Different Postures of Meditation
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 explanation for this is that sitting upright encourages the movement of your spiritual energy. This is considered to be your life force.
A straight back is essential to most of the meditation traditions, and is a standard component of the various postures used in this practice. Let’s take a look at some of them.
1. Seated posture. The person sits erect while keeping the back straight. The head and spine are in alignment and not tilted. Thighs are parallel with the ground. Hands are placed comfortably on the knees or chair arms.
2. Cross legged posture. This is one of the most popular positions, and includes the lotus position.
3. Kneeling position. The individual is on the floor in a kneeling position. The buttocks rest on the heels and toes, which are placed side by side. The hands are placed on the thighs.
4. Lying down posture. In yoga this is referred to as savasna; it’s also known as the corpse position. The individual lies flat on the floor with the legs straight and relaxed. This position isn’t used often because it copies the innate position of sleep. 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. Included in these are hand motions which are termed Mudras. A theological meaning is at the root of these gestures. Founded on the yogic school of thought, they might affect the consciousness. A typical example is the placement of hands in Buddhist meditation. The right hand reposes on top of the left hand with thumbs touching.
You can also encourage a state of meditation through the use of repetitive activities like deep breathing, chanting and humming. There are also those who use walking meditation. It’s common to keep the eyes closed or partially open while meditating. However, Soto Zen practitioners perform their meditation with their eyes wide open in front of a wall.
To gain the benefits of meditation, follow the training of the type of meditation you have decided to practice. Remember that acceptance and persistence are necessary in order to have success. This might help you during difficult times of meditation and will improve focus in your daily life.
