Meditation

[PAROX2010]

(Probably there are better sites, I just want to share "lying down to meditate"). I, like most of the occidentanles I have difficulty in posture, overcoat "lotus flower" ...

Lying down to meditate
If you lie down to meditate — especialy mediating on your back — you’ll more than likely end up having a nice snooze, which may be pleasant but it’s not going to bring about a long-term change in the quality of your life.

However some people have serious back problems — either short- or long-term — and even sitting in a chair isn’t an option. I’ve been in that situation myself because of back pain that surfaces from time to time. By serious problems I mean intense nagging pain that affects your life not just when you’re trying to meditate. If it only affects you when you’re trying to meditate then you probably just need to adjust your posture.

We can learn to work with pain in meditation, but sometimes the pain is overwhelmingly powerful and dominates the mind entirely. And pain is also sometimes a sign that we’re causing damage to the body. So there can be very good reasons for meditating in a supine position.

There are two ways to lie down to meditate: on your back, or (the more traditional method) on your side.
Lying down to meditate on your back

If you are one of those people with serious back problems then you might well want to try lying down to meditate. You’ll need to have your head resting on something firm and yet padded. A thin cushion on a book can work well, as can a firm foam block. A book without padding will work for short meditations but over longer periods the back of your head will start to hurt. Even if you’re on a carpeted surface you might want to have a folded blanket or some other form of padding between your body and the floor.

The best position for lying down to meditate is the Alexander Semi-Supine position (illustrated above), where your knees are bent and pointing to the ceiling. The feet should be flat on the floor and should be roughly where your knees would be if your legs were straight. If your legs tend to collapse outwards as you relax then you might want to try turning your heels outwards a little, keeping your toes in place.

As mentioned, you’re much more likely to fall asleep if you meditate lying down on your back. This danger becomes even more likely if you keep your focus in the belly while paying attention to the breath, so I’d advise you to pay attention to the breath in the upper chest, throat, head, or in the nostrils. This won’t guarantee that you’ll stay awake but it makes it less likely that you’ll fall asleep.
Meditating lying on your side

Oddly, very few people seem to try meditating lying on their side, even though images of the Buddha doing this are abundant. This may be because the Buddha passed away while meditating on his side, and then people see this posture they don’t think “that’s the Buddha meditating on his side” but “that’s the Buddha dying.” So the connection between this posture and meditation tends to get lost.

Miniature statue of the Buddha lying down to meditate
Actually the Parinirvana (death) statues and the meditation statues are different. In death, the Buddha’s hand is no longer supporting his head. In the image above you can see that the Buddha is clearly alive!

This is actually quite a comfortable posture to meditate in. I’ve used this when I’ve been sick, or when I’ve wanted to meditate at the end of the day and have felt physically exhausted. Here are some basic pointers:

Lie on your right side.
You’ll need to have some cushioning under the whole body. You can lie on a mattress or a couple of zabutons (meditation mats) laid end-to-end or even a folded blanket or two.
The left arm rests on top of the body.
The right elbow rests on the floor, with the hand supporting the head.
The knees should be slightly bent. Bend the upper knee a little more than the lower knee so that there isn’t undue pressure between your ankles and between your knees.
You’ll need to have a cushion under your right armpit or upper chest, to take some of your body’s weight.
The pressure of your hand on your head may cause discomfort, so you’ll probably need to move your hand from time to time. Be aware of the intension to move, and be mindful of the movements themselves.
If you have neck problems this posture is not recommended, but for most back problems it should be fine.
Someone on Facebook said that she found this a good way to meditate during her pregnancy, and that she’d meditated lying on her side for six months. But it’s probably a good idea for pregnant women to lie on the left, rather than the right, side. Sleeping on the left side has been shown to reduce the incidence of still births, and it would be wise to assume this applies to meditation as well.

In this position you’re far less likely to fall asleep compared to when you lie on your back, and it’s easier to maintain a sense of mental clarity.

http://www.wildmind.org/posture/lying-down

[Luc]

Great info, Parox. Thanks! So very helpful for people in WD (physical limitations).

Oddly, very few people seem to try meditating lying on their side, even though images of the Buddha doing this are abundant.

I didn't know this one. Very interesting. :)

[Luc]

Only 20 minutes of yoga instantly stimulates the brain: Study

Friday, June 14, 2013

(NaturalNews) Westerners are inclined to accept the dogma of resistance and aerobic exercising as the only route to fitness. Many physical fitness advocates dismiss hatha yoga as too wimpy. Nevertheless, even seasoned triathlon athlete Rich Roll wishes he would have started practicing hatha yoga sooner. (1)

Confusing western dogma with the philosophy of hatha yoga leads to improperly practicing hatha yoga. Although hatha means willful, yoga means union. Hatha yoga is the ancient system of willfully creating union physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Approaching traditional hatha yoga with the mindset of intense aerobic calorie burning or muscle building resistance exercising interferes with the complete package of what hatha yoga offers.

Surprisingly, Chief Science Officer for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) Dr. Cedric X. Bryant also asserts this point: "If you attempt to incorporate calorie-burning elements in a yoga session you may compromise the essential purpose and beneficial effects of the practice." (2)

Recent study proves yoga increases cognitive ability

The study was conducted by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign graduate student Neha Gothe at the university's department of Exercise and Physiology Laboratory, headed by kinesiology and community health professor Edward McAuley.

Professor McAuley declared the purpose of this study: "Yoga is becoming an increasingly popular form of exercise in the U.S. and it is imperative to systematically examine its health benefits, especially the mental health benefits that this unique mind-body form of activity may offer."

The study's subjects, all of whom were relatively active, included 30 female undergraduates at the university who participated in 20 minute sessions of aerobic exercise, monitored to produce a steady 60 to 70 percent of maximum heart rate. (3)

Those same subjects, with no prior yoga experience, also participated in 20 minute yoga sessions that included standing, sitting, and supine poses (asanas) designed to incorporate isometric muscular contraction and relaxation combined with breathing techniques. They were guided by an experienced yoga teacher.

All 30 subjects scored better in cognitive tasking tests immediately after the yoga session than they did after the aerobic session. They also reported feeling more calm, centered, and relaxed, after the yoga session whereas they only felt a little tired after the aerobic session.

Twenty minutes is a short time for a yoga session. Most classroom group sessions are at least a half hour to 45 minutes, depending on the length of the session's last and most important pose, the corpse pose or savasana (http://www.naturalnews.com/036917_yo...oid_gland.html).

A table that listed the eight poses (asanas) is mentioned in what's available of the study report online; the pdf with that table isn't available to Academia.edu non-members. (4)

A concern and a conclusion

Of concern is the amount of time spent with the corpse pose or whether it was even included! It is too often not given enough proper attention by even some qualified yoga instructors in the western world.

Savasana (corpse pose) is not simply a brief rest period. It's where the body's gross and subtle energies, mind, and body are meant to integrate completely with complete meditative relaxation. It's as though the active yoga poses prepare for this grand finale.

The corpse pose (savasana) is explained well in source (5) below.

Although the study's observation of immediate increased working memory and mental acuity is interesting, the authors conceded its shortcomings, including the small number of subjects within the same gender and other minor factors. (4)

Of course, this motivates more studies that will give academic researchers more work and graduate students more PhDs.

You don't need reams of academic research results to enjoy the benefits of yoga: Increased overall core strength, stamina, health, immune function, libido, and improved emotional states.

Simply find a nearby or online instructional source and practice it yourself.

http://www.naturalnews.com/040763_yo..._medicine.html

[PAROX2010]

Thanks Luc

very interesting

[Moui]

Many physical fitness advocates dismiss hatha yoga as too wimpy.

I don't know how hatha differs from astangha which I have tried but yoga is not easy! Especially if you're as limber as a stick like me. I found yoga more cns stimulating than anaerobic strength training. It's the long painful positions vs short bursts of repetitions.. might have to give it another go, I didn't really try long enough to see benefits. I really need to start stretching as I too have problems with sitting in lotus position for long periods. I think my problem is mainly poor posture from hamstring/hip flexor inflexibility and niggling old lower back injury from the same problem.

[Sheila]

Moui – Yoga isn’t right for everyone. Listen to what your own body wants. But, stretching in general is very good for us.

[Sheila]

New research initiative –

Last week IONS and The Esalen Institute co-hosted an invitational scholarly meeting on the future of meditation research. The meeting was held at the Center for Theory and Research at Esalen, in Big Sur, California, and was co-sponsored by The Fetzer Memorial Trust, The Mental Insight Foundation, and The David Lynch Foundation.

The past decade has seen a tremendous increase in meditation research. While the field has broadened into numerous domains, many aspects of meditation still remain relatively unexplored. Things like experiences of oneness and interconnectedness, synchronicities, precognition, and visions are embedded in the fabric of most contemplative traditions, but generally remain off-limits for scientists who don't want to risk their careers by straying too far from mainstream norms. And yet, these are some of the aspects that make the study of meditation so important for better understanding human potential and the nature of reality.

The purpose of the meeting was to gather experienced meditation researchers, scholars, philosophers, and meditation teachers together to review the state of the art of modern meditation science, explore less well-studied aspects of meditation, and consider ways to conduct a science of meditation that remains rigorous and also includes a broader perspective on meditation and its potential for advancing human development.

Twenty-five participants attended the meeting, from research institutes across the country, including Santa Clara University, New York University, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Brown University, Maharishi University, and the University of California at Berkeley, Irvine, and San Diego, to name just a few. In addition, another dozen scientists and meditation experts who could not attend the meeting are part of an advisory council for this ongoing project.

Cassandra Vieten, IONS President and CEO, was one of the organizers of the meeting. "Part of our work at the Institute of Noetic Sciences is to push the boundaries of scientific research, to encourage the scientific community to include consciousness and subjective experience as legitimate subjects of inquiry," she said. "This conference was an amazing opportunity to encourage some wonderful scientists already investigating meditation to expand what they're paying attention to in their research. I look forward to what we can learn from opening up this field."

The intention of this meeting was to produce concrete results, so attention was paid to creating a collaborative working group, setting specific recommendations regarding future directions, and developing innovative measures and methods that can be used across meditation traditions and studies. Participants plan to publish a paper based on the meeting, conduct collaborative research, and report back at a follow-up meeting next year.

The meeting was documented in Learnist, an online platform bearing similarities to other online social media platforms such as Pinterest and Facebook, but designed specifically with learning in mind. On the Learnist "Learnboard" that was created from this meeting, you'll find videos, slides, and references that were posted in real time during the presentations, and much more. You can leave comments too. We will keep you updated on the progress of this endeavor!

Learnist record of the meeting –

http://learni.st/users/michael.a.heb...ation-research

[Luc]

If anyone had some interesting experiences (like synchronicities, precognition, visions, etc.) while meditating (now or in the past - also in your pre-drug state), please share them with us.

[Moui]

I'm not very familiar with those terms, but I don't think I've had that sort of experiences. A few times I have had some weird sensations. E.g. a temporary loss of awareness about surroundings and self, what I'm doing, where am I, who am I, what's going on, feeling of falling or being in a void, discomfort and uneasy disorientation then followed by warmth, connectedness and good feelings and regaining focus.
I try not to get too attached to the thoughts and sensations but just observe and if doing the breathing meditation bring the attention back to the breath.

I've had more mindful moments in real life situations. I have some grooves, tendencies which periodically pop up. For example losing my temper in certain situations. Same old triggers which set me off and before I know it I'm ranting and raving (internally or externally) and feel like sh_. I've noticed this happening a few times now and I've been able to just sort of say 'oh look at that, there it is that thing again, I think I'll go take a different route'. Sometimes it tries to come again and theres this nagging feeling that my tantrum is valid and right but I've decided it's not who I want to be. I've had a few constructive social moments with this. Felt much better and handled myself better.

On a related note I've been slacking off! I've missed my morning meditation a few times (ok,more than a few).. well, I've still done the other one. Something I notice for myself is a steady routine works the best. Like after waking up as soon as the operating systems are at least 50% online is a good time to start meditating. For me it's best to do it before I start thinking too much, then I might forget or postpone it and end up skipping.. and chopping it up to pieces is a must. I could not do 30 minutes all at once at least daily yet. 10+10+10 and it's doable, with 2 mindfulness and 1 metta sitting. I drink some water and say thanks to everything I have to be grateful for in between. I'm trying to find a practice that I could keep doing consistently even if I was working or studying full time. I think 10+10(+10) 2x day is right at the edge. It's 1 hour from every day, and the physical strength training I do is another commitment.

[Moui]

Another thing is the way I understand mindfulness&mindfulness meditation is being more aware and attentive - opposed to auto-pilot thinking&acting. It's not so much about going into a state or place (although some of those sittings can become sort of mindscape journeys). I am not sure I would recommend for someone in a very intense acute state.. distraction might be better.

I have noticed a habit of mine which is pretty much anti-mindfulness. Sometimes I drink way too much tea (and thus caffeine) and this produces the opposite effect of meditation in me. Lots of unfocused energy and enthusiasm..