Greetings! Meditation position advice?

[HalojimLight]

Hello there! This is my first post upon this or any other forum! Very much looking forward to becoming part of an online Buddhist community! My three favourite concepts!

I was just wondering if anyone had any advice regarding meditation position? There is of course the classic, sitting upright in half or full lotus...I have heard that the main reason behind this is to avoid drifting off to sleep?

But am I to assume from this that one can meditate in any position, so long as there is no danger of falling asleep? Can I meditate effectively whilst waiting for a bus? I would be very curious to know if there were any other benefits to this age-old position?

Thank you very much!

Namaste

[dude]

Hi ! Very pleased indeed to meet you!
Yes, you can meditate in any position; walking, sitting, or lying down.
I find that it's much easier to meditate walking slow than fast, though.
Yes, you can meditate anywhere. I do it all the time when I'm waiting in line. In fact, I make an effort to maintain the same mindful perceptiveness I seek in meditation throughout the day, being fully present and making full effort in everything I do.

[HalojimLight]

Thank you very much! Apologise for my very delayed reply, have been away from internet access. Thanks again for the advice, it has opened up so much more meditation time for me! I think it also shows the act of meditation in a slightly different light than how I perceived it before... Hard to explain, but it feels somehow right that it can be done in many situations, throughout your day.
Namaste

[Matticus]

I've heard about people meditating in traffic too. It seems like a great way to spend time in an otherwise frustrating place/situation. Walking meditation is something I've always wanted to get into as well, I have a few nice quiet parks that would be good for it. Can anyone describe how to do the practice?

[Johnny Dangerous]

I've heard about people meditating in traffic too. It seems like a great way to spend time in an otherwise frustrating place/situation. Walking meditation is something I've always wanted to get into as well, I have a few nice quiet parks that would be good for it. Can anyone describe how to do the practice?

For driving you do it just like Shamatha...treat driving as your object, and don't deviate from it. It's really surprising how quickly your mind can get distracted from an important task like this, when it does you just bring your mind back to the dirving. It's really helped with my road rage...in addition some people say that practicing this kind of concentration regularly will make your progress in formal meditation that much quicker.

[etinin]

For formal meditation, you can use the seven points of Vairocana

THE 7-POINT POSTURE OF VAIROCANA
1. The legs should be crossed in the vajra or bodhisattva posture. (if you can't do that, just sit cross-legged in the standard way)

2. The hands should be folded, with your arms resting on your leg , the elbows slightly out. The thumbs should touch each other.

3. The back (i.e. from nape of neck to the small of the back) should be made as straight as possible – like an arrow or like a pile of coins.

4. The shoulders are held up and back (spread ‘like a vulture’)

5. The chin should be tucked in slightly, ‘like an iron hook’.

6. The tongue should be held against the upper palate.

7. The eyes should be open and relaxedly gazing past your nose's tip.

(there are some variations. you can close both hands around the thumb and place them on your knees.)

Most important is the posture of mind and speech. If you're doing shamatha for example, you should abstain from positive, negative or neutral thoughts and speech. If you're in a bus for example, you can always meditate even if you can't have a formal session if the right posture.

[I find these instructions for shamatha helpful, they come from Guru Rinpoche himself: en.chagdud.org/instructions-for-shamatha/]

[jeeprs]

I found this posting on another forum recently, http://zenmontpellier.voila.net/eng/lotus/lotuseng.html

the 'sage posture', Figure 14, is relatively easy to maintain.

[M1NDFUL]

Good thread, and something I was interested in myself. As you can see form my avatar I am somewhat knowledgable of the proper way to meditate sitting up. However due to some knee injuries through my years in rough sports it is very hard for me to get in the bodhisattva posture. I did "double crow" in yoga last week for the first time and nearly shrieked in pain when coming out of it. I believe in time, through my yoga practice, I may get there... No, I will get there. But for now I wanted to know if just sitting cross-legged is "acceptable". And my answer has already been answered.

Gassho,
- Jeff

[M1NDFUL]

I found this posting on another forum recently, http://zenmontpellier.voila.net/eng/lotus/lotuseng.html

the 'sage posture', Figure 14, is relatively easy to maintain.

That link is great! Thank you.

Also my last post was supposed to read "double pigeon" not "double crow", haha. You can clearly see I'm new to the names and postures.

[ocean_waves]

I've heard about people meditating in traffic too. It seems like a great way to spend time in an otherwise frustrating place/situation. Walking meditation is something I've always wanted to get into as well, I have a few nice quiet parks that would be good for it. Can anyone describe how to do the practice?

For driving you do it just like Shamatha...treat driving as your object, and don't deviate from it. It's really surprising how quickly your mind can get distracted from an important task like this, when it does you just bring your mind back to the dirving. It's really helped with my road rage...in addition some people say that practicing this kind of concentration regularly will make your progress in formal meditation that much quicker.

Love the practical application of mindfulness/meditation!!!!! EVERY driver should see this post!!!

[Johnny Dangerous]

I had literally never even thought about the driving thing until reading this book:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywor ... e7dcybl4_e

It's a simple book, and though about Mahamudra specifically, it's a goldmine of meditation advice, and only 60 pages or something.

[ocean_waves]

I had literally never even thought about the driving thing until reading this book:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywor ... e7dcybl4_e" target="_blank

It's a simple book, and though about Mahamudra specifically, it's a goldmine of meditation advice, and only 60 pages or something.

Thanks for the recommendation!!! I started reading it yesterday, it is a little goldmine of meditation instruction!!!!