Forum

Postures and Mudras for Meditation

Posted by Asanas on May 26, 2010 at 5:25am in Hatha Yoga, Yoga Therapy
Find out which Asana (posture) is best for meditation. How to hold your legs and your hands.
Basically you can differentiate the following Asanas: 
  • Cross-legged positions (Padmasana, Siddhasana, Swastikasana, Sukhasana, Muktasana)
  • Kneeling positions (Vajrasana)
  • Sitting on a Chair
Please contribute freely: Any questions on Meditation posture? Any advice?

You need to be a member of Yoga Vidya International - Yoga, Meditation and Spirituality to add comments!

Join Yoga Vidya International - Yoga, Meditation and Spirituality

Tags: meditation, murda, posture, pranayama, sitting
Email me when people reply –
Follow

Replies

  • Kriyananda Maharshi Dayananda June 1, 2010 at 8:48am
    Dear Sukadev,

    Asanas make the body flexible so that a practitioner could remain long time for a particular posture and if he is comfortably sit for a 3-4 hours can go for meditation other wise taking support of belt or whatever other stuffs can disturb him/her to be in meditation and hence it is very clearly advised in "Astangayoga" of Yogsutra of Maharshi Patanjali and that are as follows.

    Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dhyan, Dharana and Samadhi. So what I felt and come to understand that people do not follows the initail subject but start doing meditation that is I think not good for those who really want to be in Yoga. So please give a thought why it is set like this and why not in an opposite or some other way.

    Generally, it is seen that meditation is practiced with Mudras i.e. Dhyan Mudra or Gyan Mudra and that are good to be with but mind it when you already in meditation state then mudra or postures do not affect because he is cut off with external world.

    -Kriayananda Maharshi Dayananda
  • Sukadev Bretz May 31, 2010 at 4:20pm
    Hand Position for Meditation: If your mind wanders or feels drowsy during meditation, try to hold the hands above the navel, as in the following photo:

    9079163474?profile=original

  • Sukadev Bretz May 31, 2010 at 4:06pm
    It is important that the head is straight in Meditation pose. I find aspirants who have meditated for a number of years - and hold their head too hight, too low, or to the right or to the left. It is a good idea to ask somebody else to check one's head posture. And of course, any Yoga Teacher should make sure the head is held straight.

    9079165301?profile=original

  • Sukadev Bretz May 31, 2010 at 4:06pm
    It is important to sit straight for meditation and Pranayama. A good teacher can help: He can gently push the shoulders back and down. An he can push forward the upper back - you can sit much straighter in this way.

    9079838280?profile=original

  • Sukadev Bretz May 31, 2010 at 4:05pm
    Video: Sitting postures for Meditation and Pranayama. This Video is in German - but the visuals are international. You might want to fastforward to 45' .

  • Sukadev Bretz May 28, 2010 at 11:09pm
    How a Yoga Teacher can help a student into Meditation posture. Slide Show of 10 photos.


    Find more photos like this on Yoga Vidya International
    http://www.yoga-vidya.de/Asana_Uebungsplaene/Sitz-k.html
    http://static.ning.com/socialnetworkmain/widgets/photo/slideshowplayer/slideshowplayer.swf?v=201005…
  • Kriyananda Maharshi Dayananda May 28, 2010 at 10:12am
    Yes, it is true that Asana helps a shadhak or a person to be in a position for a long time as such yoga sadhana. So sadhana takes its time as per individual one. Yes, there are four most popular and recommended asanas for yoga sadhana.(Padmasana, Siddhasana, Swastikasana, Sukhasana,)

    But I hereby would like to say that meditation does not requires any particular asana because in my point of view that while meditating a a specific posture is called a physical state that is in an another way "Jad Awastha". So if you are in mediation state or have achieved the meditation the then you do not require any kind of asana to be in because the person who is already in such state where external affairs cannot affect him at any cost and if such comes to his way then he is able to sustain or divert the same without making any disturbance to any one and that is called being in "Chaitanya Awastha"

    So asanas are only a kind of physical movement but while doing a asana one should keep his mind always focused on it if not then it may harm you.

    Kriyananda Maharshi Dayananda
  • Asanas May 26, 2010 at 5:56am
    Chin Mudra with Palms up is a very popular hand position especially for Pranayama. It makes the mind alert and activates the energies. You can even do it inbetween (for example now): Rest the back of your hands on your knees or thighs. Gently let thumb and index touch each other. Feel the energy and alertness.

    9079167857?profile=original

  • Asanas May 26, 2010 at 5:55am
    Chin Mudra with Palms facing downwards: A very popular Mudra for Meditation. Thumb symbolizes Brahman. Index finger ist Ego. The other fingers are Sattwa (ring finger), Rajas (small finger) and Tamas (middle finger). If the Ego goes away from the three Gunas, bends and unites with Brahman (the Absolute), meditation state is attained.

    9079167684?profile=original

  • Michael Linde May 26, 2010 at 5:53am
    Vajrasana, kneeling sitting position. You can also sit on a meditation bench, or put two pillows inbetween the heels.

    9079159671?profile=original

This reply was deleted.