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On Meditation
This section of the
site will be devoted to articles, insightes, poetry, images, and anything
else that will be useful in the pursuit of better meditation.
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This
posture, known as the Lotus Posture, is the most common used in Buddhist
meditation. It is accomplished by sitting with legs crossed in front
of you and then placing each foot atop the other leg's thigh. In this
illustration, the meditator is in Half Lotus, meaning that only one
foot rests on the other leg's thigh, while the other underneith the
thigh or in front of it as illustrated. |
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The
purpose of meditation posture is to 'ground' oneself, such that
one is greatly in touch with the ground and is very secure. One
should be able to lose touch with their body durring meditation
without worrying about toppling over.
The
best posture will form a sort of tri-pod with the body, a tri-pod
being the most stable stance possible. To understand why a tri-pod
stance is used, imagine a camera tri-pod only having 2 legs, or
having 4. For meditation, the 3 points of contact are generally
your buttocks or tailbone, and your two knees.
To
achieve this in Lotus posture, you may want to elevate your tailbone
by sitting on a pillow or folded blanket, or by placing such padding
under each knee.
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A
common alternative to the Lotus posture is the kneeling posture.
In this posture one kneels with knees in front of them and ankles
under their tailbone. Meditation mats called Zafu's are commonly
used to rest between one's legs and provide support for the upper
body (tailbone). Another common support for this posture is a meditation
bench. One can create a meditation bench using 6"x 3/4"
wood, cutting a top peice that is 14-18 inches in lenght and two
sides, each approximately 7 inches tall at the back, and 6.5 inches
at the front. This creates a slight tilt forward that helps to keep
the tailbone tilted forward and the back arched correctly.
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The
key is blending Comfort with Alertness |
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Once
your posture is established, make sure that your back is straight,
with a slight arch. This arch is created because your tailbone is
pointed slightly forward, but your head should be directly above
your pelvis, neither in front of or behind it.
Next,
tilt your head slightly forward, bringing your chin closer to your
chest, so that the crown of your head points almost perfectly skyward.
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Your hands should rest comfortably together
in your lap. Once situated they should be able to remain as they
are with absolutely no effort
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your part. The above illustration shows a common way of holding one's
hands durring meditation. Many believe that this delicate connection
of the thumbs creates an energy flow that radiates through the hands
and arms, up into the shoulders, chest, and mind of the meditator.
Chose a setting for your own hands that is most comfortable for you. |
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