There are zillions of ways meditation postures are practiced worldwide but if you observe all of them, you’ll heed that some postures and positions are common amongst all. These are some of the primary postures which are practiced worldwide; befitting everybody irrespective age, gender or body type.
The most comfortable and reckoned position is the “Quarter Lotus” where you sit on your meditation seat comfortably with both legs loosely crossed and both feet resting on the ground. The spine should be stretched straight with the chin slightly tucked in. This position allows you to be in your comfort zone and does not hurt the legs or the thighs. This posture begets two more postures which are “Half Lotus” where your legs are crossed with one foot resting on the opposite thigh. The other foot can fold underneath the top leg and rest below the knee or thigh. The other position is the “Full Lotus” where your legs are crossed with both feet resting on top of your opposite thighs in Padmasana.
These positions are practiced while sitting on the floor but for those who cannot sit directly on the floor due to any situation can practice meditation by sitting on a chair. A lot of people as if it is alright to sit on a chair and meditate because they have been told that meditation should only be done while sitting down. We would like to break this taboo! Meditation can be practiced while sitting on a chair provided your back isn’t resting on the back of the chair and your feet are flat on the floor. One can meditate while lying down on the floor (like Shavasan) just make sure you don’t drift away and sleep.
Let’s hop on to the most asked question-
Why position matters in meditation?
The mind-body connection is very intense thus they both influence each other. The posture you go for can either help you concentrate or act as a distraction. Thus it is necessary to choose the posture wisely.
Posture is important because a posture that’s too relaxed can lower the intensity of your attention, which can cause your mind to wander more. Also, it’s important that your posture is comfortable. This way you don’t become distracted by making constant adjustments and you’re able to meditate for a longer period of time.
The minute details in the posture matter too, for example if your back is hunched or your chin isn’t tucked in the right way then you might drift into being sleep and might sleep too. When your spine is straight and your chin tucked in, your spine tends to be straight and helps you with better concentration.
Hope this article helps you clearly see the importance of maintain a good posture while meditating.
