Meditation posture

[roopepa]

How important it is that in basic breathing meditation, your back is not touching a surface?

A half-lotus asana feels quite uncomfortable, because my legs are not that flexible, and I can't really relax into the position.

A kneeling bench is okay for the legs and back, but it makes breathing not as deep and relaxed.

So is it okay just sit in an armchair, breathing an relaxing? Is there an actual reason why people emphasize the importance of back not touching a surface?

[Brandon Nankivell]

No that important for jhanas/awakening, just meditate in a comfortable position for you. Health-wise however, someone who is more experienced in body mechanics I'm sure will have something wiser to say than I.

[gettoefl]

at first which was 2 years ago just sat against the wall, each day i did a little more with back off wall, i too struggle with legs, i push left foot close but not touching right calf and then reverse for the other leg, i believe this is called the easy pose, two thirds through meditation have to stretch out legs and flip over to right foot to left calf but soon will be able to do the whole thing ... back is straight and comfortable now

[BipolarGrowth]

Just adding from my experience: sitting meditation and following rules is “for the birds” as they say. Maybe you need it for now to build a good foundation, but effective meditation can be done in any pose or while doing or not doing anything. Most of the time I just lay the fuck down, listen to some good music or a Frank Yang video, and directly investigate the sensations which arise (vipassana). Sometimes the sensations which arise are self-inquiry, do nothing meditation, crazy exalted states of consciousness, w/e. Just investigate. Frank Yang says vipassana means to penetrate and see clearly. Daniel Ingram and others emphasize focusing on the three characteristics (no self, dukkha, impermanence) within the sensations as being vipassana. They’re ultimately the same thing, but starting with the three characteristics as a foundation taught me how to do vipassana effectively. When you’re doing any meditation well, you should have access to a ridiculous amount of energy. This might be a settled/peaceful energy, but you’re not going to fall asleep unless you’re a Navy Seal at the end of Hell Week and sleep deprived to all hell. 
 

None of this advice might be right for you right now, but at a certain point, freeing yourself from traditionally stressed ideas of the “shoulds” and “should nots” of meditation can be incredibly beneficial. You cannot embody things to the level of Realization (permanent baseline consciousness shifts) with any ease if you are running against your intuition and nature. You deviate from the Tao when you try too hard to align with it as one old master said (forget who). 
 

You can pound your head forcefully into the concrete in 10,000 hours of meditation against your True Nature and get somewhere, or you could just let yourself flow as the Nature/Tao you are authentically. In truth, you never can change anything at all, ever. You’re on a rollercoaster ride rather than driving a car wherever you want, and somehow, the sensations of choice are an integral part of that Natural, infinitely linked chain of causation happening only right here, right now. 
 

Good luck. Godspeed. And remember to enjoy the ride ??

[softlyblossoming]

@roopepa Whatever's comfortable. I'm in the fuck SDS camp right now.

[Carl-Richard]

17 hours ago, roopepa said:

Is there an actual reason why people emphasize the importance of back not touching a surface?

If you lean too much backwards (or forwards), your spine will not be relaxed. That doesn't mean you shouldn't sit in chairs. You just have to sit right.

[Johnny Galt]

@roopepa You might want to get into yin yoga.

Edited November 26, 2021 by Johnny Galt