Why is posture so important to meditation?
WHY IS THE POSTURE OF MEDITATION SO IMPORTANT?
The importance of having a good posture while meditating is mentioned. This has a basic importance: if a person is going to meditate for a certain amount of time, he should be able to avoid lassitude and at the same time discomfort or overexcitement. The Buddha taught this with a metaphor: when a guitar is played, for the string to sound good it must not be too tight or too loose (so the mind). Generally, the posture that allows this is to sit with the back straight and with all other parts of the body relaxed – although you can also meditate standing, lying or walking, these positions do not allow the common practitioner to keep meditating for a long time -.
Another reason that is often cited is that this position allows the flow of energy from the central channel, something that is important for advanced practices of yoga and tantra.
Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, who was one of the main responsible for spreading Buddhism in the United States, being the first to introduce Vajrayana Tantric Buddhism, says something simple but beautiful about the posture of meditation. The posture of sitting cross-legged, with the body relaxed and with an emphasis on keeping the back straight is an act of self-love (people who have physical problems can perfectly sit in a chair, as shown in the picture. is to maintain general relaxation and right back):
When you bend your back, you are trying to hide your heart, to prevent it from collapsing. But when you sit with your back straight, relaxed, in meditative posture, your heart is naked. Your whole being is exposed – to yourself, above all, but also to others. Through the practice of sitting still and following the breath when you inhale and exhale, you are connecting with your heart … By simply letting yourself be, whatever you are, you develop genuine sympathy for yourself. When you feel erect, you proclaim to yourself and to the world that you will be a warrior, a complete human being.
We know that our position is in many ways a reflection of our spirit and attitude. Cultivating this simple posture is already an achievement, regardless of whether our meditation is stable or not.
