Questions tagged [meditation-posture]
Questions concerning how one sits during meditation including difficulties arising from position or recommendations for sitting positions to suit individual circumstances.
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Correct posture while sitting seiza for spinal alignment
While sitting seiza, should most of your weight fall on your butt, hips, or coccyx (base of spine)?
I have read that you should try to sit really straight or even to lean back to prevent spinal load.
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Posture for meditation
Is cross-legged sitting better than chair sitting for meditation. If yes why ?
What is the reason to keep ur back straight during meditation?
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Avoiding neck pain
I am meditating now regularly for last 4 months. I always sit in a cross legged position with my head slightly bent down. I started developing a neck pain for last 10 days and it distubs me a lot. I ...
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Is the lotus position more prone to knee injury?
I've seen it mentioned once or twice, a great teacher or master who has knee injury due to lots of sitting practice. I know that if the posture is incorrect or if one is forcing it, it will lead to ...
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Thai Theravada Buddhism
In the temple where I am going to ordain, they often sit on their heals with toes bent forward (which I am working on) and they also sit with their legs to the side in what they call "mermaid style" ...
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What is the meditation position in which Ananda thero became an arahant?
We all know that Ananda Thero was Buddha's personal attendant -- Wikipedia says,
In the long list of the disciples given in the Anguttara Nikaya (i. xiv.), where each of them is declared to be ...
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Importance of Posture in Meditation
I'm curious to know: how important is posture during meditation? Could someone meditate on public transport, or while walking in different places? Is there a difference in the necessity of posture ...
user7302
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How to balance an attitude of "effortless non-striving" with proper posture?
In Karma-Chagme's book, "A Spacious Path to Freedom", he emphasizes the importance of correct posture in directing the vital energies to the central channel. In particular, he mentions (1) the tongue ...
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Exercise for meditation sitting
I couldn't find this exact question asked before.
What kind of exercise is recommended for better physical comfort and "endurance"/"stamina" when sitting in meditation; apart from the sitting itself?...
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Meditation posture and language as a monk in Thailand
I am not able to sit in the lotus position. I'm only 24 years old but quite tall (189 cm). Usually I sit in this position:
(I googled the picture, it's from EMPFOHLENE MEDITATIONS-POSITIONEN UND ...
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how to label changing postures?
Up until now when i change postures i said in my language the word for changing to a sitting posture and then "sitting" three times - now i think it overdoing it and i think maybe its best just to say ...
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Vajra Posture vs Lotus Posture -- the same or male vs female?
I always thought that "Vajra Posture" and "Lotus Posture" were simply two names for the same thing. But recently somebody told me that Vajra Posture is for males and Lotus Posture for females, though ...
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Is a straight spine/spinal posture during seated meditation critical?
I notice, in images of monks and lay people in seated meditation, that many of these various persons appear to be using very poor posture, e.g. slumped and not erect. Written instructions and video ...
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Do we know in what posture the Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree?
I was reading yesterday this blog by a Zen nun and in this post she casually says in the third to last paragraph that we don't know in what posture the Buddha did sit under the Bodhi tree.
I found ...
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Leg pain in retreats and even zen short sessions
I've never had a problem with sleepiness, and I only get impatient when sitting on my own.
But oh that leg pain is something else.
Does anyone have any advice from a Zen perspective - not ...
user2512
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How to deal with sore hips during sitting?
I have been finding my hips to be getting super stiff after sitting practice. I have been stretching before and after, but it doesn't seem to help much. Does anyone have any tips to deal with this ...
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Allow myself to rock or sway while meditating?
I have noticed that sometimes, almost unconsciously, my body begins to sway forward and backward ever so slightly when I'm sitting in meditation (actually, kneeling - I sit zazen on a bench). It does ...
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Questions regarding meditation posture and movement
I was trying sitting cross legged and back straight during Anapanasati meditation.
I have looked at this question -> A question about sitting, movement and mindfulness
I would like to know what are ...
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Does hand gesture have an impact on meditation or attainment of Nirvana?
The question regarding the gesture while sitting for meditation has always intrigued me. When I tried to ask this to a Vipassana teacher in my 10-day course, he put it off saying I should concentrate ...
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Avoiding Back Pain
I'm brand-new to meditation! I have just completed one week of daily vipassana meditation -- 10 minutes twice daily; once in the morning, once in the evening. I'm unfortunately experiencing extremely ...
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Lotus position right knee floating?
This isn't a Buddhist question per se, maybe better placed in a yoga or Taoist thread but anywhere here I go:
When I am in the lotus position (classic right leg over left leg as instructed in all ...
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Buddha meditation under the bodhi tree
Buddha meditated for days under the bodhi tree. Does it mean he sat and did not move for days? Or does it mean he did normal things (like drinking water, urinating etc), but in a total meditative ...
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A question about sitting, movement and mindfulness
I have had bad posture for most of my life. I find that if I do not sit quite straight during sitting meditation, my body leans forward putting weight on my legs which becomes quite painful. However, ...
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Where is the story that Buddha was worried about a monk who meditated with a straight back?
I'm trying to find a story in the Pali canon (or maybe not) reportedly told by Ajahn Brahm that goes like this (copied from here):
Buddha was wandering along with Ananda when they came across a ...
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Can I meditate while lying on my back?
Is lying flat on my back an acceptable meditation posture? Why or why not?
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How can I build up to being able to get into the full lotus position?
When I meditate, I usually sit in what is referred to in the United States as Indian style. The problem with this position is twofold: 1) It isn't very stable and 2) after ~15 minutes I find myself ...
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Any advice on leg numbing during sitting?
It happens at about 20 minutes every time lately... either in half lotus (a traditional position that I would like to honor), or with one leg laying in front of the other, or Indian style... doesn't ...
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Purpose of touching tongue to roof of mouth during meditation
While researching forms of meditation involving concentration specific to the Tibetan school of Buddhism, the meditation instruction tells one to touch their tongue to the roof of their mouth when ...
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Hamstring issues when in a five-point-meditation posture
Most days when I sit in a five-point meditation posture on a cushion there isn't a problem when sitting for the duration of a meditation session, but for particularly long sessions or on some days, ...
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