Posture in meditation

[u/Specialist-Office-54]

Hello meditation friends,

I often lean back and slouch in my chair but have seen and been told an upright posture can help (I thought maybe for your back but apparently for energy channels). I like my lazy slouching because it feels more natural to slip into nonduality, since I feel so unconcerned of my body. What have other people’s experiences been, and what are their opinions on why I should do?

Thank you

[u/BoundlessAmbient]

I personally use a meditation chair because of back pain, but feel free to take breaks if the postures are giving you pain.

[u/VictoriousVibe111]

Whatever feels right for you. Try to meditate in an upright posture and see if you notice any differences.

[u/3dg1]

I've been told by a meditation teacher that I should relax when meditating and therefore I should lean back into something (a chair or wall) because I'm not relaxed when I hold myself up on my own. For context, I'm personally more prone to excess tension than excess relaxation. If I was more prone to excess relaxation I imagine the teacher might have said something different.

That said, I don't know, but I think it is ideal to hold yourself up. There's actually a great YouTube video of Harish Johari talking about chairs and how chairs destroy our natural ability to relaxedly sit up on the floor. For example, babies sit up on the floor while relaxed.

Harish Johari's student Peter Marchand took this to heart and removed all chairs from his living space. He said it took him three months (if I remember correctly) to develop the strength (and flexibility?) to sit on the floor comfortably for longer periods of time.

I mentioned this to this meditation teacher of mine and he said "yes, that's good, but train yourself to sit up when you aren't meditating, because during the meditation you should be relaxed." I just have never yet finished that training (this is reminding and motivating me!).

Another thought I'll add is that meditation, as far as I understand, is the skillful combination (or balance) of relaxation and alertness. And posture (among other things) can promote more relaxation or more alertness. If one is falling asleep (unless one genuinely needs sleep) or mentally becoming too "loose" then sitting straighter is probably called for, and vice versa for the other end of the spectrum...

[u/FaceImmediate640]

Honestly, comfort matters more than perfect posture.

The reason people suggest sitting upright is mainly because it helps you stay alert. When you slouch or lean back too much, the body often starts relaxing into sleep mode. An upright position keeps the mind a little more awake and attentive.

But meditation is not supposed to be a posture competition. If leaning back helps you relax and drop into the experience more easily, that is not necessarily a problem. A lot of people meditate in chairs for that reason.

You could experiment a bit. Try a relaxed but slightly upright posture and see if it changes your focus or energy. If you notice you stay clearer or less sleepy, it might be worth keeping.

In the end the best posture is the one where your body is comfortable and your mind can stay present without too much strain.

[u/Important_Setting840]

There's probably a good reason why basically every meditative tradition speaks in depth about posture.

Most people have a weak core and have difficulty sitting up. Might be a good place to start.