Himalayan Yoga Academy

Education & research Foundation

2 Sep 2021 HYN Himalayan Yoga Academy

meditation-postures

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 :

  1. Find your comfortable position .
  2. Your spine should be straight but not over extended .
  3. you can place your hand in a lap or make any gestures . Try not to move  your hands throughout the practice .
  4. Relax your shoulders .
  5. Slightly tuck your chin about 20 degrees to  stay relaxed for long period of time .
  6. release your jaw  or if you are unsure you can move it around a bit to find and release tension .
  7. 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 .