How Important Is Leg Position In Meditation?

[With English interpretation] Ven. Pomnyun Sunim's (법륜스님) Answer to “How important is leg position in meditation?”
A question chosen from the weekly Sunday meditation with Ven. Pomnyun Sunim(법륜스님).

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Transcript

Do I have to sit with my legs crossed when meditating? Does the position of the right or left foot matter? There is no law that says you have to be in a lotus position with your legs crossed. You have to relax your body and mind. You have to be able to focus on one thing and then you have to be mindful, Awake. But when you practice meditation for a long time, You realize that sitting down meditation in that position is the most stable. If you lie down, It's more comfortable position-wise, But you lack focus. You can stay off sleepiness if you stand up, But then you suffer from lack of stability. Of course, Once you are used to it, You can meditate lying down, Or standing up, Or even while walking. But traditionally, People have found that meditating in this position, Sitting down is the most stable and most conducive to the type of concentration that meditation requires. Whether the left foot goes up or the right foot is on top really depends on the culture. In the Indian culture, The right side, The right hand is more sacred than the left hand is considered dirty. In Korea as well, The right hand is considered quote unquote right. So there is a cultural alignment of the right side being more correct. So in this culture, The right foot goes on top of the left foot as a symbol for the rightness to suppress the wrongness. And place your right hand on top of the left hand. But these are just cultural artifacts. There is no scientific way in which one foot has to be on top of another. In some parts of Korea, There is a tradition in which you place the left foot on top of the right foot. So it really doesn't matter which foot goes on top of which. But traditionally, Just as an FYI, The right foot usually goes on top of the left. Since we are trying to develop the capacity to recognize truth or fact as facts, We consider the tradition of whether the right foot goes on top, Left foot goes on the bottom as part of a cultural artifact that we inherit. But no more than that. If you go to India, Then when you take a meal, You take a meal with your right hand. But if you go to the bathroom and wash your backside, You have to use your left hand. So if you actually pat a kid's head, Then you have to use your right hand. You can't use your left hand. And that's based on the cultural belief that right hand or right side is more sacred than the left.