Day 2 · Posture
Posture Matters
Sit upright on a cushion, zafu or chair, then let the shoulders drop. Then just sit.
A cushion or a zafu is fine. A chair is fine. This way of sitting has been handed down for a long time. It is recommended for a reason: so you can stay awake, stay soft, and stay present in the moment. It is not a test.
Today’s instruction focuses on the seat and the spine. Spend a couple of minutes to find the right posture. Then you sit in silence.
Form. Sit upright, not leaning left or right, not tipping forward or back. Ears in line with the shoulders. Nose in line with the navel. Chin a little in. Then let the shoulders drop. Let the seat take the weight.
Mindset. This is not a test. The posture is not a way to get the right state of mind. To take it is the sit.
For now we focus on finding the best posture, not the length of the sit. Even 1 minute of sitting with correct posture counts. This is not a contest. Just sitting for a minute is already hard enough.
Eyes. Traditionally the eyes are kept neither open nor closed. Most beginners find it easier to keep them closed initially . that is fine. Soft gaze, neither open nor closed, is something most people need to grow into. I will focus on the eyes in more detail tomorrow. If the eyes flutter or twitch, that is normal . physical tension or deep relaxation can cause it. Many western meditation traditions instruct closing the eyes to avoid this distraction; you can keep them closed now and grow into a soft gaze later if you wish.
A Place To Sit
If you can, sit somewhere quiet. You do not need a special room. If it helps, sit facing a wall. That tends to cut down on distractions.
You can sit on a chair, both feet on the floor. Sit a little forward of the backrest if that helps you stay up. Do not lean back. Leaning is sleeping with your eyes open.
The traditional floor seat is a round cushion, a zafu, on a mat. Sit so half of the zafu is behind you, the base of the spine on the center of the cushion. The knees rest on the mat. If you do not have a zafu, any firm cushion that lifts the hips is fine.
Both calves on the floor is fine. One foot on the opposite thigh is fine. Full lotus, both feet on the thighs, is the most stable seat, and most people will never use it. Sitting on your knees and heels is fine, especially if you have limited mobility. A small low meditation bench can work too.
If something hurts, stay with it for a while. If it still hurts, change a little. Pain that asks you to move is useful information, act on it. Feel where the body rests. Let the seat take the weight.
Upright, Then Soft
Sit upright, not leaning left or right, not tipping forward or back. Head over the spine. Ears in line with the shoulders. Nose in line with the navel. Chin slightly in, as if a string were lifting the crown of the head.
Then let the shoulders drop gently. Soften your jaw, let it drop a bit, even if just a millimeter. Tongue on the roof of the mouth, just behind the front teeth. Hands in the lap. That is enough.
If you slump, you get sleepy. If you brace, you get tired. Upright, then soft. That is how you can sit for more than a minute.
When the seat is set, rock a little left and right, then sit still. The settling is part of the form.
Suzuki said the forms are not a way to get the right state of mind. To take this posture is the right state of mind.
Then You Sit
Take the seat. Sit upright. Soften. Then stop arranging. 5 to 10 minutes of silence. Distractions may come in a few times - a sound, a thought, a feeling. And each time you come back to the weight of your body, where it touches the ground. Each time you are distracted you return to the posture.
When you notice you have slumped, or braced, come back to the posture. That return is the same return as just sitting. That return is the same Present Return that can bring you back to the present moment in daily life.
If you’re a complete beginner, the length of the sit is not that important. Focus on finding the best posture for you, then sit for a few minutes. 5 to 10 minutes is plenty.
The Present Return
This is the core technique that will help you in daily life. We covered it yesterday and we repeat it today. We will come back to it again and again. Learn to master it.
One minute for everyday life. It is a small return you can practice throughout your day: in a line, before a call, when you need a moment for yourself.
Six breaths. Your fingers keep the count, so you do not count in your head.
Let your index finger hover above your thumb. On a breath in, let them touch gently. Then middle finger, ring finger, little finger, and back the same way. When your index meets your thumb again, that closing breath completes the loop. About one minute. Your hand holds your place. No counting in your head.
Let the breath be easy. If a slightly longer out-breath helps you settle, that is fine. Learn this once with the audio guidance. Then try it on your own during the day.
Thank you for sitting. Sitting today is the whole thing. You did it. Congratulate yourself! No regrets about the past. No plans for the future. This is it.
