The sitting meditations are broke down into two different categories vipassana (insight) and samatha (tranquillity or calm). The two are rather different from each other, and they can be practiced separately or some prefer to alternate between the two. The most common one to start with is samatha meditation, because the goal of samatha is to still the mind and train it to concentrate. This is most commonly the one preferred to start with because it is so effective at calming the mind as a result it is easier and more effective to move on to the next style of meditation. Allowing yourself 10 minutes or so to practice samatha meditation at the very start of your session it ample time to allow your mind to clear. It is common also to switch to samatha during another type of meditation, if you find that your mind starts to wonder or your emotions start to roar, switch immediately back to samatha and restore that peacefulness in your mind, once restored continue on with the meditation you were previously practicing. If you have the opposite problem of becoming sleepy or your mind becomes heavy and dull while practicing calm meditation switch to a movement style of meditation such as walking meditation. The most important and sometimes the hardest thing to learn for some is training ourselves to tune into our minds and not our surrounding environments.
Meditation is a great tool for the pessimistic thinker, once you have the practice of meditation down when those negative thoughts begin to rise in your mind you can know that its just a thought pattern and will find it easier to change your thinking habits, this alone will improve you thought process. Meditation will improve the quality of life with out a doubt all it takes is dedication determination and the willingness to commit to this exciting life change.
The most common position used for centuries is sitting cross-legged on the floor on a meditation pillow called a “zafu”. Some people do find this to be very uncomfortable not to mention hard to get up. Another common form of meditation is using a stool with no back. The meditation stool allows your back to remain straight and you can tuck your legs underneath the stool. A simpler sitting position can be accomplished by sitting on a regular chair without using the back support, allowing your spine to stay straight, and place your feet flat on the floor. If you have had major back problems you would not want to sit without some support, if you do need the back support by all means use it, just try to keep your spine as straight as possible.
One of the most important factors is the position of your back. Allowing your spine to be in a straight line allows your body’s energy to travel through your nervous system from you spinal cord. Therefore, to get the most benefit out of your session is to make sure your spinal cord is completely straight. You may find that this position is not the most comfortable at first but after a few meditation sessions your body will become accustomed to it and you will find it to be actually very comfortable.
Below we have listed the basic instructions that can be used with any of the sitting positions mentioned.
- Sit relaxed, avoid being to stiff, but not overly relaxed that your body becomes limp and you begin to slump, remember to keep your back straight. Position your head so it slightly forward. Keep your eyes slightly open, look downward at a gentle angle. Keeping your eyes open slightly will help avoid sleepiness, however if your become easily distracted it might be best to shut them loosely.
- Keep your hands folded and gently rested in your lap with the palms facing upwards and one hand resting gently on the other. If it is more comfortable, you may try resting one hand on each knee either up or down whichever one is most comfortable for you.
- Your goal is to get into a relaxed, tension free posture. Once your body is free of extra stress and tension your mind will soon follow and free itself.
You will no doubt feel slight discomfort from sitting still for long periods; the best way to approach this is to find a balance between slight discomfort and unpleasant discomfort. Examine each sensation your body is telling you and try not to react to it right away, sometimes the sensation will dissipate and disappear completely naturally. However if you continue to feel discomfort quietly adjust your position and continue with your session.
