meditation - to sit or lie down
When you think of meditation, it can conjure images of twig-like yogic masters sitting with their legs nimbly crossed and a look of peace on their face. Or, for those slightly more experienced souls, it can conjure another image of a fat happy buddha with arms in the air and a lazy half folded leg and the other in a half squat… or standing.
It is easy to think that the more subtle, lithe buddha with hands in a mantra and a look of serenity across his face is more enlightened, or somehow more advanced in his practices than the heavier happier buddha. Thankfully, this is not so… and since my half crossed legs are usually accompanied by winces of discomfort, I am grateful for that fact!
Yes, chi flows better through blocks in a straight line… its a fact, but if you are not sitting in a perfect line with hips squarely under shoulders and your legs in some alien form of folded lotus, HAVE NO FEAR… You are able to develop the foundations of your practice with NO UNLEARNING!!
I have experienced many types of meditations, activations, yoga classes, breathwork classes, reiki healings, etc. In all of my experiences, I can attest that the most important foundation is to LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. If you are uncomfortable, and try to push through, you are likely to hurt yourself, and developing mindful practices is about BEING MINDFUL (insert shocked face). If you are trying to force your body into positions, or you aren’t consciously, patiently listening to your aches and pains, it would defeat the purpose. If you spend you first meditation trying to find a comfortable seated position that you and your body can agree on, it is a meditation well spent!
What if your second meditation was to find a lying position that felt like the most comfortable, agreeable position you and your body can agree on? Wouldn’t that be an easy conversation and a worthwhile one for your developing practice?!
What if the third fourth, and fifth was to find sounds, singing bowls, music, or a guided meditation channel to listen to? Can you feel each one and find the one that feels the best in your body? Beginning a practice this way can be a fun, explorative way to develop a practice that helps you feel more centered in your body… you will literally wake up excited to practice!
Once you find your comfortable positions, alternate between beginning seated and lying down for a meditation.
— IMPORTANT —
you ALWAYS have permission to lie down or change position to be more comfortable… comfort will allow you to move through deeper states of meditation as your practice develops.
DONT FORGET
If you bring 10 more seconds of mindfulness to your day in ANY WAY, your practices are succeeding!!
Yes there are always more layers to explore, and more awarenesses to be gained, AND there is plenty of time and space for that… your goal is to see and appreciate all the small victories along the journey!
