Why is posture important for meditation?

[Guest guest]

I've always heard that it is important to sit on a mat cross-legged in

order to meditate. I was wondering what the reason for that is?

 

Christians & Muslims seem to kneel when they pray.

 

Why can't you just sit on a chair?

[Guest guest]

> I've always heard that it is important to sit on a mat cross-legged

>in order to meditate. I was wondering what the reason for that is?

 

Its not important, but recommended. Else, if you sit for a long time

in meditation, your body will trouble you by twitching. Padmasan is

considered best, as it allows you to sit for hours without it

moving(once your body is strong enough to sit that long).

 

 

> Christians & Muslims seem to kneel when they pray.

yes, but they dont spend hours in meditation. Also the kneeling is

actually a form of Vajrasan- a very powerful asan that puts pressure

on Muladhar. So, knowingly or unknowingly, they hit on good posture.

 

 

> Why can't you just sit on a chair?

 

You can. You can even lie down, it depends what sadhna you are doing.

Like for vipasna, you can lie down. Tratak can be done sitting on a

chair. Asan is important, but not that important. Many Yogis, like

Swami Vivekanand couldnt sit in asans, & used the simplest sitting

postures like cross legged.

 

love

Shantnu

[Guest guest]

, satishvijayan <no_reply wrote:

 

Dear Satishvijayan,

 

Namaste!

 

To sit cross-legged was recommended at the time of our Rishi-Munnis

when chairs were not in use (accept for the king) so the

practical recommendaton was sit cross legged on the ground. The

advantage even now in sitting cross legged (padmasana) helps to

reduce 1/3 of your breathing capacity which is very conducive to

create ideal atmosphere for meditation. The simple ordinary cross

legged sitting (sukhasana) is also good as it also helps in

stabilising body and mind since you are closer and down to earth.

The important thing/requirement is sitting on KUSA grass mat as

recommended by Lord Krishna in Gita. This cushions the body against

gravitational pulling which in turn prevents the energy generated

during meditation. (Ofcourse above this kusa mat one must

keep a woolen blanket and over this a cotton cloth which is the

correct way to sit for meditation atleast in the beginning stage)

 

Further facing eastern or northern direction is also beneficial for

the vibrations we receive from these directions. Ofcourse you may

argue that since earth is round any direction is equal. NOT SO! when

you compound your house or your room Vastu Purush gets

established and then direction becomes an utmost necessity. And since

all meditation is done at Brahmamuhurtha i.e. from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m.

if you face eastern direction as sun rises ushashakti, u/v rays etc.,

gets absorbed rather when facing your back to the sun.

 

Nowadays in modern Kaliyuga considering the fact that even kids

today cannot sit down in ordinary sukhasana and elder people who

tend to suffer from stiff joints the only solution would be chair

but it important that the feet should be planted firmly on the

ground with a blanket underneath so the energy generated is not

allowed to be absorbed by the earth.

 

As regards Christains and Muslims - muslims pray more in

VAJRASANA and they do not kneel down.

As far as christains are concerned their kneeling down is because

of cold weather the bones were stiff so only alternative to ground

yourself was to kneel down. Remember Christ learnt his yoga in

Kashmir-India and perhaps never recommended kneeling down. The

photos you see of christ kneeling down was later invention of the

artist as recommended by pope. You should know unlike gita the

original bible has been distorted and therefore there are lot of

missing links. The original bible was written in Armenian language

which is lying locked in vatican library. The pope has no guts to

translate word by word but still somebody got access to it and

printed it which goes by the name of Essene Bible available on

Amazon.com and so many missing links can be found there like christ

said, LET ROOTS, FRUITS AND BERRIES BY THY MEAT. (here meat means

food and not flesh of animal) But the topic here is of meditation

so kneeling was easy and practical for later practioners so they

adapted while India being a tropical country with warm climate stuck

to sitting cross legged on the ground.

 

Hope this satisfies your query.

 

MEANTIME HERE IS WISHING ALL FELLOW TRAVELLERS ON THE SPIRITUAL

PATH - HAPPY DEEPAWALI AND MAY IT USHER IN LOTS OF PROSPERITY AND

PEACE OF MIND.

 

With warm wishes,

Sudhakar

HARI OM TAT SAT! Cheers! )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

>

> I've always heard that it is important to sit on a mat cross-legged

in

> order to meditate. I was wondering what the reason for that is?

>

> Christians & Muslims seem to kneel when they pray.

>

> Why can't you just sit on a chair?

>

[Guest guest]

AASANA , YOGA, MEDITATION,BLISS.

In Arasavalli where a temple for SUN exists, devotees visit to perform

SURYANAMASKARAMS. The priest after reciting sankalpa does the rendition while

occupying various postures of the series of Suryanamaskarams. These include

standing on head,standing on one leg,lying prostrate breathing deep,and resting

for a few seconds. It is easy to understand how health and posture are closely

related.

Human body has fluids like blood,lymph,tissue fluids,bone marrow,oxygen,and

other gases. These fluids perfuse the nerves and plexuses awakening Kundalini. .

Fluids move by gravity,posture,and and body movement.

Shavasana involves the least movement of fluids and Sarvangahana the most .

Meditation is a type of yogic exercise for bodily,intellectual and spiritual

awakening, the importance of posture can`t be over emphasised.

Please correctme and criticise me.

yours sincerely

ijswamy

 

shanracer <no_reply > wrote:

[Guest guest]

> I chant the Gayathri every morning (as a form of meditation). Do you

> suggest the cross-legged pose for that? I tend to lose my

 

Satishji, this is normal. Thats why our Rishis invented Yoga Asans, so

people could meditate for hours without disturbance.

 

Hath Yoga has become confused with Asans, & looking pretty. Its

spiritual base is unknown by most, even Hindus. The Hath Yogi tries to

bring the body, pran and mind into balance, by working mainly with

body/pran, which is easier than working with the mind. If the trio of

body, pran and mind are in harmony, then there is no disturbance in

meditation. If even 1 of these 3 is inbalanced, it will break Sadhna.

Usually it is body, but it can be pran(which creates restlessness) or

mind(which bombards you with frivolous thoughts).

 

The best solution is to join a Hath Yoga class- they are everywhere

now. But be sure to join whose teacher knows about spiritual aspects

of hath yoga, & has trained under some proper Guru & not someone who

has just learnt to twist his/her body.

 

love

Shantnu