A Guide to The Various Meditation Postures

Since ancient times, people have practiced meditation for the numerous benefits it offers. Incorporating meditation into your everyday life could make a huge difference in your mindset and attitude.

Almost all meditative practices teach that the spine must remain straight and slumping is not encouraged. 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. Here's a look at a few of them.

1. Seated position. The person sits erect while keeping the back straight. The head and spine are in alignment and not tilted. Thighs are parallel with the ground. Hands are placed comfortably on the knees or chair arms.

2. Cross legged posture. This is one of the most popular positions, and includes the lotus position.

3. Kneeling posture. The person is positioned with both knees resting on the floor. The buttocks rest on the heels and toes, which are placed side by side. The hands are placed on the thighs.

4. Lying down posture. 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. Founded on the yogic school of thought, they might affect the consciousness. One illustration is the typical Buddhist hand placement. 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 could be of help at times when you find difficulty in meditating, and it will also improve your concentration in daily life.