I've borrowed the following picture from here.
See the monk?
Did you notice that he's not doing a full lotus? That he's not even bothering to do a half-lotus? That's pretty awesome. If nothing else, this monk's posture gives hope to plump, pathetically inflexible blokes like me. Even barefoot, I have trouble doing a half-lotus (only one foot tucked into the fold of a hip). Plus, I bet this posture-- known as "Burmese" or "monk's" posture-- is better for the circulation in your legs.
Meditation isn't about self-torture or even about lesser forms of mortification of the flesh. I've written more extensively on meditation here.
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He looks Caucasian to me, and that's why he can't sit properly. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI say this as someone who can't even sit comfortably cross-legged at all.
That said, I don't think meditation is supposed to be about self-torture, either.
Cheers, N.
I've never been able to sit full lotus, and I long ago gave up trying to sit even half- or quarter-lotus. Burmese pose or kneeling are the only ways I can sit.
ReplyDeletePractice how you can, not how you can't.
Lorianne,
ReplyDeleteComments from you are so rare! I appreciate your visit.
Me, I didn't even know there was such a thing as quarter-lotus.
Nathan,
Caucasian? Ya' think? I'm not so sure. The probabilities are that he's Korean, but you could be right.