Comments on: Meditating sitting in a chair http://www.wildmind.org Explore Meditation Online Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:56:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bodhipaksa http://www.wildmind.org/posture/chair/comment-page-1#comment-127940 Bodhipaksa Sat, 13 Aug 2011 20:16:10 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/posture/chair/#comment-127940 Hi, Tempe. Thanks for your kind comments. I'd say it's very important to raise the back legs of the chair. If this isn't done the pelvis tilts backwards and then we either slump or have to make effort to sit upright. Either way our meditation is affected. Ordinary household chairs are just not designed for sitting comfortably upright. I think it's important not to let the ideal be the enemy of the good. There are some people who will tell you that 40 or 50 minutes is a bare minimum, or even that you have to meditate for hours. The thing is that even a minute spent meditating is better than nothing, which is often what people end up achieving if the bar is set too high. I know people who have noticed a significant difference to their lives by meditating for just ten minutes a day. Do what you can, and you may find that you end up wanting to do more. All the best, Bodhipaksa Hi, Tempe.

Thanks for your kind comments. I’d say it’s very important to raise the back legs of the chair. If this isn’t done the pelvis tilts backwards and then we either slump or have to make effort to sit upright. Either way our meditation is affected. Ordinary household chairs are just not designed for sitting comfortably upright.

I think it’s important not to let the ideal be the enemy of the good. There are some people who will tell you that 40 or 50 minutes is a bare minimum, or even that you have to meditate for hours. The thing is that even a minute spent meditating is better than nothing, which is often what people end up achieving if the bar is set too high. I know people who have noticed a significant difference to their lives by meditating for just ten minutes a day. Do what you can, and you may find that you end up wanting to do more.

All the best,
Bodhipaksa

]]> By: Tempe http://www.wildmind.org/posture/chair/comment-page-1#comment-127923 Tempe Sat, 13 Aug 2011 18:51:59 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/posture/chair/#comment-127923 Love your site! Nice to see sitting in a chair taken seriously. I have arthritis in the knees, and cannot meditate in a crosslegged position. I have to use a chair, and, as you say, it is easy to think that you NEED to sit in lotus to meditate. How necessary is it, I wonder, to raise the back legs of the chair? Perhaps one of the chairs I have in the house will not need this leg-raising. New question: Half of what I read says that anything less than 30 minutes is insufficient and insignificant; the other half says that doing many short sessions per day is just fine. What do you think? Love your site!
Nice to see sitting in a chair taken seriously. I have arthritis in the knees, and cannot meditate in a crosslegged position. I have to use a chair, and, as you say, it is easy to think that you NEED to sit in lotus to meditate.
How necessary is it, I wonder, to raise the back legs of the chair? Perhaps one of the chairs I have in the house will not need this leg-raising.
New question: Half of what I read says that anything less than 30 minutes is insufficient and insignificant; the other half says that doing many short sessions per day is just fine. What do you think?

]]> By: Bodhipaksa http://www.wildmind.org/posture/chair/comment-page-1#comment-93576 Bodhipaksa Thu, 30 Sep 2010 03:09:22 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/posture/chair/#comment-93576 Interesting. That's not something I've ever heard before. Interesting. That’s not something I’ve ever heard before.

]]> By: Rumi http://www.wildmind.org/posture/chair/comment-page-1#comment-93355 Rumi Thu, 23 Sep 2010 11:31:07 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/posture/chair/#comment-93355 Dear Bodhipaksa, Thank you for your contribution to all of us sharing your knowledge on meditation and I really like this site. I am a Buddhist and follow Buddhist teaching in day to day life. Just one point to bring your attention is; the picture you have posted is, not a posture that Buddha used for meditation. This picture Illustrates his passing away and eyes are closed.You can differentiate the lying down posture and passing way from the Feet. if the Feet together, that means ihe is lying down and if not together, means his passing away. Keep up good work. Metta !! Dear Bodhipaksa,

Thank you for your contribution to all of us sharing your knowledge on meditation and I really like this site. I am
a Buddhist and follow Buddhist teaching in day to day life. Just one point to bring your attention is; the picture you
have posted is, not a posture that Buddha used for meditation. This picture Illustrates his passing away and eyes are
closed.You can differentiate the lying down posture and passing way from the Feet. if the Feet together, that means ihe is
lying down and if not together, means his passing away.

Keep up good work. Metta !!

]]> By: Bodhipaksa http://www.wildmind.org/posture/chair/comment-page-1#comment-92462 Bodhipaksa Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:11:59 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/posture/chair/#comment-92462 It's very hard to say without actually seeing you sitting, or without more information. I don't know whether you've followed our recommendation to have the back legs raised, for example. It’s very hard to say without actually seeing you sitting, or without more information. I don’t know whether you’ve followed our recommendation to have the back legs raised, for example.

]]> By: somn http://www.wildmind.org/posture/chair/comment-page-1#comment-92440 somn Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:04:37 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/posture/chair/#comment-92440 I have been doing meditation on chair and it's now almost 7 months or more. But i think my abdominal parts are painning. I wish you have sth to say on this matter I have been doing meditation on chair and it’s now almost 7 months or more. But i think
my abdominal parts are painning. I wish you have sth to say on this matter

]]> By: Bodhipaksa http://www.wildmind.org/posture/chair/comment-page-1#comment-83288 Bodhipaksa Sun, 11 Apr 2010 21:20:05 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/posture/chair/#comment-83288 If you get the cramp in your upper back (I'm assuming it's on either side of the spine, at about shoulder-blade level) you need to have something supporting your hands higher. Anyway, I'm glad you're figuring it out! If you get the cramp in your upper back (I’m assuming it’s on either side of the spine, at about shoulder-blade level) you need to have something supporting your hands higher. Anyway, I’m glad you’re figuring it out!

]]> By: Susan http://www.wildmind.org/posture/chair/comment-page-1#comment-83285 Susan Sun, 11 Apr 2010 20:21:07 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/posture/chair/#comment-83285 Hi Bodhipaksa: I've been experimenting with the height of the blocks under the back legs of my chair. 2" was too high and caused a cramp in my upper back, and, no, I can't explain why! :) 1.5" seems to work best with a blanket under my feet. Many thanks, again, for your guidance. Peace, Susan Hi Bodhipaksa:

I’ve been experimenting with the height of the blocks under the back legs of my chair. 2″ was too high and caused a cramp in my upper back, and, no, I can’t explain why! :) 1.5″ seems to work best with a blanket under my feet.

Many thanks, again, for your guidance.

Peace,
Susan

]]> By: Bodhipaksa http://www.wildmind.org/posture/chair/comment-page-1#comment-83237 Bodhipaksa Sat, 10 Apr 2010 03:18:56 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/posture/chair/#comment-83237 Ah, OK. It may be that we're using the same words to mean different things. If you're sitting too low (and it sounds like you are) then your torso will tend to collapse so that your front is hollowed, and that could well push your pelvis forwards -- a bit like when you slouch on a couch your hips are forwards on the cushion. Is that what's going on? Are you learning back into the back of the chair while you're having this experience of sliding forwards? Anyway, I'd suggest raising the back legs a bit more, and see if that makes things easier. I'd also recommend that when you're setting up your posture you bend forward from the waist until you're completely collapsed forwards, wiggle our but back until it's lightly making contact with the back of the chair, and then sit upright. You may find that this helps you get a better posture. Ah, OK. It may be that we’re using the same words to mean different things. If you’re sitting too low (and it sounds like you are) then your torso will tend to collapse so that your front is hollowed, and that could well push your pelvis forwards — a bit like when you slouch on a couch your hips are forwards on the cushion. Is that what’s going on? Are you learning back into the back of the chair while you’re having this experience of sliding forwards?

Anyway, I’d suggest raising the back legs a bit more, and see if that makes things easier. I’d also recommend that when you’re setting up your posture you bend forward from the waist until you’re completely collapsed forwards, wiggle our but back until it’s lightly making contact with the back of the chair, and then sit upright. You may find that this helps you get a better posture.

]]> By: Susan http://www.wildmind.org/posture/chair/comment-page-1#comment-83236 Susan Sat, 10 Apr 2010 03:09:11 +0000 http://test.wildmind.org/posture/chair/#comment-83236 Hi Bodhipaksa: Thank you for your response. I actually have 3/4" blocks under the rear legs and the chair is made of wood and the seat is pretty smooth, although not shiny. I wonder if I need more height so that my weight rests more on the soles of my feet? I will experiment! Thanks! Peace, Susan Hi Bodhipaksa:

Thank you for your response. I actually have 3/4″ blocks under the rear legs and the chair is made of wood and the seat is pretty smooth, although not shiny. I wonder if I need more height so that my weight rests more on the soles of my feet? I will experiment! Thanks!

Peace,
Susan

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