[Help] Meditation Techniques: Good positions to keep spine straight for beginners?

[Doorman]

I started meditation, and the position I take is usualy just sitting in a little piano bench, but as time pass, I feel uncomfort and back pains.
What are some good positions you guys use for rituals?

 

[HoldAll]

Simply sitting on a cushion on a hard chair without leaning back and touching the backrest. Here is a link to the zazen file, the one in the post no longer works:

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Keeping the spine erect is really important because slumping forward will constrict your breathing. Like I said in the post, you may need to develop the muscles to maintain an upright posture first - I had that problem in the beginning as well and then again when I noticed a slight slump and corrected it not so long ago. So your discomfort is normal and will disappear over time. However, stop as soon as you experience actual pain and avoid overtaxing your body, ten minutes are enough for beginners, I'd say. Some light stretching for the back and shoulders also helps, maybe some purely mental relaxiation exercises as well.

 

[Doorman]

Simply sitting on a cushion on a hard chair without leaning back and touching the backrest. Here is a link to the zazen file, the one in the post no longer works:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Keeping the spine erect is really important because slumping forward will constrict your breathing. Like I said in the post, you may need to develop the muscles to maintain an upright posture first - I had that problem in the beginning as well and then again when I noticed a slight slump and corrected it not so long ago. So your discomfort is normal and will disappear over time. However, stop as soon as you experience actual pain and avoid overtaxing your body, ten minutes are enough for beginners, I'd say. Some light stretching for the back and shoulders also helps, maybe some purely mental relaxiation exercises as well.

Yeah I was siting for 2 hours and was "powering" trough. My body was actuallu feeling tired from it.

 

[sherab]

In addition to what HoldAll said, one thing about sitting for long periods is to learn how to relax and calm the bodies energies. If the posture is set up properly, the bones, structure and gravity do the work rather than the muscles. A piano bench might not give the proper alignments.

 

[Altan]

You can meditate standing up. There is a static tai chi position where the knees are slightly bent, the arms bent slightly at the elbows and away from the torso, and the chin lowered to stretch the spine, feet facing forward at shoulder width. It is surprisingly free of strain. If sitting, just put a hard pillow under the tailbone to keep the back straight. You can meditate in a chair with backrest and a pillow behind the lower back if there are problems. If you can resist falling asleep, lying down works, at least for a portion of your meditation time. I meditate in bed, and even tone mantras in bed half an hour to an hour before getting up. It used to be the only way I could do mantras and not get tense. Over time, I learned to do them in other postures, or while walking, washing dishes etc. Karma yoga is based on a meditative state (a light one, but still effective) while you are going about your business. Maybe not while driving, but waiting in line or any instance where you can be impatient can certainly work.

 

[Almaveritaslab]

Hi, there are several positions to meditate that you can change from time to time and as you become more familiar with all the positions. One of the first positions is to be seated on a chair or on a cushion. The trick to meditating on a chair is to position the buttocks a little higher than the knees to bring the pelvis forward and help keep the back straight. Another position is to be on your knees, this can be difficult and uncomfortable if you do not have adequate support. Place a cushion under your buttocks and between your feet. You can also use a specially designed wooden bench, preferably with a soft cushion between you and the wood. Otherwise, your buttocks may tingle.