Whatever Posture Works for You
When we think of meditation we often picture someone sitting straight and upright, cross-legged on the floor. They look like statues that sit there for hours.
I am here to tell you meditation doesn’t have to be like that. You can meditate in any posture and sometimes get more benefit because of that. I meditate siting, lying down, walking and standing.
I encourage everyone to explore meditation in whatever posture works for you.
Those of us with chronic pain, illness and disability can’t always sit in the upright posture that many teachers say is necessary. I am here to say full lotus is not necessary.
I’ll give you a few tips that may help. I’ll explain why teachers say the full lotus is necessary and how you can get the same benefit with a different posture. Then I’ll tell you about a meditation that requires you to be totally relaxed in any position that feels - in a word - relaxing.
Why Full Lotus?
The reason teachers tell us to sit upright with a straight spine is so that we can achieve a state of relaxed awareness. Relaxed awareness is a state in which we are alert and awake but also relaxed. Neuro-physiologically this means that we are engaging the parasympathetic nervous system (relaxed). But we are not in a state of total relaxation or sleep.
If we learn to maintain a state of relaxed awareness, we can be in the calm and relaxing parasympathetic nervous system but also be engaged in the world. With meditation we learn to participate in daily life in this relaxed state.
Typically, in the West the drive emotion regulation system is encouraged and developed. The constant drive system engagement promotes a stressed state – sympathetic nervous system. If we have chronic health issues, we are often in the threat response emotion regulation system. This state is also a stress response of the sympathetic nervous system.
With meditation we learn to be anchored in the relaxed state (parasympathetic) but engaged. We are calm but aware and alert.
If we don’t sit up to meditate, we are more likely to fall asleep and lose our awareness. That of course defeats the purpose. So from this perspective it is okay to lie down or sit back, as long as it doesn’t make you too sleepy.
Maintaining Awareness
There are things you can do to stay more alert in a prone or laid back position. For example, the use of vivid visualizations, especially those using light. This is why tantric meditation is so helpful.
You can also use open eyes and look up or out to help you keep more alert. You can do analytic meditation, contemplation, read Dharma and contemplate. You can do tonglen, loving-kindness or meditation on joy. All these types of meditation help to keep the brain more awake.
If you do fall asleep, that’s okay too. You may need the sleep and sleep meditation is a thing too.
Aligning Chakras
The second reason teachers encourage the full-lotus position is that it aligns the chakras and the central channel. This helps deepen the meditation and is particularly useful when doing certain Vajrayana practices. But that doesn’t mean it has to be done that way, only that it facilitates deeper practice.
On the other hand, if you can practice without this outer aid of erect posture, then you will be well practiced. In other words, it may be more challenging to do the meditation not in the classic way, but if you do, you will have a more profound practice.
Also, if you lie down or sit in a way that keeps the spine straight, your chakras and channels will align. You don’t have to have the full lotus to have the chakras and channels aligned.
Mix It Up
In my personal meditation I like to mix it up. I do my preliminary prayers and contemplations sitting on a bench. The bench does a very good job of aligning the spine.
Then I like to lie down in the sleeping lion posture to do my visualizations. The sleeping lion posture is the position the Buddha took when he died and is considered a very special posture. Lie on the right side with the left hand resting on the left thigh. The right hand is placed under the right chin. The spine is straight.
You can do variations on this posture by changing sides which will open the solar energy channels. Lying on the right side opens the lunar energy channels.
Another useful posture is the zero gravity position. This is basically a position where one sits back such that the knees are above the head. It is called zero gravity because the astronauts use it when launching out of the earth’s gravity. It is a positions which causes the least stress on the body frame.
You can do the zero gravity by lying on a bed on your back. A small pillow under your head and pillow or pillows under your knees to raise them above head level. In this position the spine is straight.
Any Position Meditation
Below is a meditation called Liberation Through the Three. It can be done in any position, anywhere at any time. In fact, it is suggested that this meditation be done in a relaxed position; maybe even in your lounger.
It has three parts. Pause after each paragraph. Take your time:
1. Become aware of sensations in your body. Just let me them be as they are but notice them. When the mind wanders bring it back to the sensations in the body.
Notice pain or discomfort. Also notice areas that aren’t painful or feeling uncomfortable. Notice the relaxed parts.
Can you find the stillness within your body? Deep in your body there is stillness. See if you can connect with that. Take time to feel that connection with body stillness.
2. Become aware of your breath. Is it fast, slow, shallow, deep? Don’t control or manipulate the breath, just be aware. If the mind wanders, let it come back to the breath.
Become aware of any noise or lack of noise. Be aware of noise your body or breath make. Be aware of noise in the room or outside the room.
Can you notice the silence behind the noise? Can you connect with the silence? Take time to connect with the silence.
3. Become aware of your mind; of your thoughts and feelings. Let them be; let them go wherever they want. Just notice. If you’re daydreaming about something, let your mind daydream. Just be aware that you are daydreaming.
If you have confusing, nasty or difficult thoughts or feelings; that’s okay too. Just be aware.
Can you notice the space within your mind? The space behind the thoughts, behind the feelings? Try to connect with the space of the mind. Just rest there
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