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Find Your Seat and Space
32:08

Find Your Seat and Space

Seated meditation positions: Good posture is really important for meditation, but that doesn’t have to mean sitting on the floor and turning yourself into a human pretzel in a cross-legged pose. On a cushion or blanket on the floor: Of course, if you prefer sitting cross-legged on the floor, that’s fine too! Sit on a cushion or a folded blanket so your knees are lower than your hips. If you’re sitting on a hard floor, a rug or blanket under your feet will cushion your ankles. If it helps, you can lean against the wall or a sturdy piece of furniture. Put a soft pillow or two behind your lower back to make sure your spine is straight, in an upright position. If sitting cross legged bothers your knees, stretch your legs out in front of you. Whichever sitting meditation position you choose, the posture pointers are the same: the back is neutral yet relaxed, the head and neck are aligned over the spine, and the arms rest on the legs or in the lap. When it comes to your hand positions during meditation, you can either place them on the legs, palms down, or in your lap, palms up, one hand resting in the other. Practitioner’s choice. Remember, if your seat isn’t comfortable the rest of your body will tense up, and that will make meditating difficult. In a chair, or on a sofa: Try sitting in an upright chair that has no arms (like a dining room chair) with your legs uncrossed, feet on the floor, and your arms and hands resting either on the legs or in the lap. If possible try not to lean against the back of the chair. Scooch to the middle of the chair, and, if it helps, place a cushion or folded blanket under your sitting bones to tilt your hips forward. You can also put a pillow behind your lower back for support to help keep your back naturally straight (not arched or hunched) and your head and neck aligned with your spine. The idea is to set yourself up so you’re alert, yet maintaining your posture feels effortless. Lying down meditation: Can I meditate lying down? Well, because the mind tends to be more alert and attentive when we’re seated and upright, most teachers agree that sitting to meditate is best whenever possible. However, if you’re wondering whether you can meditate lying down, the answer is yes. Option 1: If sitting causes any discomfort — if you have back pain or sciatica, or maybe your foot is in a cast, which makes it hard to sit — or you don’t feel well and you need to lie down, of course, it’s OK to lie flat on the floor as an alternative. Lying down is also an option as a meditation position for beginners if it helps you feel more comfortable while you’re learning a new skill. To set yourself up, lie on your back with your legs about hip-width apart, toes relaxed out to the side, arms extended alongside your body, palms turned up. (If you’re familiar with yoga, this is savasana, or corpse pose, that comes at the end of class.) Option 2: If it feels more comfortable, try placing a thin pillow under your head and bending your knees to 90 degrees so your feet are flat on the floor, or put a pillow underneath your knees to elevate them. This will help to protect your lower back and prevent any additional strain. Assuming you’re not trying to drift off to sleep you’ll probably want to lie on a mat or a blanket on the floor so you don’t get drowsy. If you’re practicing a sleep meditation, like yoga nidra, by all means, lie down in your comfy bed, take a few deep breaths, and close your eyes!
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