Comfortable Meditation

You may have heard meditation requires you to sit upright on a small pillow with your legs crossed, while burning incense, in a special room dedicated for your practice.

Unfortunately, many of us have trouble sitting on the floor, much less in a crossed legged position. If we have sat in comfortable chairs all our lives, it is tough to sit in this way. I found that it is okay to sit any way that is comfortable, but I do not get so comfortable that it puts me to sleep. Sleep is good for the body, but if you are asleep, you will not get far in meditation. Many of us meditate in all positions; walking, lying down, and sitting. I get good results in a recliner. If I am low on energy, I keep the foot rest down with my feet touching the ground and the back of the chair is upright. If I have lots of energy or more stress than usual, I will bring the foot part up and recline the back. If I fall asleep, I will go to sitting in the chair or maybe stand up or walk. We do want to be flexible and have our spine as straight as possible. If we are sitting on the floor and experiencing pain, the practice will be much harder to do. I like comfort, and that is what works for me. You can sit on a kitchen chair, an easy chair in the living room or a special place dedicated to meditation. There is no right or wrong way to practice. It is all about what works for you.