Posture/Sitting
Posture/Sitting
15. (A) “Please say a few more words on posture. For example, I noticed that my body was leaning towards the left. If I weighted my right hand with intention, this seems to stop. Is this a correct tactic?” (B) “In my martial arts training, a goal is to relax and make the breathing easier. Is that true of vipassanā as well?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Posture/Sitting] [Mindfulness of body] [Volition] [Tranquility] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Insight meditation] // [Aggregates] [Energy] [Buddha images]
Quote: “That looks like a farang [Western] Buddha. It looks very tense.” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Artistic expression] [Culture/West] [Posture/Sitting]
12. “Can you please speak about dealing with physical pain during a sit (particularly back pain and headaches)?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Pain] [Posture/Sitting]
9. “How can one work with feeling the element of water in sitting or walking meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Elements] [Posture/Sitting] [Posture/Walking]
5. “How does one work with dullness and drowsiness in sitting meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sloth and torpor] [Posture/Sitting] // [Hindrances] [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Ajahn Chah] [Posture/Walking] [Culture/Natural environment] [Posture/Standing] [Continuity of mindfulness]
Sutta: AN 7.58 Capala Sutta: “Are you nodding, Moggallana?” [Great disciples]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno walks in the forest without a flashlight to dispel drowsiness. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Dtao Dum] [Devotion to wakefulness]
3. “Is walking meditation as “good” as sitting meditation. Can one achieve the level of undistractedness that one needs to be able to investigate the human experience? Or is it part of the bigger picture of mindfulness / or seven full days to experience stream entry?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Posture/Walking] [Posture/Sitting] [Insight meditation] [Stream entry]
3. “What is the significance of sitting to one side of the Buddha?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Debbie Stamp. [Sutta] [Buddha] [Posture/Sitting] // [Respect] [Cultural context] [Robes]
4. “Does jhāna arise only in seated meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Posture/Sitting] [Jhāna]
Reference: Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, p. 332: Ajahn Chah talks about developing jhāna factors in walking meditation. [Ajahn Chah] [Posture/Walking]
8. “I practice the brahmavihāras, and not just on the cushion. How do these relate to jhāna?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Divine Abidings] [Posture/Sitting] [Posture/Walking] [Jhāna] // [Continuity of mindfulness] [Skillful qualities]
Quote: “You can sit on your cushion for a long time. Chickens sit for a long time, and they don’t get enlightened!” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Posture/Sitting] [Liberation] [Animal]
11. Comment: I meditate much better kneeling than lying in bed. [Posture/Sitting] [Posture/Lying down]
Response by Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Ajahn Viradhammo]