Top 5 Best Meditation Postures For Your Practice
2 Sep 2021 HYN Himalayan Yoga Academy
Whether you are a beginner or you`ve been meditating for a while , the first step to set yourself into practice is finding a comfortable position to meditate . Sitting for a hours with a blank mind seems impossible , right ? But as with any exercise , it takes practice , time and commitment The goal of meditation is to guide you towards increased awareness , focus , and compassion for yourself .so , your body positioning should be reflecting that . You can`t be in any discomfort or pain .
Thus , here are some meditational postures for your practice :
Now , Lets talk about what exactly the meditation is ?
Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a techniques– such as mindfulness , or focusing the mind on a particular object ,thought , or activity to encourage a heightened state of awareness and focus your attention . It has numerous benefits for psychological well – being . like , Meditation can significantly reduce stress , anxiety , depression ,and pain and enhance peace and perception , self concept and well – being .
Also , you become more self aware and focus on the present . You reduce negative emotions . You can increase your imagination , creativity , patience , and tolerance .
Here are some factors for pose selection :
1)Comfort –You need to choose a postures that makes you feel comfortable even after being in the same position for so long . You need to focus on your inner self , so you don`t want any physical distraction only comfortness .
2) Stillness – During meditation you should seem focused and balanced . you can test this by gently rocking your body from front to back and side to side . Do this until you `ve found the perfect spot .
3)Relaxation –Meditation is supposed to relax you removing all the tensions so , Scan your body for any part that isn`t relaxed and adjust accordingly .
4)Alignment – you must check your spine is straight or not . It shoud be stacked , shoulder over hips , not leaning in any direction .
Five Meditation Pose
1)SUKHASANA – EASY SEAT POSE
- Sit with the legs straight in front of the body .
- Bend one leg and place the foot under the opposite thigh .
- Bend the other leg and place the foot under the opposite thigh .
- Place the hands on the knees in chin or jnana mudra .
- Keep the head , neck , and back upright and straight , but withour strain . close the eyes
- Relax the whole body . The arms should be relaxed and not held straight .
Although Sukhasana is a relaxing postures said to be the simplest meditation posture , it is difficult to sustain for a longer periods of time unless the knees are close to the ground or on the ground . Otherwise most of the body weight is supported by the buttocks and backache develops .
For those who are extremely stiff , Sukhasana may be performed sitting cross – legged with a belt or cloth tied around the knees and lower back .
2) PADMASANA – Lotus pose
Here two levels of lotus pose are described . Each one progressively more difficult than the last . you should be pefect on one variation before doing next one .
ALSO , make sure you to prepare your hips prior to practice with hip – openers
Half Lotus
- Sit with the legs straight in front of the body .
- Bend one leg and place the sole of the fot on the inside of the opposite thigh .
- Bend the other leg and place the foot on the top og the opposite thigh .
- Without straining , try to place the upper heel as near as possible to the abdomen . Adjust the position so that it is comfortable .
- Place the hands on the knees in either chin or jnana mudra .
- Keep the back , neck , and head upright and straight .
- Close the eyes and relax the whole body .
Full Lotus
- Sit with the legs straight in front of the body .
- Slowly and carefully bend one leg and place the foot on the top of the opposite thigh .
- The sole should face upward and the heel should be close to the pubic bone .
- When this feels comfortable , bend the other leg and place the foot on top of the opposite thigh .
- Both knees should , ideally , touch the ground in the final position .
- The head and spine should be held upright and the shoulders relaxed .
- Place the hands on the knees in chin or jnana mudra .
- Relax the arms with the elbows slightly bend and check that the shoulders are not raised or hunched .
- Close the eyes and relax the whole body .
- Observe the total posture of the body .
Those who suffer from sciatica or weak or injured knees should not perform this asana . This asana should not be attempted until flexibily of the knees has been developed through practice of pre – meditation asanas . It is not advisable during pregnancy as the circulation in the legs is reduced .
3)Virasana pose – hero pose
- Sit with both legs straight in front of the body .
- Bend the left leg underneath the right leg so that the left heel is touching the right buttock .
- Bring the right leg over the top of the bent left leg so that the right heel touches the left buttock .
- Adjust the right knee so that it is above , the left knee .
- Place the hands either on the right knee , one on top of the other , or on the each foot , whichever is comfortable.
- Hold the head , neck and back straight .
- Close the eyes and relax the whole body .
- Be aware of the breath at the nose-tip .
This asana is quite easy and comfortable to sustain for a long period of time as a comparatively large area of the body is contact with the floor . It is useful alternative to other meditation asanas .
4) TADASANA –
- To take your meditation poses off the ground , try standing in tadasana .
- To get the most out of this pose , pay close attention to the anatomical checkpoints .
- Start standing with your big toe mounds touching .
- Pick up all of your toes and spread them wide before placing them back down .
- Pull your quads upward , making your kneecap rise .
- Internally rotate both thighs .
- Draw your belly in and widen through your shoulder blades .
- Shrug your shoulders up and let them roll back as you release .
- Arms hang naturally by your sides with your palms facing forward .
Anatomical Checkpoints :
- If your ankle touching is uncomfortable , slightly separate your heels .
- Root your calves and feet into the floor .
- Maintain the natural curves of your spine .
- Make sure your shoulders are stacked over your hips .
- Keep your neck long and chin neutral .
5) SAVASANA (Corpse Pose )
- -Lie flat on the back with the arms about 15 cm away from the body , palms facing upward .
- – A thin pillow or folded cloth may be placed behind the head to prevent discomfort .
- -Let the fingers curl up slightly .
- -Move the feet slightly apart to a comfortable position and close the eye .
- -The head and spine should be in a straight line .
- -Make sure the head does not fall to one side or the other .
- -Become aware of the natural breath and allow it to become rhythmic and relaxed .
- – After some time , again become aware of the body and surroundings , and gently and smoothly release the posture .
POINT CHECK
Once you `ve chosen your position , move through these point check for an optimal experience :
- Find your comfortable position .
- Your spine should be straight but not over extended .
- you can place your hand in a lap or make any gestures . Try not to move your hands throughout the practice .
- Relax your shoulders .
- Slightly tuck your chin about 20 degrees to stay relaxed for long period of time .
- release your jaw or if you are unsure you can move it around a bit to find and release tension .
- Choose your gaze . You can either keep your eyes closed or you can have a gaze at a focal point 3 to 5 feet in front of you .
How to practice ?
- First of all , Choose a quite spot that is free from any kind of distractions .
- then , you can set a time limit if you are just getting started , you might want to stick to shorter sessions of abour 5 – 10 minutes in length.
- Pay attention to your body and get comfortable to it , you can `t feel any pain or discomfort .
- Focus on your breathing , pay attention to how each breathing feels .
- Notice your thoughts , whenever you start to think about something then gently focus on bringing attention back to breathe .