Meditation Positions Workshop

This video is part 2 of a 4-part Breath Awareness Meditation Workshop and explores the different positions you could take while meditating. I demonstrate 4 possible meditation positions and the use of props and discuss the benefits of each and you can choose which pose work best for you.

Transcript

Okay, So now I'm going to guide you through and demonstrate how to set up for a meditation practice and also demonstrate how to breathe so that you can feel successful going into your first breath awareness meditation with me. So the first thing we have to talk about is your meditation position. Like I mentioned at the beginning, A lot of people think that there is one way to sit in your meditation pose, And that is crisscross with your mudra, And then your eyes closed, And here is how you do it. And the reality is that's not the case. There's actually a bunch of different positions that we're going to explore, And your job is to find the position that works the best for you. So let's start with the simplest. I do have some props here. But you can use things that are similar. So I'm using a yoga bolster. You could sit on any pillow. In fact, When I don't have my bolster, I usually grab one of those pillows, And that is my bolster for the day. But your first option is an easy seat. So ways to make this more comfortable, You can elevate your hips onto a pillow. When you sit crisscross, I like to sit with my knees on the ground with a blanket underneath. That helps with cushioning, And it feels so much more comfortable than sitting on a hard floor, Even with the yoga mat. I have very flexible hips, So sometimes this might not be suitable for everyone. The bend in the knee could also be a little bit too intense for people. So you're going to look into some of my later positions for something that might be more accessible to you. Also, Getting up and down from the floor is sometimes a problem. So if this is not your preferred state, We can try something else. But here is options for you seated up in a pillow with a blanket underneath your knees. That's the first one. Now, The second one is seated in a chair. Have my chair back here something you have to be mindful of is whether or not your back and your feet are supported so in this position we just move my pillow over you can see that my feet are flat on the ground and I actually I have a pillow behind my back but I would actually need Two pillows. Because I am short, Behind my back to feel fully supported in this position. Hands can be on the knees, Hands can be palms open to the ceiling to receive, Shoulders back, Chest lifted. This is another really great meditation position. Great for people who have tight hips, Great for people who can't bend their knees as intensely, And really accessible. All you need is a chair and maybe a few pillows behind your back. So that's the second position, Seated in a chair. Our third position. Is lying on our back. There's a couple options I'm going to show you here. So first one, Very traditional. Just a lying position on the ground. You could use a pillow if you wish. So it's just lying down, Maybe opening the arms like a shavasana. The problem with this pose is people will typically Maybe, Almost always, Not sure, Fall asleep. Also, Laying flat on the ground with not lots of cushion could be a little bit uncomfortable for people. So if that's not your vibe, There's another option called the Queen's Throne. It takes a 45 degree angle. This one requires a little bit more props, But if you can swing it, It's something maybe you can try. So you want to set up a 45 degree angle. I'm using blocks for this. You could use anything that is similar in shape and size and sturdy. I have cork blocks you can use. Blocks that are made of foam. I'm setting up. Lowest position, Medium position, You can experiment with other heights. The pillow goes on top. It could be an oblong pillow. It doesn't have to be a bolster like I have. I'm putting my blanket right at the bottom, Cushion for my buns. And the position is. . . Scoot your lower back too. Bottom of the bolster and we lay in a 45 degree position. This is really great for females who are pregnant because sometimes we can't lay flat on our backs and it's also the elevation could make it less likely that you fall asleep. The only downside is it does require a lot of props but if you have them it is something you can definitely try. And then the last one I'm going to show you, Which also requires a little bit of props, Is the supported kneeling position. This one is one where if you can't do an intense bend in the knee, It's an option for you if you want to sit on the ground versus in a chair. Some options with the props. We have blocks. So these blocks, I'm going to show you from the side, Kind of. These blocks can go. Kind of in between your knees. My knees are on a blanket because I'm going to need some cushion there. And then we sit. On the block. And it takes pressure off of the knees instead. Now for me, This is not my favorite position. Maybe you could also try a pillow in between, But you really need something a little bit sturdier to support your weight. Blocks could be wide. I don't know if it's just because I'm petite. I like my blocks to be narrow. That's a little bit more comfortable for me. But if there's something you want to try, If this is something you want to try, You could try different positions of the blocks, A pillow versus blocks, And notice if the kneeling position is something that you might want to meditate in.