Struggling with meditation posture

[Charlotte]

Do meditation blocks help keep the spine straight? 

I also find I'm unconsciously dipping my head during (Grrr).

Any hints or tricks for posture?

Any suggestions, as always are appreciated ♥️

[Shin]

Sit on a chair without a back and stay straight.

Should have no problem.

[Ether]

19 minutes ago, Charlotte said:

Do meditation blocks help keep the spine straight? 

I also find I'm unconsciously dipping my head during (Grrr).

Any hints or tricks for posture?

Any suggestions, as always are appreciated ♥️

 

7 minutes ago, Shin said:

Sit on a chair without a back and stay straight.

Should have no problem.

I usually lay down but if you dont want to do that do this:

Let your body do whathever you want. When your back goes foward or back, and you gain awaraness and you dont want that, gently put your back in the lotus position. if you want that ofc. Its just a habit\practice, there is no magic trick ha

[Charlotte]

14 minutes ago, Shin said:

Sit on a chair without a back and stay straight.

Should have no problem.

I don't have one 

 

4 minutes ago, Ether said:

 

I usually lay down but if you dont want to do that do this:

Let your body do whathever you want. When your back goes foward or back, and you gain awaraness and you dont want that, gently put your back in the lotus position. if you want that ofc. Its just a habit\practice, there is no magic trick ha

How do you lie down without falling asleep? 

[Shin]

Just now, Charlotte said:

I don't have one 

 

How do you lie down without falling asleep? 

On your couch then.

[Charlotte]

@Shin okidoke, thank yooouuu

4 minutes ago, Shin said:

On your couch then.

[molosku]

Invest in a proper zafu and zabuton, it will last your whole life and it's well worth the investment. Really easy to keep you back in a straight and natural position, if you don't have extremely tight hamstrings and lower back. 

[Charlotte]

@molosku  will research your suggestion, thanking you ♥️

[Ether]

@Charlotte I just kept doing, eventually the sleepiness goes away-

[PsiloPutty]

I hear ya, sister! I was just asking someone about the same thing yesterday.    I start out sitting tall and solid, but after 25-30 mins of being in it, I become aware that I've slouched. Sometimes I will fix it and other times I just leave it as-is. I think there's a danger in trying to fix every little thing.....it prevents me from meditating!

[Charlotte]

35 minutes ago, PsiloPutty said:

I hear ya, sister! I was just asking someone about the same thing yesterday.    I start out sitting tall and solid, but after 25-30 mins of being in it, I become aware that I've slouched. Sometimes I will fix it and other times I just leave it as-is. I think there's a danger in trying to fix every little thing.....it prevents me from meditating!

Haha same! Yeah I'm reluctant of correcting to. Talk about a sore back afterwards 

[Charlotte]

2 hours ago, Ether said:

@Charlotte I just kept doing, eventually the sleepiness goes away-

Fair enough ?

[PsiloPutty]

I initially tried doing it laying down, but you know what I'm gonna say next. I either fell asleep or had to battle it the whole time. That position just isn't serviceable for me. 

This guy's suggestions helped me get in the right position as far as the relation between my hips and knees. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbiH_U7S0e8

[Nahm]

@Charlotte

Posture Meditation

This body-based meditation is a very effective way to get grounded and centered. It encourages an embodied, calm, and open awareness, and discourages disassociation. If you have a tendency to "leave your body," feel ungrounded, or disassociated, this is a good practice. 

Sit with your spine straight and aligned, and the rest of your body relaxed. Keep bringing yourself back to this condition. 
1. Take a reposed, seated posture. 
2. For this meditation, it is very important that your spine is straight. Your neck and back should be in perfect alignment. Your chin should be down very slightly. 
3. If you are sitting in a chair, do not rest your spine against the chair. Sit forward so that your spine is supporting its own weight. Let the muscles of the spine be engaged. 
4. All the other muscles of your body can be completely relaxed. Allow your face muscles to let go, and your jaw to drop slightly, so that your teeth are not touching. 
5. Let your shoulders hang freely, and let your belly be soft and open. 
6. This is the posture you are aiming for, with your spine erect and your body completely relaxed. 
7. As you sit, keep bringing your awareness back to the fine details of your posture. Notice any time your spine slumps even slightly, your head leans to either side, or any other deviation. Correct these gently and repeatedly. 
8. Also notice if any other areas of your body tense up even slightly. If anything is tensing, relax it in a gently and soft manner. 
9. Keep checking in with the body, using your body (somatic) awareness; the feeling in your body. Mental images of your body will probably arise, which is fine, but these are not what you are concentrating upon. Instead, concentrate your awareness in the sense of your body. The sensitivity in your muscles, tissues, viscera, skin, and so forth. 
10. The more detailed and minute you get with this awareness, the better. Each tiny area of the body has its own sensitivity to contribute. 
11. Every once in a while you can zoom out to cover the entire somatosensory field -- the awareness of your entire body -- to bring the overall body back into alignment. 
12. Keep relaxing every muscle everywhere. Use just enough tension to keep your spine erect, but no more. 
13. Continue this meditation for at least 10 minutes, continuously contacting your body awareness. 

CAUTIONS:
If you have any spinal injuries or severe back pain, it is fine to allow your spine to rest in a pain-free position.                    If you find yourself distracted by a lot of mental chatter, you can use verbal labeling as an aid to concentration. 
For example, when checking on the spine, you can say to yourself, "spine in alignment." 
When checking on the body, say, "body relaxed." 

 

Resource for different meditations: 

https://sites.google.com/site/psychospiritualtools/Home/meditation-practices

 

You’re on fire Charlotte! Seizing your life.             Keep kickin ass!

❤️?

[Charlotte]

4 hours ago, PsiloPutty said:

I initially tried doing it laying down, but you know what I'm gonna say next. I either fell asleep or had to battle it the whole time. That position just isn't serviceable for me. 

This guy's suggestions helped me get in the right position as far as the relation between my hips and knees. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbiH_U7S0e8

Yeah unfortunately I don't think lying down is for me either.

 

 Cheers dude! Will check it out ♥️ 

3 hours ago, Nahm said:

@Charlotte

Posture Meditation

This body-based meditation is a very effective way to get grounded and centered. It encourages an embodied, calm, and open awareness, and discourages disassociation. If you have a tendency to "leave your body," feel ungrounded, or disassociated, this is a good practice. 

Sit with your spine straight and aligned, and the rest of your body relaxed. Keep bringing yourself back to this condition. 
1. Take a reposed, seated posture. 
2. For this meditation, it is very important that your spine is straight. Your neck and back should be in perfect alignment. Your chin should be down very slightly. 
3. If you are sitting in a chair, do not rest your spine against the chair. Sit forward so that your spine is supporting its own weight. Let the muscles of the spine be engaged. 
4. All the other muscles of your body can be completely relaxed. Allow your face muscles to let go, and your jaw to drop slightly, so that your teeth are not touching. 
5. Let your shoulders hang freely, and let your belly be soft and open. 
6. This is the posture you are aiming for, with your spine erect and your body completely relaxed. 
7. As you sit, keep bringing your awareness back to the fine details of your posture. Notice any time your spine slumps even slightly, your head leans to either side, or any other deviation. Correct these gently and repeatedly. 
8. Also notice if any other areas of your body tense up even slightly. If anything is tensing, relax it in a gently and soft manner. 
9. Keep checking in with the body, using your body (somatic) awareness; the feeling in your body. Mental images of your body will probably arise, which is fine, but these are not what you are concentrating upon. Instead, concentrate your awareness in the sense of your body. The sensitivity in your muscles, tissues, viscera, skin, and so forth. 
10. The more detailed and minute you get with this awareness, the better. Each tiny area of the body has its own sensitivity to contribute. 
11. Every once in a while you can zoom out to cover the entire somatosensory field -- the awareness of your entire body -- to bring the overall body back into alignment. 
12. Keep relaxing every muscle everywhere. Use just enough tension to keep your spine erect, but no more. 
13. Continue this meditation for at least 10 minutes, continuously contacting your body awareness. 

CAUTIONS:
If you have any spinal injuries or severe back pain, it is fine to allow your spine to rest in a pain-free position.                    If you find yourself distracted by a lot of mental chatter, you can use verbal labeling as an aid to concentration. 
For example, when checking on the spine, you can say to yourself, "spine in alignment." 
When checking on the body, say, "body relaxed." 

 

Resource for different meditations: 

https://sites.google.com/site/psychospiritualtools/Home/meditation-practices

 

You’re on fire Charlotte! Seizing your life.             Keep kickin ass!

❤️?

Once again @Nahm, your a bloody gem!! If I had the privilege to meet you in real life I'd give you a great big bear hug as a way of showing my thanks.

Thanks for the support as always friend ♥️

[Nahm]

@Charlotte Thanks for the love.     (Hug)