Classic postures for meditation
all involve a stable three-point base, but it is important to recognize
that posture per se is not a "show stopper" for Zen meditation. Do not
force yourself into a posture that may harm your body.
The classic sitting posture
is the "full lotus" in which one sits on the floor with each foot placed
on the opposite thigh. You can try this if you are extremely limber
or adept in hatha yoga. You will find the sitting postures almost hopeless
without sitting on a cushion or folded blanket to get your buttocks
above the floor. In any sitting posture, you should be sitting on no
more than the front half of the cushion.
As noted earlier, there are
specific cushions designed for meditation. The Japanese use circular
cushions they call zafus. The Tibetans use square cushions. However,
any cushion or a folded blanket will work. Just find a comfortable seat.
The "half lotus," in which
one foot (either one) is on the opposite thigh and the other foot is
resting on the floor, is both less symmetric and less stable than the
full lotus. However, most of us find it easier to sit on the front of
a cushion with our legs crossed and our knees resting on the floor in
front of us.
Kneeling is a stable posture
that many people find useful as an exclusive position or as a change
from the sitting position. A common approach is to set the meditation
cushion perpendicular to the floor and under the buttocks with the feet
pressing against the cushion from both sides. If your thighs are limber,
you can set the cushion parallel to the floor for greater stability.
Kneeling benches slope from back to front and are placed over the legs
and under the buttocks.
You can also sit on the front
part of a chair without using its back, stand, or lie flat on the back.
Persons with physical disabilities should find a position that is as
comfortable and as stable as possible and use it.
The spine should be held
by gravity in a gentle s-curve above the three-point base. One approach
to positioning the spine is to thrust forward from the diaphragm while
pulling the head back and tucking the chin so the eyes are slightly
downcast and the nose is in line with the navel. In this position, the
spine is given a gentle stretch and the chest is kept open.
The arms and shoulders should
be kept as relaxed as possible. Flap the arms about and let them fall
into the lap with palms up one on top of the other. The ends of the
thumbs are touched together making an ellipse. The arms should be positioned
so that the shoulders are completely relaxed with the shoulders neither
held up nor bent forward. Each of us has a different arm length, and
this effects where we position our hands to keep our shoulders tension-free.
Touch the lips together without
pressure, and touch the tongue lightly to the roof of the mouth.
The eyes are kept relaxed,
unfocused, and preferably open. Open and close the eyelids several times,
and then let them fall where they may. Usually this is slightly open.
Then let the focus of eyes relax until they see no identifiable object.
When the eyes are soft or unfocused, if possible, gently open the eyes
without creating tension and keep them unfocused.
For a few moments experience
the body and its sensations directly just as they are without describing
what is happening, commenting on it, or making any judgments.
