)
Quarter Lotus looks like this:
Right foot is resting on left calf, ideally your left foot is resting on your right calf.
Posture
Your posture is very important, in meditation or in anything.
Think about it, if you are a slouch & carry yourself in a slouching posture, how are you perceived? What type of energy do you invoke in taking such a stance?
When you meditate, do not slouch.
At the same time, do not be stiff and rigid.
“What should I be then?”
Firm. Think of your back like a straight line. You are not leaning forward, you are not leaning back. The chest is not puffed out.
You’ve heard the old posture line about “imagine a string is holding you up from the top of your head”, right? Think of that, but do not allow the string to be so taut it could snap.
Relax into your body, even if only slightly so. If you take care of yourself, it has been built to hold you.
Let your shoulders drop, unclench your jaw, relax your core. Settle into your pose. You are a mountain, after all.
Hand Placement
We will touch very briefly on this. Hand placement in meditation is called a Mudra. Mudras are symbolic in nature & are said to invoke different types of energy/effects within the body, mind & spirit when used.
To start out though?
You can simply place your palms on your knees. Do not worry too deeply over your hand placement when first starting out.
Build foundations first & then add floors onto the house after.
If you do want to use a Mudra, a very common one is Dhyana Mudra. This Mudra is said to bring tranquility, inner peace & deep concentration.
It looks like this, but you can also see me doing it in the above photo.
That’s all I got for ya today!
Remember:
How you sit does not need to be absolutely perfect. The goal is to spend time meditating, tapped in to your awareness & the present moment.
Constant back & forth of “am I sitting right?” Doesn’t seem very present, does it?
Stay BLESSED
Fighter (link to Twitter)
P.S. You can learn how to practice mindfulness (through the breath, meditation & resilience training) directly from me here: Daily Practice Consult Call