7 Postures To Meditate (and How To Put Them Into Practice)
Meditation seeks to bring the body and mind into a state of deep relaxation. This practice involves correct management of attention, we could say that it is a kind of training of our mind to allow us to be more present.
Additionally, meditative practice can help us combat stress, relieve anxiety, and enhance our creativity. Some studies have shown that it also has important effects on physical health.
Although meditation is considered a practice that mainly works the mind, the body and body posture are also very important when meditating. We must adopt a posture that allows us to achieve a state of deep relaxation.
In this article we explain how to perform the most popular meditation positions in addition to presenting a series of tips on how to maintain correct posture and avoid possible pain when meditating.
Meditation is not a single method, there are different meditative practices, which involve different techniques and body postures. But to start we don’t need to watch all the available videos or sign up for a retreat. It is only necessary sit, relax and breathe
It can be practiced in different places and times. Whether we have been meditating for years, or if it is the first time we delve into meditative practice, flexibility in approach is important. The important thing is to find the way to meditate that works for us, and to do that you may have to make certain modifications along the way.
Before sitting down to meditate, it is necessary to know a series of key points to correctly position the different parts of the body involved in meditative practice.
There is a well-known approach, of seven key guidelines, for adopting good body posture when meditating. Of course, these tips are flexible and each person can adapt them depending on their needs. We must remember that meditation is a practice where mind and body work together, which is why it is important to approach posture, like the rest of the elements, in a relaxed way.
1. Sitting
The posture we adopt when sitting to meditate It will depend mainly on the flexibility of our hips The most logical thing is that we start meditating, in the way we usually sit. Some people, when meditating, prefer to cross their legs, others use some type of cushion or meditation bench. We can also sit in a chair. There is no correct way to sit, as we have said, it is important to do it in the way that makes us feel most comfortable and allows us to relax. If we start with a posture that is very different from how we usually do it, it is likely that some muscles and ourselves will feel tense.
Regardless of the way we choose to sit, it is important that the spine is always as straight as possible during the meditative session. The way we breathe can help us keep our spine aligned, stretching it every time we take a breath. Besides, This habit can help us correct our body posture on a daily basis Paying attention to when we slouch and returning to a correct spinal position can prevent us from different health problems.
3. Hands
In most known meditation positions, the hands are rested on the thighs with the palms extended.
4. Shoulders
When meditating, we must keep our shoulders aligned and relaxed Additionally, to keep your chest open and your back straight, it helps to pull your shoulders back slightly. During practice, it is important that we check our posture from time to time to ensure that the spine remains straight. An easy way to correct poor posture is to inhale by moving your shoulders back.
5. Face
Correct posture when meditating also involves the facial muscles. We must place the chin slightly inward and the back of the neck aligned with the rest of the body. We also have to (like the rest of the body), keep our face relaxed. This slight tilt of the head can help us release tension so it can occur naturally, once we are relaxed.
6. Jaw
The jaw is an important source of tension, and its muscles are capable of exerting forces of up to 90 kg. Therefore, it is important to release any type of tension we hold in the jaw before meditating. We can do this before starting the practice, applying a small massage to the area or doing some exaggerated yawns. Also while we are meditating We can open our mouth slightly and press our tongue against the roof of our mouth to relax our jaw
7. Look
In order not to interrupt the practice, it is recommended to decide if we want to meditate with our eyes open or closed. According to people advanced in meditative practice, it is easier to meditate with your eyes closed, as doing this keeps the face, eyes, and eyelids naturally relaxed. But also we can meditate with our eyes open But it is important to keep a distant focus point.
As we have just seen, the first step in preparing to meditate is to find a comfortable position that suits us. This helps the body follow the intentions of the meditative practice, supported by alignment and body posture. In addition to the guidelines that we have mentioned, there are a series of pre-designed postures that help us position the body correctly.
1. Lotus room
In this posture, each foot rests under the opposite knee. It is the position par excellence that we associate with sitting on the floor with our legs crossed, since we were little. In this position, we must keep the hips above the knees and lean slightly forward to allow rotation pelvic. Additionally, ideally your knees should rest on your feet. A meditation cushion is helpful in this meditation position to lift your hips and rotate your pelvis forward enough.
If we are starting with meditative practice, it is advisable to use a wall as support for the back when performing this and other postures. To maintain correct spinal posture, we can put a rolled up sweatshirt between the base of the lower back and the wall.
Lastly, as always, it is best to experiment and see what works for ourselves. You can find meditation cushions online, or you can use things you already have at home such as blankets, pillows, and towels.
2. Half lotus
The half lotus posture is the same as the quarter lotus posture, except that we must rest one of our two feet on the opposite thigh, the left foot on the right thigh or vice versa. Therefore, this position requires that we have a lot of flexibility in the hips. If we are not flexible enough, or we notice discomfort, it is better Do not use the half-lotus position, to avoid putting pressure on the knee joints
People who practice Yoga use the inverted pigeon as a warm-up, to prepare the joints for the posture.
3. Full Lotto
Although this posture and the previous two are considered beginner postures, the full lotus position is not easy to perform. To do it correctly we must place each foot on the opposite thigh As we see, it is more stable and symmetrical than the half-lotus, but it requires greater flexibility in the lower part of our body.
The symmetry of the posture provides benefits when considering the interconnection of mind and body during meditative practice. But not everyone can do it, especially this posture is not recommended if we have backs in the hip and knee joints.
This posture is less demanding than the previous ones, it is considered simple for anyone who can place their knees on the ground naturally. We must place both feet on the floor in a horizontal position in front of the pelvis
To find the most comfortable position for us, we can try different inclinations, we can experiment with leaning forward, backward, left, etc. In addition, move the cushion to find a balanced position. If we adopt a balanced position, we will not put pressure on our feet or legs.
6. Seiza Pose
In the Japanese tradition, the most common form of meditation involves kneeling. This posture is known as Seiza, which translates as “sitting correctly.” This technique It is usually done with the help of a meditation bench, although you can also place a cushion to cushion it. We can also kneel without any help, although the top of our feet must be resting on the floor.
The Seiza kneeling position, unlike the Lotus, does not put pressure on the lower part of the body. Some type of cushioning can be used under the knees and feet, especially if we have just started meditative practice.
Another version of this position It is performed by sitting on your heels and pointing your toes forward It is a great stretch for the soles of the feet, but requires hours of practice by those who are inexperienced.
5. Other postures
If for some reason, either we have just started meditating or we suffer some type of pain – or limitation – to perform the most common postures. We can meditate in more flexible ways As we have already seen, the important thing is to relax the body.
Meditate in a chair: using a chair when meditating offers all the benefits that other postures offer.
Lying Meditation: Prolonged meditation sessions are likely to cause discomfort, but should never cause pain. If, even when meditating with the help of a chair, we notice pain, we can try doing the practice lying down.
Standing meditation: this practice is recommended if meditations frequently end in a nap or if other postures cause pain. It is important to make sure not to lock your knees to maintain a correct position.
I’m Emily Williams Jones, a psychologist specializing in mental health with a focus on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness. With a Ph.D. in psychology, my career has spanned research, clinical practice and private counseling. I’m dedicated to helping individuals overcome anxiety, depression and trauma by offering a personalized, evidence-based approach that combines the latest research with compassionate care.
