Guest guest Posted May 21, 1999 Report Share Posted May 21, 1999 >I meditate in the "corpse position," lying down on >a hard, flat surface with arms and legs spread apart. This keeps the > >spine straight and the head at the proper angle at all times. Actually this is how I started out - meditating while going to sleep! And when one's trying to fall back into oneSelf - this is indeed an advantageous position. But the disadvantage is that, you would naturally fall asleep! With practice, sitting with spine erect (which is very important), comes naturally and is quite comfortable too. BTW, I've never seen the corpse position recommended anywhere. Do any of the ancient teachers recommend it? _____________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 22, 1999 Report Share Posted May 22, 1999 >From what I learned Meditation is not an action - it is a noun - One has to do contemplation to get into meditative state. If one tries to contemplate lying down one goes to sleep quickly. In order to contemplate, the mind should remain sharp and discriminative to reject what one is not- neti neti - It is gaining knowledge of the object of contemplation. My hats of to anyone who can contemple seriously on any subject with goal to learn by lying down flat on the back. For any serious discussions- people say - Let us sit down and discuss. Hence the recommended pose that is convenient, based on univesal experience of sages is to sit down with maximum base keeping the vertibral column straight and the neck in line. One should loose the awareness of the body yet one should not go to sleep and once mind should remain sharp. Krishna gives in Ch.6 the technique of meditation. Everything else is just a modification of that. Hari Om! Sadananda >"nanda chandran" <vpcnk >advaitin >advaitin > Meditation Posture >Sat, 22 May 1999 02:46:57 PDT > >"nanda chandran" <vpcnk > >>I meditate in the "corpse position," lying down on >>a hard, flat surface with arms and legs spread apart. This keeps the >> >spine straight and the head at the proper angle at all times. > >Actually this is how I started out - meditating while going to sleep! And >when one's trying to fall back into oneSelf - this is indeed an >advantageous >position. But the disadvantage is that, you would naturally fall asleep! > >With practice, sitting with spine erect (which is very important), comes >naturally and is quite comfortable too. > >BTW, I've never seen the corpse position recommended anywhere. Do any of >the >ancient teachers recommend it? > > > >_____________ >Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com > >------ >Where do some of the Internet's largest email lists reside? > >At ONElist - the most scalable and reliable service on the Internet. >------ >Discussion of the True Meaning of Sankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy >focusing on non-duality between mind and matter. List Archives available >at: /viewarchive.cgi?listname=advaitin > _____________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 22, 1999 Report Share Posted May 22, 1999 >Meditation is not charm school... I think that the lack of a meditator in >meditation is far more important than posture, in the long run. > >Hari OM, > >Tim Beautifully said. I do agree if sitting is a problem then that is not the solution and one has to find a suitable position that suites the individual. Hari OM! Sadananda _____________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 22, 1999 Report Share Posted May 22, 1999 At 02:46 AM 5/22/99 PDT, you wrote: >"nanda chandran" <vpcnk > >>I meditate in the "corpse position," lying down on >>a hard, flat surface with arms and legs spread apart. This keeps the >> >spine straight and the head at the proper angle at all times. > >Actually this is how I started out - meditating while going to sleep! And >when one's trying to fall back into oneSelf - this is indeed an advantageous >position. But the disadvantage is that, you would naturally fall asleep! > >With practice, sitting with spine erect (which is very important), comes >naturally and is quite comfortable too. I have a slight case of scoliosis (curved spine) and inherited very poor posture from my parents. I find sitting completely erect to be almost impossible for any length of time, it's too much of a strain. Also, I don't see the need when the corpse position "works well for me." I don't know about the ancient scriptures, but I've seen modern texts that accept the corpse position as legitimate. And from my own experience, meditation is quite possible in this position. Once again, the only detriment is that it's quite a bit easier to fall asleep in this position, but that difficulty can be overcome through practice. Meditation is not charm school... I think that the lack of a meditator in meditation is far more important than posture, in the long run. Hari OM, Tim ----- Visit The Core of the WWW at: http://www.eskimo.com/~fewtch/ND/index.html Music, Poetry, Writings on Nondual Spiritual Topics. Tim's Windows and DOS Shareware/Freeware is at: http://www.eskimo.com/~fewtch/shareware.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 26, 1999 Report Share Posted May 26, 1999 > > > >"nanda chandran" <vpcnk > > > >>I meditate in the "corpse position," lying down on > >>a hard, flat surface with arms and legs spread apart. This keeps the > >> >spine straight and the head at the proper angle at all times. > > [Madhava Replies:] Hari Om! Meditating in the "corpse position" is also called as "SavAsana". But it is very difficult to continue in this position quite long. I came to know that you can't lie down in this kind of posture for more than 20 minutes. It seems one tends to move. I also heard some where that, during the sleep, human body moves 150 times (just to adjust!)... In the book "Autobiography of a yogi", Shri ParamahaMsa yOgananda mentions about a yogi who mediates using this posture. Also Sri Ramana Maharshi is said to have started his quest using this posture! It is not advised to use this posture for beginners to do meditation, not only because one tends to fall asleep, but also because this can not create the cycle of praNas that keep a kind of circle in the body. If at all one is interested in this posture, here is a suggestion that I heard from a Buddhist monk (this technique, it seems, is taught to the kungfu fighters in order to get strength in a quick second, after they underwent a pretty long combat): 1) Lie down on a cot that is placed exactly in the middle of the room. 2) Take deep breath, as much as you can. And keep it there for some time. 3) Lift your hands and legs and get them near to your stomach, (like a baby in the womb) 3) Imagine a fish that is out of the water. It struggles for it's life and finally it dies with a big jerk. You need to remember the last jerk of the fish... Same way release your breath with full force.... while releasing let fall your hands and legs on the cot. 4) Stay still, let your thoughts flow...You will realize that energy keeps flowing into your mind. Smile at yourself. Stay cool... -Madhava > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 26, 1999 Report Share Posted May 26, 1999 [Madhava Replies:] Hari Om! Meditating in the "corpse position" is also called as "SavAsana". But it is very difficult to continue in this position quite long. I came to know that you can't lie down in this kind of posture for more than 20 minutes. It seems one tends to move. I also heard some where that, during the sleep, human body moves 150 times (just to adjust!)... In the book "Autobiography of a yogi", Shri ParamahaMsa yOgananda mentions about a yogi who mediates using this posture. Also Sri Ramana Maharshi is said to have started his quest using this posture! It is not advised to use this posture for beginners to do meditation, not only because one tends to fall asleep, but also because this can not create the cycle of praNas that keep a kind of circle in the body. If at all one is interested in this posture, here is a suggestion that I heard from a Buddhist monk (this technique, it seems, is taught to the kungfu fighters in order to get strength in a quick second, after they underwent a pretty long combat): 1) Lie down on a cot that is placed exactly in the middle of the room. 2) Take deep breath, as much as you can. And keep it there for some time. 3) Lift your hands and legs and get them near to your stomach, (like a baby in the womb) 3) Imagine a fish that is out of the water. It struggles for it's life and finally it dies with a big jerk. You need to remember the last jerk of the fish... Same way release your breath with full force.... while releasing let fall your hands and legs on the cot. 4) Stay still, let your thoughts flow...You will realize that energy keeps flowing into your mind. Smile at yourself. Stay cool... -Madhava Harsha: Thank you Madhavaji for sharing. May I respectfully add two things. 1. Consciousness has no posture. Techniques and methods and postures naturally will differ from person to person based on their samskaras, temperament, background, physical limitations, etc. On the Jnana path, the focus is on awareness only and the body is left to find the proper posture according to its tendencies. 2. It is not advisable to hold the breath forcefully under any circumstances unless one is familiar with the methods of pranayama. Even then, much caution is needed. Guidance is crucial for advanced exercises involving Bhastrika, Bandha Traya, etc. On the Jnana path, understanding is emphasized and methods (such as those involving breath retention) are given importance only to the extent that they serve to quiet the mind rendering it suitable for inquiry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 27, 1999 Report Share Posted May 27, 1999 > > Harsha (Dr. Harsh K. Luthar) [sMTP:hluthar] > Thursday, May 27, 1999 12:37 AM > advaitin > Re: Meditation Posture > > "Harsha (Dr. Harsh K. Luthar)" <hluthar > > 2. It is not advisable to hold the breath forcefully under any > circumstances > unless one is familiar with the methods of pranayama. Even then, much > caution is needed. Guidance is crucial for advanced exercises involving > Bhastrika, Bandha Traya, etc. On the Jnana path, understanding is > emphasized > and methods (such as those involving breath retention) are given > importance > only to the extent that they serve to quiet the mind rendering it suitable > for inquiry. [Madhava Replies:] OOPS! I am terribly sorry. Actually, it was quite a few days back, I typed that "Meditation Posture" message from home. And then decided against posting it, becuase I thought in the same way that Dr. Harsha did.... IT IS VERY MUCH NECESSARY TO HAVE A RIGHT TEACHER WHILE DOING ALL THIS. I didn't want to post that message. I remember deleting it. Anyway, I am very sorry for the mistake. Thank you very much for your advice Dr. Harsha, I fully agree with you. My sincere apologies once again. Best Regards, Madhava > ------ > With more than 17 million e-mails exchanged daily... > > ...ONElist is THE place where the world talks! > ------ > Discussion of the True Meaning of Sankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy > focusing on non-duality between mind and matter. List Archives available > at: /viewarchive.cgi?listname=advaitin > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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