What Postures are Used in Meditation?

Since ages past, meditation has been practiced by countless people for its many benefits. Practicing meditation as part of your daily routine might lead to improvements in your outlook and attitude.

Most forms of meditation call for the spine to be straight and the posture to be erect. The reason for this is that when you sit erect it promotes the circulation of your spiritual energy. This is considered to be your life force.

Even though a straight back is almost universal in the different approaches to meditation, some spiritual traditions and meditation instructors advise a variety of postures. Let’s take a look at some of them.

1. Seated posture. The individual sits upright while maintaining a straight back. Spine and head are aligned and straight. The thighs are parallel to the floor. Hands are placed comfortably on the knees or chair arms.

2. Cross legged position. 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 position. In yoga this is referred to as savasna; it’s also known as the corpse position. The person lies down on the floor keeping the legs unbent and at ease. This posture isn’t that common since it so closely resembles the sleeping position. A person might doze off at times. 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. Coming from the yogic philosophy, they can impact your 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.

Integrating assorted repetitive actions like chanting, deep breathing or humming also assists in bringing on a state of meditation. Some people practice 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.

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