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Offlinefreddurgan
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Full lotus question for the meditators
    #5548953 - 04/23/06 08:18 PM (17 years, 9 months ago)

Whatever leg is on top, that knee doesn't touch the ground. It throws off my balance and I'd like to know how to fix it.

Thanks


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Offlinemichael_lifshitz
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: freddurgan]
    #5549231 - 04/23/06 09:13 PM (17 years, 9 months ago)

Yes, I can do the position very easily but it just is very unbalanced for me as well.


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Offlinefreddurgan
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: michael_lifshitz]
    #5549433 - 04/23/06 09:56 PM (17 years, 9 months ago)

It's not super comfortable but it's not bad. Only my ankles hurt but that will go away with practice and muscle practice. I just would like to know why it's unbalanced.


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Ishmael
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Ron Paul 2008!
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Invisibledorkus
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: freddurgan]
    #5549491 - 04/23/06 10:18 PM (17 years, 9 months ago)

Try to keep a pillow under your butt. That will stabilize you. If not I guess you could sit for a while every day, bending forward while in lotus. Be gentle and gradual.


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OfflineMarkostheGnostic
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: freddurgan]
    #5549495 - 04/23/06 10:20 PM (17 years, 9 months ago)

The edge of a small cushion under the sacral region will lift the buttocks slightly, alleviating much discomfort. Zen meditation uses a zafu cushion. It is not about austerity or asceticism, it is about sufficient comfort so as not to become preoccupied with physical complaints.


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γνῶθι σαὐτόν - Gnothi Seauton - Know Thyself


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OfflineOverSoul
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: MarkostheGnostic]
    #5550098 - 04/24/06 02:46 AM (17 years, 9 months ago)

The pillow thing should work, but if you really can't do it there are other methods which work just as well. The full lotus took a bit of getting used to for me.


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InvisiblePsychoChipmunk
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: OverSoul]
    #5550164 - 04/24/06 03:53 AM (17 years, 9 months ago)

There is a stretch that can help with that-

Sit on the ground and put the soles of your feet together, toes pointing forward, knees facing out to either side.

Clasp your hands over your toes, lean forward a bit and rest your elbows on your legs.

Now try and press your knees/thighs to the ground by leaning down on them with your elbows. You'll feel a pull around your groin, which is what you want.

The closer you pull your heels into your groin, the more you'll stretch the tendons and ligaments. Even once you get to the point where you can rest your knees comfortably on the ground this way, you still might not be able to get both knees 'comfortably' on the ground in full lotus without some sort of support cushion (I use a folded up bath towel.)


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\m/


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Invisibleredgreenvines
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: PsychoChipmunk]
    #5550192 - 04/24/06 04:41 AM (17 years, 9 months ago)

hmmm.
the position is not that important.
certainly develop your flexibility, but don't demand more than is natural from it.
the big work is in the flowing stream
lotus floats stationary
visit it and move on


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OfflineSeussA
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: PsychoChipmunk]
    #5550196 - 04/24/06 04:44 AM (17 years, 9 months ago)

The idea of the full lotus is to provide a stable position that the body can maintain even when the muscles are completely relaxed. The position provides three points of contact with the ground, two under each knee and one under the spine. In order for both knees to properly distribute balance, the third point under the spine must be raised a hand or so above the other two points.

I don't recommend a pillow to raise the third point. A pillow is too soft and offers no support. Instead, try using a thick phone book or two with a thin cushion (folded towel) on top. This will provide much more support than a pillow.

Don't rush into the full lotus. It takes time to work up to it and you can really bungle up your knees if the rest of your legs are not limber enough. Stretch a lot and use a half-lotus, switching out the top leg on each sitting. After a few weeks, with a lot of stretching, you will be ready for the full lotus.


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Just another spore in the wind.


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OfflineMarkostheGnostic
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: OverSoul]
    #5550231 - 04/24/06 05:34 AM (17 years, 9 months ago)

I get into full lotus for the Matsyasana (fish) position during Hatha Yoga. I used to go into full lotus while doing a Yoga headstand, but osteoarthritis in my cervical vertebrae plus a compressed disk there does not permit that any longer. For the past 30+ years I have used the Hero or Siddha posture of half lotus for regular meditation. Sometimes I use the 'easy pose,' but it feels like I'm cheating somehow  :smile:.


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γνῶθι σαὐτόν - Gnothi Seauton - Know Thyself


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OfflineGomp
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: freddurgan]
    #5550424 - 04/24/06 08:30 AM (17 years, 9 months ago)

In full lotus, one can chose..

just like life..


I like to do it like this; (the RED one)



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Offlinefreddurgan
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: Gomp]
    #5550506 - 04/24/06 09:19 AM (17 years, 9 months ago)

The full lotus is not painful for me. My knees feel no stress and I'm a pretty limber guy anyway. I used a blanket folded many times over to support my spine today, which wasn't too soft due to the many folds. That put me on a 3-point balance pretty nicely. I'm also going to do that stretch whenever I can.


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Ishmael
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Ron Paul 2008!
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OfflineSporetacus
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: freddurgan]
    #5551672 - 04/24/06 04:42 PM (17 years, 9 months ago)

Achieving the full lotus is no more spiritual than running a 6 minute mile or being able to do 50 push-ups.


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I'm Sporetacus!


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InvisibleSilversoul
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: freddurgan]
    #5551712 - 04/24/06 05:01 PM (17 years, 9 months ago)

I'm able to get into the full lotus position rather easily, but it's hard for me to meditate in that position(and if I stay in it too long, I sometimes get a charlie horse).


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OfflineRedNucleus
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: Silversoul]
    #5551731 - 04/24/06 05:12 PM (17 years, 9 months ago)

My ankles hurt the second I do full lotus, but I don't meditate really. But I see how it's a great position for balance and distribution of weight.


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InvisibleSinbad
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: RedNucleus]
    #5551795 - 04/24/06 05:38 PM (17 years, 9 months ago)

Ive recently started using a tibetan meditation belt to help me sit perfectly and comfortably in full lotus. Everytime i tried to meditate without this belt, in full lotus, i would find my ancles beginning to throb with pain. Now i no longer have that problem, with this belt.

:levitate:


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Edited by Sinbad (04/24/06 05:39 PM)


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OfflineRedNucleus
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: Sinbad]
    #5552148 - 04/24/06 07:15 PM (17 years, 9 months ago)

I used to squish my legs up to the lotus position for fun when I was a kid. I was more bendy then. I just did it. It hurts real bad on my ankles. I'm not near flexible enough.


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Namaste


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Offlinehot48yearolds
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: RedNucleus]
    #5552352 - 04/24/06 08:07 PM (17 years, 9 months ago)

im not very good at meditating yet, so this question is for the experienced guys here. Can meditation be done in any position, in other words, meditation only requires the mind, so cant just lay down when u meditate?


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"Truth is more in the process than in the result."
- J. Krishnamurti




"We ourselves are not an illusory part of Reality; rather are we Reality itself illusorily conceived." Wei Wu Wei


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Invisibledorkus
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: hot48yearolds]
    #5552415 - 04/24/06 08:19 PM (17 years, 9 months ago)

Even though I'm able to do full lotus I usually prefer half lotus when I meditate.

Another pose that is very steady is to sit with both legs to the floor, heals pointing upwards. Right foot in front of the left with toes slightly tucked in between tie and ankle of left foot. Right heal should be in front of the left. Both knees touching the floor. Not sure if that is understandable, but it is probably the most stable position I've tried. I had to use a cushion when sitting like this.

It is good to meditate laying down too, as long as the focus is sufficient to stay awake.


Edited by dr_mandelbrot (04/24/06 08:32 PM)


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OfflineRedNucleus
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: hot48yearolds]
    #5552434 - 04/24/06 08:22 PM (17 years, 9 months ago)

If you put "meditate" into google one of the first results has the following, which answers your question better than I know how to.

"- always remember that the posture should enhance meditation, not be an obstacle! The Buddha even taught one of his disciples who had many problems with his posture to lie down with his back on a bed, and then he quickly made progress; however, most people tend to fall asleep - so not right for everyone.."


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OfflineFospher
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: freddurgan]
    #5553657 - 04/25/06 01:15 AM (17 years, 9 months ago)

I dont even have my knees on the ground, I have them suspended in the air while sitting perpendicularly on my keyboard throne:




I concentrate on my spine a lot and imagine a glowing orb passing through my chakras, so you can imagine how a proper posture is extremely mandatory in this type of exercise. Meditation in itself is a form of self-discipline, and while it is not important to sit in lotus specifically to meditate, a collected pose will help your sessions greatly.

Just remember that meditation is not about concentrating on the body, or the mind for that matter, but combining your mind and body to release the spirit.


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010001100100001001000101!


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OfflineRedNucleus
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: Fospher]
    #5554218 - 04/25/06 07:56 AM (17 years, 9 months ago)

"Just remember that meditation is not about concentrating on the body, or the mind for that matter, but combining your mind and body to release the spirit."

I disagree.


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Namaste


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OfflineImperialCactus
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Re: Full lotus question for the meditators [Re: RedNucleus]
    #5557144 - 04/26/06 12:18 AM (17 years, 9 months ago)

I prefer meditating, or trying to at least, while laying down as well. And if I want to either sleep or stay awake, I usually don't have a problem there so laying down definitely seems to work well for some people.

Sitting can be good too though I guess, especially if you want to focus on your posture maybe. But for me it's a lot harder to get comfortable that way. And the few times I tried the full lotus position, I think I was doing it correctly, or very close to correctly at least. No pain either, at first. But after a while my leg fell asleep so bad I couldn't get up or walk. And not the nice opiate-like buzz kind of numbness, but no feeling at all followed by pins and needles. So i'm not about to try that again anytime soon.


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