Meditation Tips?

is that true? because i read i book that recommended counting breath. it actually seems to not count, so thank you for that advice.

i also have one question for darrellkitchen. how would you recommend "easing into the lotus position?

 

Are you sure the book didn't mean counting breaths as in counting each inhalation/exhalation cycle? What dk was talking about was "Inhale for four seconds then exhale for four seconds". The author of the book might have meant "Inhale-exhale (one), inhale-exhale (two), and so on. If so, then it won't be so much trying to control the breath as simply one way of keeping one's attention on the breath.

Peace.

 

just sit

 

Well if you really want to try the lotus position, doing some hatha yoga will help with your flexibility.

Personally, I prefer to use the Japanese seiza (that's kneeling and sitting on your upturned soles). Much easier for me to mantain an erect spine, plus we also sit in seiza in Aikido class so I'm already used to it. The only drawback is after sitting for about fifteen to twenty minutes it takes a while for my legs to recover.

You can also just meditate sitting on a chair.

 

Musikero was right. I did mean [NOT] to count the duration of each inhale and exhale (as in, breath in, count 1 to 4, breath out, count 1 to 4). The book was correct in count, breath in, breath out, 1, breath in, breath out, 2, breath in, breath out, 3, breath in, breath out, 4. However, most people rarely ever make it to 10 in the beginning.

As for sitting in such a way to "ease" into the lotus position! I haven't a clue. I sit half-lotus position with an occasion shift to a right or left Thai-style sitting. The links and comments to the links below will show you how to sit Thai-style.

Sitting Thai-style is easier for me with the left leg out, and strenuous with the right leg out, but shifting from half-lotus to left-leg-out, to right-leg-out sitting can be done quite effortlessly. One learns to it effortlessly when wearing a robe with no firewall beneath because lifting up the knee to one's chin is not an option. Just lean forward, and sweep the leg underneath to the desired position, then sit back.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinborland/1663344794/
Picture of a lady sitting facing a row of monks, her left leg out with sole of foot pointing behind and the right foot under the left leg.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinborland/1664413159/in/photostream/
Front view of a Thai lady sitting with right leg out.

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