The Lotus Position

[RickThai]

I am trying to become better at meditation. I notice most Buddhists monks and many depictions of the Buddha, use a full Lotus position for meditation.

Although I used to be very flexible (years of martial arts), I am now 58 and have trouble getting into even a half lotus. The pain is very intense.

Are there any techniques, tips, or exercises that any of you know of that can help me master this position?

Thank You,

As Always, Respectfully,

Rick

[rockyysdt]

Out of interest Rick, which position do you currently use?

I tried a number of exercises over two years to improve my flexibility but ended up weakening my groin area and affecting my walk.

I've come to the conclusion that my inherited geometry isn't suitable.

Also Thais sit in a cross legged position since early childhood, a period when they still had great flexibility.

Here is a series of exercises for the Lotus.

http://www.howtostretch.com/lotus.html

I find that as long as you have a stable and resilient three pointed sitting position your practice will be satisfactory.

A Monk recently advised me that it was important to be able to maintain a posture for at least 2 hours (if not more) without movement, in order to progress in your practice.

Moving your posture to overcome pain or regain stability has a counterproductive impact on your level of concentration/experience.

I'm experimenting with a kneeling posture.

I kneel on a good quality thick piece of furniture grade foam (1m square) with a zafu cushion positioned on its edge under my bottom.

My bottom and the two knees form the three pointed stability, whilst the height of the cushion on its edge gives me an upright posture with a slightly forward lean making me at one with the force of gravity.

Although l still have some pain building up around the lower legs, feet and ankle area, the foam minimizes this.

A lecturing Monk taught that although ideal, the lotus isn't a prerequisite to ones practice.

There are a number of other postures including half lotus, Burmese & other positions which you might try.

Even a small chair without sides and supportive back is fine although not orthodox in the East.

Just make sure the height is correct so it doesn't cut into the area under your thighs and that the back is supportive to the lumbar area.

In fact, I'll be focusing on the chair option along with my kneeling, as a demonstration of non attachment to image.

I'm currently searching for a suitable chair to add to my aids. Perhaps an early recycled bentwood chair which would have been primarily built for function unlike poor designs of today .

Good luck with the lotus position.

Edited July 17, 2011 by rockyysdt

[Jawnie]

If you are experiencing a lot of pain from the position you sit in, then by all means change the position you sit in! This isn't very important and you should sit in a comfortable position, whatever it is, so that it doesn't distract your practice. Naturally, all positions will eventually cause discomfort and pain, but that's the nature of the body and impermanence. The idea that one must sit motionless in a specific position for a minimum amount of hours is rather arbitrary. It is the quality of your mind, practice, and concentration that determines if your practice is successful. Remember, you'll have multiple lifetimes to achieve the perfect posture. Better to ensure that your practice is strong and your mind is properly focused than to worry about this. This is very Theravadan of you.

[Brucenkhamen]

I don't think at your age you should be expecting to sit in full lotus unless you've been sitting in it for years already.

The most important thing when sitting cross legged is that your knees are on the ground and your back straight and unsupported, beyond that it doesn't matter.

I haven't noticed many meditators sitting in full or even half lotus, Burmese or parallel posture is more common and I find this the best posture myself especially for long retreats. It's unlikely you'll injure yourself with this posture and I suspect most monks are sitting this way under their robes.

Rocky's link on how to stretch looks good, better than the one I was going to post.

[rockyysdt]

If you are experiencing a lot of pain from the position you sit in, then by all means change the position you sit in! This isn't very important and you should sit in a comfortable position, whatever it is, so that it doesn't distract your practice. Naturally, all positions will eventually cause discomfort and pain, but that's the nature of the body and impermanence. The idea that one must sit motionless in a specific position for a minimum amount of hours is rather arbitrary. It is the quality of your mind, practice, and concentration that determines if your practice is successful. Remember, you'll have multiple lifetimes to achieve the perfect posture. Better to ensure that your practice is strong and your mind is properly focused than to worry about this. This is very Theravadan of you.

Hi J.

My understanding is that when maintaining a posture, this isn't necessarily meaning to be motionless.

A good sitting posture includes stability, and resilience whilst avoiding any muscular tension.

Although sitting upright, the back should lean slightly forward to softly align the spine with gravity.

One is not motionless by nature.

The beat of the heart, the unceasing breathe, our entire body is in constant motion.

Forcing a motionless state will increase tension.

If you try to be absolutely still you're probably clenching or tensing muscles which can be very tiring and result in mental tension and turmoil.

Having said that this is what the Arahant Sun Lun said about practice:

You need to breathe with great mindfulness for about 45

minutes to 1 hour to get sufficient and concrete Samadhi

(Concentration).

Sun Lun Sayadaw Gyi said "Do not move or

change position when there is cramp or painful Sensation. Stay

still and diligently mindful on that Sensation." We ask the Yogi to

stay still, it is not to torture or let him suffer painful sensation.

When you stay still and mindful on the sensation, your mindfulness

will sink into the sensation and you will know that the sensation is

rising and perishing (falling). You will realize that the sensation

you are mindful is not permanent and it is impermanent. You will

realize or understand the Truth of Impermanence {ANICCA}.

We get great benefit by staying still without moving any part

of our body or changing position and diligently mindful on the

sensation. When we stay still and let our mindfulness go into or

penetrate into the sensation, we only know or mindful on the

sensation rising and falling (perishing). That Knowledge of rising

and falling (perishing) of the sensation is called Udayabbaya ©ÈÓa.

We will know or understand and get the Knowledge of Rise and

Fall of the Five Khandas.

My interpretation of Sun Lun's instructions is not to suppress our bodies natural resilience and movement (motionless) but to observe any urge to move or change ones posture without attachment.

Two experienced retreatant's who I was fortunate to have guidance from, indicated that they attempt to keep any movement to "a single adjustment and stretch" during their sits, and only if they have too.

Both reported experiencing Piti regularly with some Sukha.

Edited July 17, 2011 by rockyysdt

[Xangsamhua]

I've only been able to maintain daily sitting (20-25 minutes) for nine months and began on a chair, then progressed to a high cushion (footrest really).

I asked my online Zen teacher what he thought, as Zen masters are sometimes very strict about maintaining correct posture. At 66 when I started there was no way I was going to get into the lotus or Burmese half-lotus position. His advice was to sit comfortably and try to maintain a straight back, but not to worry about more demanding postures. TNH gives the same advice. I think if you were 20 something it would be worth going through the pain because you'll reach the goal before too long, but 50+ ? ... I don't think so.

He also suggested that over time I try to bring my knees closer to the ground, which is happening naturally, in an unforced way. I would be ready now for a zafu as pictured in Rocky's post, but don't know where to get one in Bangkok.

[Jawnie]

Okay, thanks for this. The only point I'd make about this is that this seems to be a practice focusing on the body sensations, and particularly those that arise during meditation. But, this may not be ones practice all the time, so this advice may not fit all situations. For example, I practice 1-1.5 hours a day...it is never the type of practice mentioned here. I sit in a comfortable crossed-legged position on a cushion. After about 45 minutes are so, things start to ache or get stiff and I shift at another position. It's always the same alternate position; I sit in the alternate position for 5-10 minutes and go back to the basic crossed legs. I will shift between these two as needed but if I find myself shifting a lot, it usually turns out that its my mind that is restless, not my legs.

If I sit for more a combined amount of 3 hours a day for more than a couple of days, then my lower back gets thrown out and very painful. If Im in a workshop where sitting a lot over several days is required, I find it necessary to sit in a chair a lot, otherwise it's simply too painful and I'll require few trips to the chiropractor to put my back back into place. To me, the position and the amount of time spent is not the important point, it's the quality of practice and how one deals with obstacles to practice, including aches and pains. It would be (has been) counter-productive for me to try to "push through" pain and discomfort in long sitting sessions; it just gets unbeareably worse, which is not the point of practice, I feel.

If you are experiencing a lot of pain from the position you sit in, then by all means change the position you sit in! This isn't very important and you should sit in a comfortable position, whatever it is, so that it doesn't distract your practice. Naturally, all positions will eventually cause discomfort and pain, but that's the nature of the body and impermanence. The idea that one must sit motionless in a specific position for a minimum amount of hours is rather arbitrary. It is the quality of your mind, practice, and concentration that determines if your practice is successful. Remember, you'll have multiple lifetimes to achieve the perfect posture. Better to ensure that your practice is strong and your mind is properly focused than to worry about this. This is very Theravadan of you.

Hi J.

My understanding is that when maintaining a posture, this isn't necessarily meaning to be motionless.

A good sitting posture includes stability, and resilience whilst avoiding any muscular tension.

Although sitting upright, the back should lean slightly forward to softly align the spine with gravity.

One is not motionless by nature.

The beat of the heart, the unceasing breathe, our entire body is in constant motion.

Forcing a motionless state will increase tension.

If you try to be absolutely still you're probably clenching or tensing muscles which can be very tiring and result in mental tension and turmoil.

Having said that this is what the Arahant Sun Lun said about practice:

You need to breathe with great mindfulness for about 45

minutes to 1 hour to get sufficient and concrete Samadhi

(Concentration).

Sun Lun Sayadaw Gyi said "Do not move or

change position when there is cramp or painful Sensation. Stay

still and diligently mindful on that Sensation." We ask the Yogi to

stay still, it is not to torture or let him suffer painful sensation.

When you stay still and mindful on the sensation, your mindfulness

will sink into the sensation and you will know that the sensation is

rising and perishing (falling). You will realize that the sensation

you are mindful is not permanent and it is impermanent. You will

realize or understand the Truth of Impermanence {ANICCA}.

We get great benefit by staying still without moving any part

of our body or changing position and diligently mindful on the

sensation. When we stay still and let our mindfulness go into or

penetrate into the sensation, we only know or mindful on the

sensation rising and falling (perishing). That Knowledge of rising

and falling (perishing) of the sensation is called Udayabbaya ©ÈÓa.

We will know or understand and get the Knowledge of Rise and

Fall of the Five Khandas.

My interpretation of Sun Lun's instructions is not to suppress our bodies natural resilience and movement (motionless) but to observe any urge to move or change ones posture without attachment.

Two experienced retreatant's who I was fortunate to have guidance from, indicated that they attempt to keep any movement to "a single adjustment and stretch" during their sits, and only if they have too.

Both reported experiencing Piti regularly with some Sukha.

[rockyysdt]

Okay, thanks for this. The only point I'd make about this is that this seems to be a practice focusing on the body sensations, and particularly those that arise during meditation. But, this may not be ones practice all the time, so this advice may not fit all situations. For example, I practice 1-1.5 hours a day...it is never the type of practice mentioned here. I sit in a comfortable crossed-legged position on a cushion. After about 45 minutes are so, things start to ache or get stiff and I shift at another position. It's always the same alternate position; I sit in the alternate position for 5-10 minutes and go back to the basic crossed legs. I will shift between these two as needed but if I find myself shifting a lot, it usually turns out that its my mind that is restless, not my legs.

Hi J.

Yes, it was a small extract from Sun Lun's detailed practice notes and explains the apparent narrow focus of my excerpt.

The document is more comprehensive, but the extract sets out his sitting instructions.

In Sun Lun's experience fruitful practice required stillness of the body to both achieve sufficient Samadhi (concentration) and realization of impermanence through experience.

The full sixteen page instruction covers other aspects of the total practice.

I also suffer from pain during my sitting practice and need to face this dilemma.

Using a simple chair is high on my list at the moment as solution.

Being on the debit side of the ledger in this life, I'm keen to enhance my practice, by learning from past and present masters.

It's been written Sun Lun Sayadaw U Kavi practiced with great effort and mindfulness, and after four months of intensive & continuous mindfulness, he attained Arahantship.

To me he is a worthy teacher.

Monk of at least 20 years, indicated to me, that shortly after altering his mindfulness of breathe practice, he attained great progress after seven years of stagnation.

He was followed Ajahn Buddhadasa's interpretation of the Buddhas discourse on Anapanasati.

Another worthy teacher.

Personally, l feel that it's by adopting fine details of practice learned from successful and experienced travelers, we are in a better position to yield success with our practice.

And who knows, perhaps achieve our goal in this life.

Edited July 18, 2011 by rockyysdt

[lungmi]

Monk of at least 20 years, indicated to me, that shortly after altering his mindfulness of breathe practice, he attained great progress after seven years of stagnation.

He was followed Ajahn Buddhadasa's interpretation of the Buddhas discourse on Anapanasati.

Another worthy teacher.

Personally, l feel that it's by adopting fine details of practice learned from successful and experienced travelers, we are in a better position to yield success with our practice.

And who knows, perhaps achieve our goal in this life.

[lungmi]

Everyone has to check out what is the best position for development.

Number one is the investigation why I do this - with pain, falling sleepy etc. The Buddha never taught masochism. All is in your mind and your aim. When this is clear the sitting postion is secondary. You can develop your own style if you don't forget the basic rules.

Anapanasati meditation is possible everywhere, Tan Buddhadasa gave instructions for everyone in a general way.

I discovered swimming slowly in a lake respiring with Anapanasati had a good effect for development.

[rockyysdt]

Everyone has to check out what is the best position for development.

Number one is the investigation why I do this - with pain, falling sleepy etc. The Buddha never taught masochism. All is in your mind and your aim. When this is clear the sitting postion is secondary. You can develop your own style if you don't forget the basic rules.

Hi Lungmi.

Can l ask you to explain this a little further?:

Number one is the investigation why I do this - with pain, falling sleepy etc.

The Buddha never taught masochism.

Are you saying that as long as your aims are met, it doesn't matter what sitting position you choose as long as it facilitates your aim?

If your aim is to adopt a sitting posture/system which will allow you to investigate the breathe, body, mind, feeling, and external world mindfully and with great concentration in order to realize and experience, then don't you still need to develop/adopt a suitable sitting position which is not masochistic but has integrity?

If you have trouble selecting a suitable sitting posture/system, or if its poorly chosen, then can't this affect the progress of your aim?

Anapanasati meditation is possible everywhere, Tan Buddhadasa gave instructions for everyone in a general way.

Wasn't Tan Buddhadasa quite specific about Anapanasati?

I understood he taught what he believed to be the actual Buddha's instruction on breathing.

Specifically to follow the breath all the way in, and all the way out, and noticing the moment between the in and the out, and not observe breath just at the tip of the nose as many others teach.

Edited July 18, 2011 by rockyysdt

[spacedcowboy]

I struggled initially with sitting for extended periods of time in lotus position, however I am now able to sit pretty much for as long as I want.

I put my initial struggles down to a number of factors.

1) I spent all my time in chairs sofas with a supported back.

2) Didn't realise I needed to raise my buttocks of the ground with the aid of a firm cushion.

3) Having to deal with all the head noise created by the body adjusting to this unfamiliar position (weak access concentration)

4) Sitting without my hips being tilted slightly forward (thus not allowing a natural curveiture of the spine, once you identify this you posture will settle)

5) Expecting to much from myself (at 30 years of age I soon realised I had to break my sitting periods in to more manageable periods)

What I did

At every opportunity I would sit on the floor unsupported (this actually cured my bad back aswell) when I became tired I would just lay out and then resume the pose.

With time, your body will learn (muscle memory) similiar to any form of activity, you may find like me, you actually prefer the floor to the sofa it really is just practice.

Students I teach normally see a marked improvement within 8 weeks in there ability to sit comfortably they also see an improvement in there flexibility although I never teach stretching to them.

[RickThai]

Thank you all so much for your help. I feel very fortunate to be able to access so much valuable information about Buddhism.

I currently sit with my legs crossed, but I feel like I have to lean forward too much (rockyysdt). I will try using a cushion as suggested.

I am able to get in a half lotus, but can only stay there about 10 minutes. At first, one of my knees does not rest on the ground, but after a bit, I can slowly get it down.

At that point, I usually go into a Japanese-like kneeling position, sitting back on my feet with legs curled and knees pointing stratight ahead. I have used this position a lot when I was younger and taking various martial arts,so I can generally stay in this position for about 45 minutes before my feet start going numb.

I will try the trick of spending more time sitting on the floor, along with the cushion to help keep my weight forward.

I will also study the attachment and see if that helps out.

Rick

[fabianfred]

I have short legs so can only get into the full-lotus without my feet being on the thighs....it is more comfortable than the two layer cross-legged for me.

I tell my students to use a pillow to raise their hips by and inch or two to keep balanced whilst relaxed and not feel like they are toppling over backwards.

The more important thing IMHO is to have the back straight. This allows easy breathing and tends to prevent falling asleep.

[rockyysdt]

Excellent tip Fred.

I find a slight lean forward helps the back to tower up and be harmonious with gravity.

I don't know if the story is authentic, but Will Johnson wrote that shortly before the Buddha experienced his enlightenment, he met a grass cutter who gave him a bushel of straw to make his meditation seat more comfortable.

It was reported that the Buddha graciously accepted the gift, arranged his seat, and renewed his efforts.

The additional height provided by the straw would have raised the Buddhas pelvis to a higher point than the knees, allowing the upper body to align more comfortably with the direction of gravity, giving him a final acceleration to his practice.

I have short legs so can only get into the full-lotus without my feet being on the thighs....it is more comfortable than the two layer cross-legged for me.

I tell my students to use a pillow to raise their hips by and inch or two to keep balanced whilst relaxed and not feel like they are toppling over backwards.

The more important thing IMHO is to have the back straight. This allows easy breathing and tends to prevent falling asleep.

Edited July 20, 2011 by rockyysdt

[RickThai]

The videos in the attachment were of great help. Thank you, rockyysdt. Using other tips that were posted, along with the streching exercises, has allowed me to spend 20 or 30 mintues in a half lotus (right foot on top of left calf). When the pain starts getting to intense, I carefully lay back on the cushions I now use. This immediately relieves most of the pain, and I can relax and meditate for another 20 minutes or so.

I've only tried this 3 times, and have made (what I feel) is great progress. As so creatively put by spacedcowboy, my "head noise" is becoming less intrusive.

Always look to the good (compassion) within yourself.

Rick

[khaowong1]

I'm impressed by all the great help on this subject. Normally, everyone seems to be butting heads with each other. I have always been of the opinion that great meditation is the key, not position. And have been told that by several teachers. Although a lot of Thai monks believe if your not sitting in the lotus position, flat on the floor, your doing it wrong. Sorry Ajahn Somchai, but I'm too old and being an American, not used to sitting on the floor. So I use a small cushion. I get some smirks from my fellow monks, but I'm betting they would use one also if they didn't lose face.

[moe666]

When I go to the forest monastary the monk lets me set in a chair, no way at 65 will I be setting in lotus and having a good experience. Having said that over the years when insight has come to me it has never been while setting in meditation. Thats not to say that my meditation didn't lead to the insight but that my insights have just come under various circumstances and occassions.

I think in the end it doesn't matter what position one meditates in as long as one meditates.

[RickThai]

I am truly blessed to find so much wisdom that is so openly given and appreciated by all.

RickThai

[Xangsamhua]

Having said that over the years when insight has come to me it has never been while setting in meditation.

Yes, and would you believe (I'm quite serious here) I had a significant flash of insight yesterday morning while getting out of bed! Bizarre. Why then? Maybe I'd been mulling over it while I was asleep or just prior to waking.

I won't say what it was, other than that it was negative and related to "store consciousness" (alaya vijnana), karma and rebirth, and it put a damper on the very good book I'd been reading on Consciousness-only Buddhism (Yogacara), which had all been quite persuasive up till then. It still is, really, but not as much as before the "flash".

Maybe I'll have a counter-insight before long (I would welcome it) . Insights are impermanent, too, aren't they? Though they seem to last. I still remember the very strong insight, or awareness, I had while sitting with my mother in her dying days, that, despite what we were taught and repeated at funeral services, this was it. I'd never see her in heaven. There was no heaven. We'd never meet again. I remember the strength of the feeling, and the insight, if that's what it was, has never left me.

Sorry this is not about sitting in the lotus position, but moe666's comment set me off.

Edited July 27, 2011 by Xangsamhua

[fabianfred]

Westerners generally need some kind of support like a cushion to sit upon when in the cross-legged position. This is because we have been used to sitting in furniture which creates bad posture and makes our backs lazy and we tend to slouch in chairs and on sofas. When we try to sit up straight on the floor our backs are bent until we learn correct posture and train ourselves to sit straight. If we try to relax then we find ourselves toppling over backwards. To prevent this a small, not too soft, cushion below the spine helps to raise the hips by an inch or two which makes us more balanced and we are able to then relax.

Although the classic posture has our hands in our lap, this is not important. To rest our hands upon our knees brings forward the weight of our arms and our centre of balance which again makes us less inclined to fall backwards whist try to sit up straight.

When on the floor with no cushion I sometimes 'lock' the wrists around the knees and pull back against them with straight arms to help prevent toppling backwards.

I tell my students to imagine that the spine is a straight pole of a hat-stand, whilst the body is like a heavy coat hanging from the stand, merely drapped around the spine.

I check my posture every ten minutes whilst meditating to straighten up if I have started to slouch, and go so far as to bow my spine inwards, then relax with it straight.

Also, when a good meditation is happening I sometimes try to stretch my spine by trying to force my head up....it seems to have a good effect.

[RickThai]

Just an update for all those who have provided me with help. I am now able to stay in the half-lotus position for almost an hour. This is when using a cushion to elevate my butt. I can sit flat on the ground for about 30 minutes in the half-lotus.

The pain has gotten almost neglible.

Thanks again.

RickThai

[spacedcowboy]

Just an update for all those who have provided me with help. I am now able to stay in the half-lotus position for almost an hour. This is when using a cushion to elevate my butt. I can sit flat on the ground for about 30 minutes in the half-lotus.

The pain has gotten almost neglible.

Thanks again.

RickThai

That's great news, glad to hear you've made progress in the sitting here are some other benefits/by-products that you might be unaware are currently occuring.

Meditation The Benefits

Compared with non-meditators, it has been shown that people who practise meditation for 40 minutes a day have greater cortical thickening in areas of the right prefrontal cortex and right interior insula. These areashave been associated with decision-making, attention and awareness.

People undertaking meditation training have also shown an increase in activation of the left pre-frontal cortex, an area of the brainassociated with positive emotions that is generally less active in people who are depressed.

When presented with threatening emotional stimuli, more mindful people seem to show less reactivity, as measured by reduced activity inthe amygdale and more activity in the pre-frontal cortex.

Meditation practice can lead to significant brain changes.This has been observed in Taxi drivers who have been found to have a largerhippocampus than non-taxi drivers. The length of time in the job predicting the size differential.

There have been more than a hundred studies of changes inbrain wave activity during meditation.

Meditation shifts the balance from what might crudely be described as 'left-brained' thinking, which is more analytical, rational,logical and ego-centred, to more 'right-brained' thinking, which is associatedwith attention, non-verbal awareness, visual and spacial perception and theexpression and regulation of emotions.

People from western industrialised cultures have a tendencyto be dominated by the more left-brained mode of operation.

By cultivating the right –brained mode through meditation,we enable the mind to attune to its own mental state, promoting neural integration (linkage, co-ordination and balance between different areas of thebrain), which then may help us become more mentally healthy.

Meditation practices have been shown to increase blood flow,reduce blood pressure and protect people at risk of developing hypertension, as well as reduce the risk of developing and dying from cardiovascular disease,and to reduce its severity. People who meditate have fewer hospital admissions for heart disease, cancer and infectious diseases, and visit their doctor half as often compared to people who don't meditate.

Research has shown how the right prefrontal cortex, which is connected with sympathetic nervous system activation, is associated with an"avoidance" mode of mind: feelings of fear, disgust, aversion and so on.

The left prefrontal cortex, which is connected with the parasympathetic nervous system, is associated with an "approach" mode of mind,that includes feelings of interest, care, kindness, curiosity, openness and soon.

Training in mindfulness can change the ratio of left to right prefrontal cortex activation.

After an eight-week course, a group of employees showed a significant increase in their left prefrontal cortex activation. They also generated significantly more antibodies in response to a flu jab than a control group who had not done the course.

Mindfulness stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system,leading to more active renewal, greater overall health, and increased happiness.

Edited September 8, 2011 by spacedcowboy

[fabianfred]

Meditation The Benefits

Compared with non-meditators, it has been shown that people who practise meditation for 40 minutes a day have greater cortical thickening in areas of the right prefrontal cortex and right interior insula. These areashave been associated with decision-making, attention and awareness.

People undertaking meditation training have also shown an increase in activation of the left pre-frontal cortex, an area of the brainassociated with positive emotions that is generally less active in people who are depressed.

When presented with threatening emotional stimuli, more mindful people seem to show less reactivity, as measured by reduced activity inthe amygdale and more activity in the pre-frontal cortex.

Meditation practice can lead to significant brain changes.This has been observed in Taxi drivers who have been found to have a largerhippocampus than non-taxi drivers. The length of time in the job predicting the size differential.

There have been more than a hundred studies of changes inbrain wave activity during meditation.

Meditation shifts the balance from what might crudely be described as 'left-brained' thinking, which is more analytical, rational,logical and ego-centred, to more 'right-brained' thinking, which is associatedwith attention, non-verbal awareness, visual and spacial perception and theexpression and regulation of emotions.

People from western industrialised cultures have a tendencyto be dominated by the more left-brained mode of operation.

By cultivating the right –brained mode through meditation,we enable the mind to attune to its own mental state, promoting neural integration (linkage, co-ordination and balance between different areas of thebrain), which then may help us become more mentally healthy.

Meditation practices have been shown to increase blood flow,reduce blood pressure and protect people at risk of developing hypertension, as well as reduce the risk of developing and dying from cardiovascular disease,and to reduce its severity. People who meditate have fewer hospital admissions for heart disease, cancer and infectious diseases, and visit their doctor half as often compared to people who don't meditate.

Research has shown how the right prefrontal cortex, which is connected with sympathetic nervous system activation, is associated with an"avoidance" mode of mind: feelings of fear, disgust, aversion and so on.

The left prefrontal cortex, which is connected with the parasympathetic nervous system, is associated with an "approach" mode of mind,that includes feelings of interest, care, kindness, curiosity, openness and soon.

Training in mindfulness can change the ratio of left to right prefrontal cortex activation.

After an eight-week course, a group of employees showed a significant increase in their left prefrontal cortex activation. They also generated significantly more antibodies in response to a flu jab than a control group who had not done the course.

Mindfulness stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system,leading to more active renewal, greater overall health, and increased happiness.

All this .....and Nibbana too ....

[greatflood]

Sitting position is not of any concern. Try to be in the positon that make you most relax.

But the blockage and past memory is more important.

You should find some method to clear.

[F4UCorsair]

rockyssdt said

I kneel on a good quality thick piece of furniture grade foam (1m square) with a zafu cushion positioned on its edge under my bottom. My bottom and the two knees form the three pointed stability, whilst the height of the cushion on its edge gives me an upright posture with a slightly forward lean making me at one with the force of gravity.

It may be worth trying one of these kneeling chairs, very comfortable for long periods of time. They were originally sold as ergonomic office chairs, and are adjustable just as a normal office chair. They give three point stability that you mention.

Edited November 13, 2011 by F4UCorsair

[fabianfred]

rockyssdt said

I kneel on a good quality thick piece of furniture grade foam (1m square) with a zafu cushion positioned on its edge under my bottom. My bottom and the two knees form the three pointed stability, whilst the height of the cushion on its edge gives me an upright posture with a slightly forward lean making me at one with the force of gravity.

It may be worth trying one of these kneeling chairs, very comfortable for long periods of time. They were originally sold as ergonomic office chairs, and are adjustable just as a normal office chair. They give three point stability that you mention.

Those are very good...originally made by a firm in Scandinavia called Balans.

I brought one like the swivel one on the right and then made a copy of the folding one from metal tube. Long time ago so I never got to meditate in one. They also had a stool type with seat and you kneel on the ground...bit like the Japanese position.

[JRinger]

When I go to the forest monastary the monk lets me set in a chair, no way at 65 will I be setting in lotus and having a good experience. Having said that over the years when insight has come to me it has never been while setting in meditation. Thats not to say that my meditation didn't lead to the insight but that my insights have just come under various circumstances and occassions.

I think in the end it doesn't matter what position one meditates in as long as one meditates.

finally, someone with common sense...There are many 'meditation techniques' other than sitting in the lotus position.

There are 108 beads on the traditional mala, each depicting a different way of meditation; sitting, walking/vipasana, working, etc., etc. Don't limit yourself to just sitting...for me, I found 'working' the best meditation and the end product is far superior to something done without meditation or consciousness.

[Polsci]

Glad to hear from the update that OP can sit longer than from the time of his initial posting.

Another thing to consider is that with Buddha's Hindu background, he may have been a practicing Yogi. Thus, he was able to sit in the lotus position for so long. So you might want to add Yoga asanas and Yogic breathing into your meditation practice. Along with strength and flexibility that you'll gain, you should be able to attain the longer Padmasana.

It's common for Westerners to have to put a lot of effort into this hip-opening position due to the different physiology and anatomy.

Best of luck to you!

[rockyysdt]

rockyssdt said

I kneel on a good quality thick piece of furniture grade foam (1m square) with a zafu cushion positioned on its edge under my bottom. My bottom and the two knees form the three pointed stability, whilst the height of the cushion on its edge gives me an upright posture with a slightly forward lean making me at one with the force of gravity.

It may be worth trying one of these kneeling chairs, very comfortable for long periods of time. They were originally sold as ergonomic office chairs, and are adjustable just as a normal office chair. They give three point stability that you mention.

An excellent chair ergonomically speaking.

Unfortunately there were many inferior copies of this design.

The models made by Balans (as Fred mentions) were of high quality but unfortunately very expensive. An original Balans design as depicted can sell for 30,000 baht. A sum better spent on those in need.<br>

Edited December 16, 2011 by rockyysdt