How to Sit Comfortably During Meditation
So you’ve started a meditation practice and now you want to know how to sit comfortably during meditation. Whether you are experiencing back, hip, or leg pain while in meditation or you are just looking for helpful tips to get more comfy, use these tips to help you sit with ease.
1. Come into a comfortable seated position
There are many seating postures that offer comfortable options for sitting while in meditation. Below are some of the most commonly used positions for comfort while meditating.
Quarter Lotus
Burmese Position
Half Lotus
Full Lotus
Seiza
Seated in a Chair
2. Support your hips and knees
Many people make the mistake of sitting on the floor or a basic pillow when beginning meditation. For optimal support and comfort it is highly recommended to properly elevate your hips and support your knees. This prevents from low back pain, tight hip flexors, and knee pain. Meditation cushions, called zafus and zabutons, are made specifically for this purpose.
Equipment:
Our crescent shaped zafu is designed to support the hips and open your hip flexors in a way that round zafus cannot offer. This design specifically offers more support for your thighs, and allows you to tuck in your heels as you meditate. All of these specifications help you to sit more comfortable as you meditate. And the best part is the chic design compliments any modern home decor.
Our zabuton meditation cushion is the perfect compliment for the zafu, and they are traditionally used together to meditate. The zabuton offers your knees support, and allows you to sit longer in meditation. The cushioned support under your knees also helps to make sure your legs don’t fall asleep.
3. Posture is Key
An important part of sitting comfortably in meditation is making sure you have the correct posture. Using these alignment checks will help you sit longer in meditation without pain.
- Press your hands into the ground and lift your butt a few inches above your zafu. Tuck your tailbone, lengthening the base of the spine down to the earth. Slowly lower down.
- Engage your mula bandha by contracting the muscles between the pubic bone and the tailbone. This will help to contain the flow of energy as you meditate.
- Rest your hands comfortably on your knees.
- Support your spine by bringing the lower ribcage in, creating a straight spine.
- Roll Your Shoulders up and back to support your upper back.
- Drop the Chin to the chest creating a throat lock, while lifting the crown of the head to the sky.
Not only will these alignment tips help you to sit comfortably in meditation but they will also help you come into a meditative state more quickly.
4. Calm Eyes
As you come into a seated position with correct posture, it is standard to close your eyes for meditation although you don’t have to. Either way, closed or open, it is helpful to relax your eyes to facilitate a more comforting experience. If you are keeping your eyes open try to find a point to focus on a couple feet in front of you. Allow yourself to let go and maintain a soft gaze as you sit. If you choose to close your eyes try to relax the muscles surrounding the eyes, letting the eyes sit softly in the sockets.
5. Dress the part
The final tip to sit comfortably during meditation is to make sure you are wearing comfortable clothing. Avoid wearing tight clothing, as they do not allow the muscles to relax fully. Instead wear somewhat loose fitting clothes and make sure you are warm. For this some people find it useful to keep a meditation shawl in their sacred space.