Sitting in Meditation Practice

As a beginning meditation student you learn how to meditate best for you. Practice it every day. Find a comfortable posture either sitting on the floor or a chair. Do this every time. This will help you to get into a meditative state more quickly and deeply. It will also help your body to recognize that you are about to meditate and help you get into the habit whenever you use the asan (posture) and mudra (hand postures).

Try not to change your asan and mudra. Once you choose what is comfortable to you, stick with it. Otherwise, it may be a little harder to go into your mediation as quickly or as deeply. It may take longer, because your mind will think that you are not in the correct posture.

Practice at the same time every day and in the same place. The best times to mediate are at the break of dawn and at dusk. But any time you are able to is fine.

Make your sitting space a sacred space, which you use only for mediation and nothing else. In other words, no one else should use it; it should be used only for meditation. People should not walk through it or use the space. It only needs to be the size of a large cushion to sit on.

I have a zabuton and zafu (a high foam cushion and a large flat generously stuffed cushion) that I sit on. I keep them in the corner of my living room. They are on a wool rug on the floor and I keep a wool blanket or warm shawl nearby to wrap around myself if needed. The area has some of my favorite pictures in frames on a piece of furniture to make the space my own.

I sit in easy pose, legs crossed on a cushion because I have very tight hip and thigh muscles. Yoga has helped to loosen them up, so I can sit on the floor much easier. But I need the extra height and padding so I can sit for longer period of time. I use the Aum mudra, hands resting on my legs, palms up index finger and thumb touching, the other fingers held open. I cannot bring my feet up onto my legs, but you may be able to. This is the asan and mudra that are most comfortable to me to help me to mediate. Experiment with how you sit and your use of mudra, such as the cup mudra, hands simply laid one on top of the other, palms up in your lap. Settle into the asan that you would like to try and begin your breathing.

When to Meditate

Use a set time or ritual to practice. Meditate daily. Meditate in a particular place, preferably in the same (quiet) place everyday. Meditate at a particular time. Mornings at sunrise or at sunset are best. But anytime is fine, if you aren’t able to practice at these times. Just practice.

Meditate in a particular asan (position). It takes about 2 months before you will notice the positive effect on your mind and it has become a habit.

Where to Meditate

Your small space must become sacred to meditation only. It should be a space with the least amount of foot traffic and be special to you. Make it comfortable. Avoid heavy emotions when in the space.

Bless your space. Imagine a solar sphere radiating a golden white light into the spot and another radiating out into the whole house. Think positive and good thoughts to attract higher vibrations to your meditation space. Make the area beautiful. Place favorite pictures in the area. Use incense if you wish. (Be careful not to burn anything.) Think positive thoughts and send them to your space even when you are at work. Never bring your problems or anger into your space.

Start by breathing slowly and deeply through your nose (if you can). Fill your lungs with air. Pause and slowly exhale all of the air out through your nose or your mouth. Close your eyes and focus on the root of your nose. Clear your mind of all thoughts. Focus on your breathing. Sit for a few minutes at first. You don’t need to meditate for a long time. You need to meditate everyday or almost everyday to benefit from meditation. Try building up to 20 minutes if you can. You will begin to find inner calm and see subtle changes in yourself. Then you will start seeing more clearly and softening your karma. Even 2 minutes of meditation is beneficial.