meditation chair

Check the position of the legs

Ajaan Munn

Chech the position of the hands

When learning to meditate, one should be relaxed and comfortable. To do this pick a chair with a somewhat straight back and plenty of room for your legs if you decide to sit lotus or half lotus in your chair. Eventually you may want to find a small strong inexpensive coffee or end table to sit on (in the lotus position). Sitting on the floor with a flat pad may also be desired. Sitting on a big pillow that allows your legs to dangle down when first beginning is also good. Eventually the benefit from sitting flat with back straight in the lotus or half lotus position may become apparent. Try sitting in the half lotus position on the floor or whatever while reading, studying, talking to friends or watching television and soon you may realize that this is a very relaxing and comfortable position. Later, after you have a little experience, the benefit from sitting in this position, half lotus...without the legs crossed (which in western cowboy movies, when the legs are crossed, this is called Indian style), the benefit may be realized. Or just sit whatever way you feel the most comfortable.

Location of where you meditate should be an area in the home, out of the way of daily traffic, if possible, where only you sit. Eventually this area will become magnetized with the kind thoughts and feelings you experience during meditation. After a while the aura around your chair, bench, or floor space, will feel comfortable just to sit there with or without meditating. This could also be thought of as your place of refuge when you just want to sit and relax or sometimes just go to when you are tired or ill.

Eventually, with a little experience, you will be able to meditate anywhere, anytime, anyplace and under almost any situation.

An example given here as what can sometimes be accomplished with a little meditation and not to be taken as boast or as a guide to follow, but just one experience of many : Had become separated from teacher several days earlier and now needed to contact and make arrangements to meet up and travel together to a location several hundred miles away, that only he knew. Had gone to the airport to make an international phone call from the payphone in an attempt to find location and time to meet as we had become separated and had no phone contact available.

Having exhausted regular methods to contact Teacher, sat down on the end chair (a line of connected plastic chairs) along with many other people in a waiting area. Sat in the half lotus position and began meditation. In a few minutes, not only did the teacher appear to me in the meditation but, received the communication and was given time and location where to meet the following day. With this information, set out to meet him and he showed up the next day at the time and location received in meditation. This meditation took place in the busiest area of the Bangkok, Thailand international airport many years ago and is just one of many experiences.

Jea

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