Many beginners give up meditation not because of mental difficulties but because of a very concrete problem: after ten minutes their knees hurt, their back slumps, their legs go numb. Contemplative traditions have always given great importance to posture. In Patañjali's Yoga Sutras posture, asana, is described in a few words: it should be steady and comfortable. It is a simple criterion and still the most useful today.
There is no "right" posture for everyone. There is the one that allows you to stay still, upright and relaxed for the length of the session.
The four main postures
| Posture | Who it suits | Advantages | Points of care |
|---|---|---|---|
| On a chair | everyone, beginners, those with stiff knees | possible anywhere | do not lean on the backrest |
| Cross-legged on a cushion | those with flexible hips | stable, traditional | needs a high cushion |
| Kneeling on a bench | those who find crossing the legs hard | upright back without effort | may tire the ankles |
| Standing | those who feel drowsy or ache when seated | alert | not suited to long sessions |
On a chair
This is the most underrated posture and one of the most effective. Sit on the front half of the seat without leaning on the backrest. Feet firmly on the floor, hip-width apart, knees level with the hips or slightly below. If the chair is too high, put a book or cushion under your feet; if it is too low, a cushion under your pelvis.
On a cushion
The traditional round cushion, the zafu of Zen practice, serves to raise the pelvis so that the knees drop lower than the hips. This is the essential point: if the knees stay higher than the pelvis, the back rounds backwards.
Leg variations, from the simplest to the most demanding:
- Burmese position: both legs on the floor, one in front of the other, without overlapping.
- Half lotus: one foot resting on the opposite thigh.
- Full lotus: both feet on the opposite thighs.
The full lotus is not necessary and can harm the knees if forced. The Burmese position is sufficient for serious practice.
On a bench
A meditation bench is a small sloping seat under which you slide your legs while kneeling. The pelvis rests on the bench and the shins on the floor. The slight slope naturally keeps the back upright. Place a soft mat under your knees.
Standing
Feet parallel and shoulder-width apart, knees slightly unlocked, arms by your sides or hands joined in front of your belly. Useful as an alternative when drowsiness is strong, or to alternate with a long sitting.
The seven checkpoints
Whatever posture you choose, check these points at the start of every session, from the bottom up:
- Base: your weight is distributed steadily, without leaning to one side.
- Pelvis: tilted slightly forward, so that the lower back keeps its natural curve.
- Back: upright but not rigid. Imagine the spine as a well-aligned stack of coins.
- Shoulders: relaxed and slightly back, away from the ears.
- Hands: resting on the thighs, or in the lap, right over left or vice versa, thumbs lightly touching.
- Head: chin slightly tucked, as if the back of the neck were lengthening upwards.
- Face: jaw loose, tongue resting behind the upper teeth, eyes closed or half closed with the gaze on the floor a metre ahead.
Thirty seconds are enough for this check. Over time it becomes automatic.
Common troubles and solutions
- Legs going numb: raise the cushion, change the position of your legs, or switch to a chair.
- Back pain: often caused by a pelvis that is too low. Raise the seat until the lumbar curve is natural.
- Tense shoulders: at the start of the session, lift your shoulders towards your ears as you breathe in and let them drop as you breathe out, three times.
- Drowsiness: open your eyes slightly, straighten your back, or meditate standing for a few minutes.
- Restlessness: allow yourself to change position once, slowly and attentively, rather than resisting with tension.
If a pain is sharp or persistent, stop and change posture: meditation does not require you to endure pain.
Moving with awareness
If you feel the need to adjust your posture during the session, do so. But do it slowly, observing the intention to move, the movement itself and the new position. In this way even the adjustment becomes part of the practice rather than an interruption.
Building endurance gradually
Do not try to remain motionless for forty minutes from the first day. Start with short sessions in a comfortable posture and lengthen them little by little. The body gets used to it, the joints adapt, and the posture truly becomes, as Patañjali said, steady and comfortable.
In short
- The right posture is the one that is steady and comfortable for the length of the session.
- A chair is a fully valid choice; cushion and bench are traditional alternatives.
- On a cushion, the knees should be lower than the pelvis.
- Check the seven points every time, from the base to the face.
- Change position slowly if needed and never endure sharp pain.