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Posture & vision questions
I have a few questions. I have read some threads here and had some answered but I have other issues. I am some what afraid to meditate.
Not so much afraid of it as afraid of doing it wrong, getting into a bad habit and having to break it. I don't have anyone to help me or to turn to for help so I want to find a way to do it right. Or at least not wrong. My main concern is posture. I have read many many things saying the actual sitting position (the legs) is not as important as posture.
This may sound dumb, but how do you know you are sitting up straight? I sit on the floor, or in the grass alot to read and slouching over feels very natural and comfortable to me when I do, so sitting upright is not something I often do. I want to do it right, I just don't know how to know if I am. If that makes sense.
Another thing I have read here is that eyes open, half open or closed is a personal preference. It is my understanding that in Zazen eyes are open and focused on the ground 3 feet in front.
Since I am attracted to Zen I will attempt this method. Are you actually focusing on the point (staring as it where), or just seeing / gazing at it? Should I keep my glasses on (cant see past a few inches from my nose) to help see the point or off so I don't focus on the point? Or on and don't focus on the point . lol I have more questions but these are the pressing ones that are keeping me from meditation and hope they can be answered or my fears allayed.
Thank You for reading
Not so much afraid of it as afraid of doing it wrong, getting into a bad habit and having to break it. I don't have anyone to help me or to turn to for help so I want to find a way to do it right. Or at least not wrong. My main concern is posture. I have read many many things saying the actual sitting position (the legs) is not as important as posture.
This may sound dumb, but how do you know you are sitting up straight? I sit on the floor, or in the grass alot to read and slouching over feels very natural and comfortable to me when I do, so sitting upright is not something I often do. I want to do it right, I just don't know how to know if I am. If that makes sense.
Another thing I have read here is that eyes open, half open or closed is a personal preference. It is my understanding that in Zazen eyes are open and focused on the ground 3 feet in front.
Since I am attracted to Zen I will attempt this method. Are you actually focusing on the point (staring as it where), or just seeing / gazing at it? Should I keep my glasses on (cant see past a few inches from my nose) to help see the point or off so I don't focus on the point? Or on and don't focus on the point . lol I have more questions but these are the pressing ones that are keeping me from meditation and hope they can be answered or my fears allayed.
Thank You for reading
0
Comments
When you sit, you should feel balanced on your "sit bones" of your buttocks. This may feel slightly unnatural because we're often used to leaning forward in chair to use the computer or read, but it allows the bones to do the work of supporting you as opposed to the muscles. It should feel relatively relaxed with minimal effort to sustain. But the posture itself doesn't matter so much as you are comfortable enough that it isn't a distraction for you during meditation.
When I was taught zazen, I was taught to sit in front of a white wall and (if I decided to keep my eyes open) to stare at an area in front of me on the wall. My guess is it doesn't really matter so much. The point is not so much the actual physical gaze itself, but an attitude on not getting hooked by the sensory input of sight-objects and just let "seeing happen" as opposed to our usual way of thinking about it which is "I'm seeing."
Hi friend
Your questions are welcome
Any centres nearby? A good way if you are unsure is to get someone to check your posture.
Glasses I think is your own personal choice. The monks where I sit wear theirs, some take it off though when sitting and pick it up again example during kinhin. I think it is something you can try out for yourself.
As to eyes, soft gaze, don't overfocus.
Don't worry too much, to start is to conquer.
Best wishes,
Abu
Where 'doing it wrong' comes into play is when you attempt to meditate for more than a few minutes. If your back becomes sore to the point the pain can't be ignored it's likely a posture issue and you will want to experiment to 'fix' that. Likewise if you find as you relax and your concentration deepens you start to lean in a direction to the point where you would eventually fall over if you didn't make a correction then this will become an impediment if you wish to maintain unbroken concentration.
Doing it wrong simply means that you won't be able to sit for as long as you intended to without your body forcing you to attend to it. It's really not a big deal as your body will teach you what is and isn't working. Just be patient with yourself and your body.
There are many books and many internet guides that can assist with setting up an initial posture and making corrections as you go. If you can find a meditation center around you (Buddhist or otherwise, doesn't matter) they will be able to spot posture problems and assist you in correcting it.
Thanks again
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/breathmed.html
Dear zenmonkey,
In case you have not seen these, dear friend --
http://iriz.hanazono.ac.jp/zen_centers/centers_data/usaNW.htm#VIRGINIA
http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/province.php?province_id=67
Here is also a good place to start:
http://blackmoonzendo.com/zazen.shtml
Best wishes, and thankyou.
Abu
I talked more with the lady that introduced me to Buddhism and I hope to attend her temple, though it is not Zen and they speak mainly Vietnamese (I only speak English). Perhaps there are others there in my same situation, and I got one reply from Craigs list, so I am encouraged.
The legs don't matter. I do a bizarro seiza-like position that works very well for me. It's taken me years to finally find a position that is comfortable for my body type. you've got to find one that works for you. as for having a straight back...if it isn't straight, after 30 minutes or so it will start to hurt when you breath due to pressue from your ribs on your lungs. if that happens, straight your back as much as you possibly can and try to keep it there for as long as you possibly can.
If you have the extra cash, I'd suggest getting an inversion table so you get a feel for what having your back straightened out feels like.
I want to expand my practice, let go of my Lotus / Zazen only approach to meditation and try what I can.
My left knee won't bend past 90 degrees (but I can put my right one into the proper Lotus position) so my seiza is basically standing on my knees, but I am doing stretching excersises.
Your seiza might help me once I get some flexibility.
All this to say that it takes much time to learn how to sit
I also just wanted to suggest www.meetup.com for looking for groups and people in your area. You can start a group or just search for one with a common interest. It is really nice.
On the subject of posture, I'd also like to ask for some advice. My biggest problem is when I sit cross-legged, I can't do full lotus, my legs start to fall asleep after about 15 minutes. Anyway to remedy this? Thanks.
if you buy one, you'll most likely still have to cut it to match your exact body type.
my bizarro position is this: I take a pillow from my couch, and another one from a bed (I think, I'm actually not fully sure where the second pillow comes from, although it's much smaller than the first). along with that, I fold a thick blanket until it is about the right size and put it on top of the other two (I put the second pillow at the edge of the first, and put the third in a way that it creates a slight angle. I still have problems with my knees, since my legs aren't correct, but it's by far the best sitting position I've had. that being said, I am pretty unique in my lack of flexibility, so this probably wouldn't work for anyone else.
sanghapig: no, there is no way to remedy that short of sitting in a different position. one isn't better than another, so figure out what works for you.
You're very welcome, zenmonkey. All the best, Abu.