Having trouble with posture.

Woah93

I used to sit on the floor crossed-legged but with both of my legs resting on my feet which are on the floor. Anyway I have noticed that it's fairly difficult to have a straight back in this position. I have tried half-lotus but I'm still having trouble keeping my spine straight, it seems I keep falling over forward or I'll slouch or get a sore back from sustaining the position.

I really like sitting on the floor but it seems I can't do it comfortable without slouching, any suggestions?

Jeffrey

Can you strengthen the muscles?

genkaku

Sitting on the front third of a small cushion may help.

Chaz

Making sure your knees are below your hips also helps in keeping the back straight.

Worse comes to worse, sit in a chair. If you must sit of the floor, sit up against a wall or something else that will support the back.

In the course of any given session, given enough time, close to everyone will slouch some.

As Jeffrey aludes, continuing to practice and thus strengthening your back muscles will help over time, too.

And if you catch yourself slouching, simply correct your posture and go back to meditation and don't worry so much about it. Take it easy on yourslef.

Sabre

You could consider sitting against a wall or something.

Chaz

You might also try a meditation bench.

BonsaiDoug

genkaku said:

Sitting on the front third of a small cushion may help.

Agree. I sit on a zafu/zabuton, and I find it very helpful to sit on the front edge of the zafu rather than directly in the center. Definitely helps maintain an erect back.

Woah93

Meditation bench or cushion seems like a good choice. I tried using the cushion from my bed but it doesn't really help much lol.

bookworm

I don't even bother sitting in half lotus anymore, I always sit against the wall because my spine is bent and causes pain after 15 minutes of sitting without resting my back against anything, I have lumbar lordosis

Chaz

bookworm said:

I don't even bother sitting in half lotus anymore, I always sit against the wall because my spine is bent and causes pain after 15 minutes of sitting without resting my back against anything, I have lumbar lordosis

I have a terrible time sitting cross-legged on most meditation cushions. Legs fall asleep and trying for a lotus position his hard on my knees - not flexible enough. Most of the time I sit on an old footstool. I also have cushions that work well - filled with buckwheat hulls - and a bench, but 99% of the time my home practice is on that stool. If My back starts hurting I just back up to the wall.

At my center I'll stack up a couple gomdens and sit on those, or a chair.

lobster

Just looking at a pic ain't enough.
Go practice yoga. The Buddha did.

The free aro course teach posture
http://aromeditation.org/

Live long, add posture.
Traditional Vulcan saying (they got it wrong not me) :crazy:

Woah93

Great site thanks! Yeah I guess it's also a case of training and getting more flexibility, though I've always felt comfortable sitting cross-legged in tailor but it's getting those knees on the ground and my spine to be straight that's causing me trouble

Barra

You can put props under your knees. Myself I sit "seiza" which means that I am on my knees with my butt on a buckwheat meditation cushion. My weight is fully on my sit bones - not on the knees.

lobster

Relaxed but attentive. If you sit in an easy chair, you may just relax . . . not a bad start but may be a little too . . . z z z . . . sorry dozed off there . . .

If you wish to ape the eastern way of Japan kneeling or Indian sitting . . . then consider yoga for a bit of postural awareness . . .

Many years ago a Zen Master came to our martial arts class and he lined everyone up to meditate. Bellowing in Japanese and being translated. Everyone sat up straight in the prescribed manner. Then we heard his keisaku, whacking the non attentive across the back.

Quaking with attentive fear of being posturally deficient, I used every teaching I knew of to sit to attention. No duck could have done better silent quacking . . .

Never did get whacked . . . but a little too stiff . . .

Attentive, not too stiff.

anando

Hi,
i know that Gotamo Buddhos intructions were hard with the upright spinal collum.
I use to have a day-blanket on the ground an i sit on a pillow. G. Buddho never mentioned how long you have to do the straight position. I do use to change my
position several time, that the aching bones don`t disturb concentration during the
deepening. I even spread my legs ahead of myself.
The only thing why i´m doing this is to keep deepening working without greater disturbances.

sakko

DairyLama

I like a nice comfy chair....

BhikkhuJayasara

I have always had major issues with sitting meditation.

@chaz has some great advice on here. The bottom line when it comes to stability is having your knees below your hips(which I can't do). This has been confirmed to me directly by Bhante Rahula, who is a preeminent western monk when it comes to posture.

I was lucky enough to be in a 7 day retreat with him and had an interview. My only question on my posture and the steps I can take to fix it.. when I mentioned my posture he said " it's horrible" LOL.. I couldn't help but laugh.

Bottom line is I cannot at this point sit in a position that allows my knees to be below my hips, Bhante Rahula also suggested the meditation bench, which I now use if i'm meditating inside. I think between the meditation bench(which really gives a good stretch) and hip opener yoga exercises I would like to be able to do lotus in a few years.

also in terms of the back, Bhante Rahula basically called it straight in saying that westerners are use to slouching all the time, they never have straight backs so the muscles are weak, sort of like how the foot muscles are weak because we always wear shoes etc. Bhante is also very big on the importance of yoga for your meditation practice.

I have basically begun to strengthen my back muscles by attempting to sit up straight 24/7, while driving, in a chair, etc.. and it definitely does help with back stability when sitting. Remember "soreness" is not pain, nor is it damaging to you, so it should be seen as the body being strengthened and embraced .

here are some youtube vids from Bhante Rahula that may be helpful -

Ven. Rahula - Yoga: Good Meditation Posture:

Ven. Rahula - Yoga for Meditation:


Ven. Rahula - Yoga for Meditation 2:

Steve_B

LazyBoy recliner

Bed

It's the meditation that's important.

Woah93

^ That is true, but I tend to fall into relaxation too easily and get lost in this peacefull doze when I meditate lying down, it's much harder to keep paying attention. I have attempted to correct my posture and it is getting better, it really feels like I'm about to break this years long habit of slumping which is great.

For me it was actually a matter of adjusting height with some pillows/whatever is available and finding balance within the pelvis first, sway back and forth until it feels "right" and then release all tension and see if I stay up. A lot of trial and error but it seems to be working.

Mani

Often times teacher will remind us of the "7 point posture of Vairochana". One of these instructions is a simple one, but one that really helps with keeping the back straight. It is to tuck our chins in slightly. This little suggestion may work for you.

footiam

Woah93 said:

I used to sit on the floor crossed-legged but with both of my legs resting on my feet which are on the floor. Anyway I have noticed that it's fairly difficult to have a straight back in this position. I have tried half-lotus but I'm still having trouble keeping my spine straight, it seems I keep falling over forward or I'll slouch or get a sore back from sustaining the position.

I really like sitting on the floor but it seems I can't do it comfortable without slouching, any suggestions?

I suppose you just take note.

DairyLama

Steve_B said:

LazyBoy recliner

I think they should have those on retreats.

Woah93

To get back on this with an update, I found a proper posture by sort of kneeling and sitting on the meditation cushion. Keeps my back straight without any tension in the muscles and is just the right balance. Cross-legged is still challenging :<

DairyLama

Woah93 said:

To get back on this with an update, I found a proper posture by sort of kneeling and sitting on the meditation cushion. Keeps my back straight without any tension in the muscles and is just the right balance. Cross-legged is still challenging :<</p>

Good to hear that. Please don't worry about crossed-legged, there is really no need to do masochistic yogic contortions when meditating.

Basically if you can find a comfortable posture with a straight back, that really is fine.