What Should We Sit On During our Meditations?
There are various ways in which we can sit while we are meditating. We can meditate on a chair, a cushion, a wooden stool, or just sitting on the ground. According to the ancient theories it is best to just sit on the ground because then you are firmly earthed. We make a connection with both the earth and heaven. We sit like a mountain, firmly nailed to the ground and we radiate balance and presence.
Sometimes it is said that it is good to look in the direction of the magnetic poles of the earth, so towards the north or the south. In our view it is not necessary to sit on the ground or facing the right direction. Do not make things too hard for yourself at first, experiment and experience the differences. On the other hand it is important to bring about a certain pattern in your posture after some time so that your body will recognise this posture as your meditation posture and will associate it with relaxation. This will help you to reach a deep state of meditation faster and with greater ease as soon as you start to meditate.
Unfortunately sitting on the ground without any support causes back problems for many people and this makes it necessary for many of us to sit on a chair or a cushion to meditate.
Meditating on a chair
Many people start with a posture that is too hard for them. It is best to start meditating in a chair. If you want to meditate in a chair take one with a straight back that is not too high. See to it that your upper legs and your lower legs form an angle of 90 degrees and let both feet rest flat on the ground. If you do not meet these requirements there is a good chance that your body will start to compensate and you will begin to sit crooked or with a hollow back. And this can lead to aches and irritations. If it is possible try not to let your upper body rest against the back of the chair. If we are supported we will have to change our position sooner or later because we are sitting in a position that is not natural. It may help to choose a chair of which the seat slightly slopes down. If you feel you have to lean against something, then that is not such a problem at first. But: the better we can sit straight without any support the better we will develop alertness and awareness.
Meditating on a cushion
Though sitting on a chair is a fine posture it does not feel so satisfactory as sitting on the floor. When we are sitting on the floor we feel better earthed. Many meditators sit on a special meditation cushion, called zafu, because sitting on the ground without a cushion often leads to back aches. The most important thing we should pay attention to when buying a zafu is the height. When the zafu is too high we will often sit with a hollow back and when it is too low we will have a tendency to bend. When you can sit up straight easily the height is all right.
Tip: visit our Meditation Shop for more info on and prices of zafus.
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Basics & Backgrounds
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