Meditation For Long Time, Posture Problems

[Pramit]

Problems with posture as meditation exceeds 20 minute mark, please assist : 

1) If i sit in a comfortable cross leg position on my bed, there is loss of blood flow to my legs. It becomes numb. Meditation cannot continue. 

2) Back problems, if i sit with a straight back too long. 

[key]

Sit comfortably, meditation is not a chore. 

[Whoami3]

I've heard that numbness in cross-legged position is not dangerous and is caused by pressing nerves for long time not by blocking blood circulation.

I've been meditating like that for last month for 30-50 minutes. One of my legs is always numb after that but it goes off after few minutes completely.

Edited November 7, 2016 by Whoami3

[Prabhaker]

@Pramit @Whoami3

The posture should be steady and should be very, very blissful, comfortable. So never try to distort your body, and never try to achieve postures which are uncomfortable.

For the Westerners, sitting on the ground, sitting in cross-legged position is difficult; their bodies have not been trained for it. There is no need to bother about it.

If you can be steady and comfortable in a chair, it is perfectly okay – no need to try a cross-legged position and force your body unnecessarily.

A posture should be such that you can forget your body. Whenever a posture is comfortable it is bound to be steady. You fidget if the posture is uncomfortable. 

[Xpansion]

23 hours ago, Pramit said:

Problems with posture as meditation exceeds 20 minute mark, please assist : 

1) If i sit in a comfortable cross leg position on my bed, there is loss of blood flow to my legs. It becomes numb. Meditation cannot continue. 

2) Back problems, if i sit with a straight back too long. 

Hi Pramit    

Meditation isn't about trying to escape unpleasant feelings. When we sit we can practice recognising and accepting whatever is happening but not identifying with any of it.   So when you feel the legs go numb, you note gently "numbness, numbness" and bring the attention back to the breath or whatever your object of meditation is. If there is pain in your back you can observe  the pain and see that it is nothing more than changing sensation passing every moment. Note if it is dull , sharp, pulsing, throbbing.  Watch the mind how it wants to get rid of it (aversion) and craves to feel comfortable again.  Notice how strong the craving is. Ask yourself who or what is it that wants to get rid of the discomfort.   This is excellent practice and will cultivate equanimity.  However meditation is not about tolerating pain. If the pain in your back is too much its ok to move but try to move mindfully and very slowly. Don't move every single time you feel pain though.  Maybe only once for each sit.    Also use a cushion and tilt the pelvis so that you dont place strain on the back.  It doesn't matter what you do you will always eventually feel uncomfortable.  This is Dukha.  Accept it and learn to let go of what your mind wants.

Edited November 7, 2016 by Xpansion