A Guide to The Various Meditation Postures

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Monday, May 11th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

Since ages past, meditation has been practiced by countless people for its many benefits. 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 reason for this is that when you sit erect it promotes the circulation of your spiritual energy. This is believed to be your life energy or force.

Even though a straight back is almost universal in the different approaches to meditation, some spiritual traditions and meditation instructors advise a variety of postures. Let’s take a look at some of them.

1. Seated posture. The individual sits upright while maintaining a straight back. Spine and head are aligned and straight. Thighs are parallel with the ground. Hands are placed comfortably on the knees or chair arms.

2. Cross legged position. This is a very common posture; the lotus position is included in this category.

3. Kneeling position. The person is positioned with both knees resting on the floor. Buttocks remain resting on the heels and toes, which are close together. Hands rest on the thighs.

4. Lying down position. This is also called the corpse position or, in yoga, savasna. The individual lies flat on the floor with the legs straight and relaxed. This posture isn’t that common since it so closely resembles the sleeping position. The individual can occasionally nod off. This is better as a means of reducing stress more so than for meditating.

In addition to these postures, there are several gestures and movements that can be incorporated into the practice of meditation. 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. One illustration is the typical Buddhist hand placement. 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. Some people practice walking meditation. Typically, the eyes are closed or partially closed during meditation. Those who practice Soto Zen meditation, however, do so with their eyes open looking at 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.

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