These simple tips on posture can transform a meditation practice. Give them a try and see how your state of mind subtly shifts.
Knees Below Hips
A meditation posture is constructed just like a house: from the ground up. With a relaxed lower body as a stable foundation, the rest of the body is free to sit upright.
One useful trick for relaxing the lower body is to sit on a cushion, or to elevate the hips above the knees. The goal is for the knees to rest at a level below the hips, which instantly takes away muscular tension in the legs. It’s like magic.
One useful trick for relaxing the lower body is to sit on a cushion, or to elevate the hips above the knees. The goal is for the knees to rest at a level below the hips, which instantly takes away muscular tension in the legs. It’s like magic.
Long Spine
The central feature of a meditation posture is a long, straight spinal column. In many spiritual practices, this is even the object of meditation.
Try it out: starting from the base of the spine, trace each vertebrae upwards, one at a time. Imagine each vertebrae stacking one upon another. Observe any tendency to lean forward, back, or side-to-side, and subtly adjust yourself so that the spine is balanced upon its center.
Try it out: starting from the base of the spine, trace each vertebrae upwards, one at a time. Imagine each vertebrae stacking one upon another. Observe any tendency to lean forward, back, or side-to-side, and subtly adjust yourself so that the spine is balanced upon its center.
Crown to the Sky
Lower the chin slightly, and allow the top of the head to reach toward the sky. Imagine a string attached to the crown of the head, pulling the spine tall.
Shoulders and Hips
The shoulders and hips are the places where most of our life stress and emotional turmoil tend to accumulate. The shoulders and hips serve as a gateway to relaxation — by releasing muscular tension in the shoulders and hips, anxiety and emotional tension will automatically ease up, and the mind becomes calm and serene. This is precisely where we most benefit from practicing relaxation.
Imagine the hips and shoulders melting, gravity pulling the flesh and bone downwards, toward the earth. If you find any places of muscular tightness or patterns of holding, gently soften around it. Be patient, breathe to these parts of the body, and allow yourself to slowly, gently let go.
Imagine the hips and shoulders melting, gravity pulling the flesh and bone downwards, toward the earth. If you find any places of muscular tightness or patterns of holding, gently soften around it. Be patient, breathe to these parts of the body, and allow yourself to slowly, gently let go.
In Summary
Sit with the knees lower than the hips, and consciously relax the legs. Stack the spine vertebrae by vertebrae, and reach with the crown of the head toward the sky. Finally, allow the physical body to relax. This is a strong yet soft posture — exactly what we need to turn the mind inwards.
As Suzuki Roshi once said, “To take this posture itself is to have the right state of mind.”
As Suzuki Roshi once said, “To take this posture itself is to have the right state of mind.”
RSS Feed