Meditation Posture

From Meditation

This article contains the basic forms of meditation posture.

Contents 1 Physical postures 1.1 Full-Lotus 1.2 Half-Lotus 1.3 Kneeling 1.4 Laying down 1.5 In a chair 2 Eyes 2.1 Closed 2.2 Half-open 2.3 Open 3 Hands 3.1 On Knees 3.2 Mudra

[edit] Physical postures

Here are the general rules of thumb for posture:

• Always keep back straight.
• Don't strain anything in your body.
• Keep as still as possible.

In addition, there are several benefits to having a correct posture while meditating.

Having the correct posture while meditating is not only comfortable, it also:

  1. Decreases chances of being injured; 
  2. Helps the blood flow easily through your body;
  3. Prevents you from falling asleep; and
  4. Prevents your legs, back, and bottom from cramping.

Meditation Videos showing the correct Meditation Posture are very helpful to watch prior to beginning your practice of meditation.

[edit] Full-Lotus

The full-lotus position is often said to be the best posture for meditation. It opens up the legs and hips, but it is very uncomfortable to those who are not flexible. Many people find that practicing the half-lotus makes the full-lotus easier to achieve.

[edit] Half-Lotus

The half-lotus position is best for beginners and those who do not have the flexibility to do a full one. It does open up the hips, but not as much as the full-lotus does.

[edit] Kneeling

It is also alright to kneel to meditate for those who do not wish to go into a sitting position or are not conformable doing one. When kneeling to meditate, always keep your back straight and make sure that you are comfortable.

[edit] Laying down

Laying down to meditate is not advisable, as you are likely to fall asleep. (Unless if you want to fall asleep.) If you do not wish to fall asleep while laying down to meditate, keep your eyes open.

[edit] In a chair

It is also possible to meditate in a chair. Make sure your back is in a straight position, and plant your feet on the ground. Some meditators say that doing a lotus position in a chair helps them keep their back straight.

[edit] Eyes

[edit] Closed

During meditation, it is common to have the eyes closed. This way the meditator can close himself or herself from all distractions and focus more on their thoughts, breathing, etc.

[edit] Half-open

In zazen, it is traditional to keep the eyes half open, not focusing on anything. Blinking is minimized when keeping the eyes half-open. When doing this, simply point your eyes in the direction of the floor about 1 meter in front of you. While in front of a wall, you can either "look through" it or gaze at the wall.

[edit] Open

When the eyes are open, it is best to dim the lights and focus on something like a candle. You may notice while doing this the entire room will "blank out".

[edit] Hands

[edit] On Knees

When sitting in one of the lotus positions, sometimes the hands are placed on the knees.

[edit] Mudra

Often, a mudra is formed with the hands.