What is so "special" about full lotus?

[effilang]

I've been doing a lot of reading and i always come across an emphasis on full lotus by many teachers through different forms and styles.

 

What exactly is so "special" about full lotus?

 

What benefits distinguish it so remarkably from other meditation poses besides the horrible pain at the beginning?

 

I'm really curious about this, because it seems to be one of those things around the forum that many say "just do", but nobody really explains why one should create the motivation to regularly utilize the pose and its assumed benefits.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Sloppy Zhang]

I'm still working on getting it perfect (I'm rather inflexible), but from the short amount of time I've spent in it, it is one of the best ways to get into a good posture. My body is erect, spine is straight, but I can get relaxed and comfortable without having to slouch. I feel really balanced, almost in perfect harmony, just by sitting in it.

 

I haven't held it long enough or done enough meditation in it to comment on it energetically though. But from a physical perspective, it is quite unique

[Capital]

Well, from a less esoteric standpoint, I'd say it stretches the legs wonderfully, if you're doing it right. It opens the Kua pretty well, and my knees and ankles feel much looser after sitting or even laying with my legs in that position the last few days, though it hurt like the dickens.

 

I only did it when it came naturally though.

 

From an esoteric view, it helped me feel the energy in my upper body, as my legs were too numb to feel anything at all.

[Andrei]

It's a tetragonal structure that creates a pyramid effect on the body's energy, concentrating it into the central channel and balancing the collateral meridians, mainly disconnects the energy from the Earth and connects to the Heaven energy. It's so simple, nothing special...

[gendao]

Good question. I don't know the full answer, but I think one thing it does is biomechanically and bioenergetically open the lower deep core. This is a big physical and energetic junction, so is particularly important in neidan.

 

Which also makes it great cross training for any other basic qigong postures. Most of which require an open kua, "tucked" pelvis and straight spine. So, if you can do lotus, anything else is generally cake.

 

Energetically, I believe it's also used primarily for alchemy since it collects energy in the dantian while impeding qi flow down through the legs. Which then makes the path of lesser resistance up the du mai (MCO) or chong mai (kundalini).

[Aetherous]

Yes, it's a posture of alchemy. Not necessary at all, since there are other practices out there, but good if you can get your legs into it.

 

Someone once shared another posture which inflexible/weak-kneed/tree-trunk-legged people could do which is said to do the same as full lotus if you do it about 3x as long. However, only people with a good foundation should do it...I practiced it years ago and experienced bliss, yet had health problems occur as a result, so I will only share it with people who I know practice foundation stuff. It's not a big deal.

[TzuJanLi]

Greetings..

 

Nothing is special about full lotus.. nothing is achievable through contrived postures that is not achievable through Clarity of the physical/energetic relationships.. generally, we are blineded by 'tradition'.

 

Be well..

[immortal_sister]

i have been wondering about this lately as well. i used to practice yoga far more regularly, and could sit somewhat comfortably in full lotus for a while, but my flexibility has hit a new low lately. i need to work on that.

 

the main thing i am wondering about is that i have bad circulation in my legs, they can get numb if i sit full lotus, which is probably not that uncommon. but could sitting in full lotus for extended periods of time make this condition worse for me, since it cuts off blood to the legs?

[voidisyinyang]

If you read "Miracle Healing from China" by qigong master Dr. Effie Chow she says that full-lotus is called "Five energy points facing heaven." That's why it's the best position because it maximizes the chi energy -- the five points being the two center of the feet, the head and the two centers of the hands.

 

These points are then resonating through complementary opposites -- so the head is shooting energy towards the hands -- I call this the "Yan Xin Secret" -- and the feet/legs are crossed and the hands are crossed. This way the energy channels have their circuits connected, connecting positive to negative.

 

Qigong master Chunyi Lin says that 20 minutes of full-lotus is worth 4 hours of any other meditation but it's important to realize this is based on the electromagnetic fields created. Most posture focus these days is just from the perspective of stretching and flexibility. The whole point of full-lotus is to go beyond feeling the body because the electromagnetic fields are so strong.

 

So it's best to first do active excercises along with mind yoga and the small universe or microcosmic orbit. Then AFTER the electromagnetic fields get strong enough you can then go into full-lotus. Then after the third eye fully opens up you can sit in full-lotus as long as you want.

 

So qigong master Chunyi Lin says that if you want to see if someone is real master just see how long they can sit in full-lotus. Wang, Liping sits in full-lotus 4 hours a night as described in Opening the Dragon Gate. John Chang relies on Full-lotus. Yogananda and his lineage all rely on full-lotus.

 

It's not just a posture -- it's the resonance of complementary opposites that is the secret of the full-lotus. It's also the secret of "pyramid power" and why nature creates spiral vortices.

[idquest]

I've been doing a lot of reading...

What exactly is so "special" about full lotus?

You can discuss it and you can try it.

 

Just try and you'll see.

Edited November 25, 2009 by idquest

[Biff]

I've been doing a lot of reading and i always come across an emphasis on full lotus by many teachers through different forms and styles.

 

What exactly is so "special" about full lotus?

 

What benefits distinguish it so remarkably from other meditation poses besides the horrible pain at the beginning?

 

I'm really curious about this, because it seems to be one of those things around the forum that many say "just do", but nobody really explains why one should create the motivation to regularly utilize the pose and its assumed benefits.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Christ almighty that gif is even better then your avatar. I could sit in full lotus for 10 hours If I had that swinging in my face all day. FYI Pak John does not reply on FL. It is taught and yeas you will progress quicker but you can do the training without it and get the same results.

 

FL is powerful for sure. But once you are open you don't 'need' it. If fact you don't need it at all. That is Biff's beef here... you do not NEED it. You can achieve everything without ever sitting in it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just want to eat and drink that. My god. I'll have the clam chowder and I also eat that chocolate donut.

 

It opens the Kua pretty well, and my knees and ankles feel much looser after sitting or even laying with my legs in that position the last few days, though it hurt like the dickens.

 

You can open the Kua with simple stretching with no pain at all. Also the leg channels can easily be opened with stretching and tapping.

[33865_1494798762]

I've been doing a lot of reading and i always come across an emphasis on full lotus by many teachers through different forms and styles.

 

What exactly is so "special" about full lotus?

 

What benefits distinguish it so remarkably from other meditation poses besides the horrible pain at the beginning?

 

I'm really curious about this, because it seems to be one of those things around the forum that many say "just do", but nobody really explains why one should create the motivation to regularly utilize the pose and its assumed benefits.

 

Thanks in advance!

A tripod is the most stable concept, perfect for sitting still for a dead borring frame of time.

If you want to make the sleeping ego your choice of meditation it will sooth you fine.

[markern]

There is a certain.. uhm...consistency in the visuals in your avatar and posting space The dancing asses are hilarious

[goldisheavy]

I've been doing a lot of reading and i always come across an emphasis on full lotus by many teachers through different forms and styles.

 

What exactly is so "special" about full lotus?

 

 

There is nothing special about it.

 

However it has some benefits if you can sit in it comfortably:

 

1. You can sit in it for a long time. It is very stable and comfortable, if you are trained in the pose. If you need to meditate for many days at a time, it might be the 2nd best pose (lying down is the best, imo, if you need to go that deep).

 

2. It's tool-less. Unlike some other poses, it doesn't need tools or furniture to be comfortable. This is only true for those who have mastered the pose though. It's obviously false if your legs hurt in full lotus.

 

3. It's relatively safe. Meaning, if you get into a strange state of mind, and your body falls over, it doesn't have far to go before it hits the ground (not as safe as lying down though).

 

The drawback to lying down is that for some people it triggers the sleep reflex. Full lotus is a nice balance between alertness and safety. Lying down is safer, but is more likely to get you sleepy. Sleepiness can be overcome though.

 

Any pose requires training. If you lay down, you need to train to overcome drowsiness. If you sit in full lotus, you need to train to overcome the pain in the legs.

 

Other than that, there is no magical or special benefit to it at all. You can sit in a chair, or sit in any which way. It's all fine. What really matters in meditation is your point of view, your beliefs, your intention, and your attention. The body follows naturally, like a shadow. If you attend your mind, the body follows. But if you attend your body, then both the body and the mind will be disturbed. The body is important only because it's a manifestation of the mind. Other than that it has no importance whatsoever. The mind is the Lord in meditation. All your attention and diligence have to be focused in the mind.

Edited November 25, 2009 by goldisheavy

[宁]

There is nothing special about it.[...]

The mind is the Lord in meditation. All your attention and diligence have to be focused in the mind.

 

hilarious

[Chen]

Biff,

if you mean J.C when you say Pak John,I have a lot of reasons to beleive that he relays in Full Lotus,as Level 1 Lotus meditation is an exersice for life regardless the Level achieved.

There was another thread few months ago about the Full Lotus position and a lot was written.

In Inner alchemy the full lotus must be used in combination of certain mudras. Although half lotus is more easier and also the simple cross leg stance,you have a lot of unlocked points that redirect the chi to be wasted or circulated among the body instend to be stored in Dan Tien .

In general I agree with drewhempel , one unit of achievment in full lotus, needs 3 times more time in half lotus and 20 times more time when just X-legged.

From the other hand ,full lotus is just the one way that you have to follow depending on goals and school that followed.

[wen]

[sherab]

[Taomeow]

you can talk to us without using hexagrams from the Yi Jing, you know.

Some of us are decently versed in the language of King Wen.

 

Here's the translation:

 

The Bound: stopping indeed.

The season stopping, by consequence stopping.

The season moving, by consequence moving.

Stirring-up, stilling, not letting-go one's season.

One's dao: shining brightness.

The Bound: one's stopping.

Stopping at one's place indeed.

[C T]

There are literally thousands (maybe more?) of sadhus lined up along the banks of the Ganges, who spend their whole lives in full-lotus. Maybe a handful of these are "realized" - the rest, like you and I. Those who are enthralled by physical forms get all excited when they see these so-called holy men. If only they were less naive. External forms without the mastery of the mind cannot bring one 'to the other shore'. GIH's observations are spot-on.

 

If you want to FL, lotus your mind first. Mind-posture is anytime more vital than body posture. When the lotus blooms in the Mind, one loses attachment to the physical. Thats all.

Edited November 25, 2009 by CowTao

[markern]

There are literally thousands (maybe more?) of sadhus lined up along the banks of the Ganges, who spend their whole lives in full-lotus. Maybe a handful of these are "realized" - the rest, like you and I. Westerners who journey to India get all excited when they see these so-called holy men. If only they were less naive. External forms without the mastery of the mind cannot bring one 'to the other shore'. GIH's observations are spot-on.

 

If you want to FL, lotus your mind first. Mind-posture is anytime more vital than body posture. When the lotus blooms in the Mind, one loses attachment to the physical. Thats all.

 

My gut feeling is that there are extreemly few of those wondering sadhus that have any kind of realisation. I ams ure many of them have deep concentration states but had they had effective tools they would not bother doing all the crazy stuff. With the amount of practice time they put in there is no way they would not have had some level of real realization had they done vipassana with good instructions or done KAP 12 hours a day for 15 years. Besides a lot of them are actually criminlas that become sadhus so not to be recognized or if they are recognized the police dont want to arrest them because they are holy menn. A bunch of indians talked to me about that and I read about it in Indian newspapers. I have actually always thought I would run of to some smal monastary or a cave in the himalayas if I ever needed to escape the law.

[effilang]

If you want to FL, lotus your mind first

 

This ^

[DaoChild]

I've been doing a lot of reading and i always come across an emphasis on full lotus by many teachers through different forms and styles.

 

What exactly is so "special" about full lotus?

 

What benefits distinguish it so remarkably from other meditation poses besides the horrible pain at the beginning?

 

I'm really curious about this, because it seems to be one of those things around the forum that many say "just do", but nobody really explains why one should create the motivation to regularly utilize the pose and its assumed benefits.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Nothing. It's simply (from a purely physical point of view) a very structurally stable position, which = you move around less, and your mind moves around less.

[Aetherous]

No offense meant in saying this...

 

Having the flexibility to get into the position doesn't make someone an expert on the effects of the full lotus.

 

If you haven't even opened your MCO a little, then you can't possibly comprehend the energetic effect.

 

Drew knows, and his explanation is great:

 

resonance of complementary opposites

[Birch]

"KAP 15 hours a day"

 

Apologies if I misquoted or out of context.

 

I'd suggest that KAP actually ends up being somewhere around 15 hours a day unless you get into dream yoga stuff. Cause you get a time out when you sleep;-)

 

The idea that the body is the servant of the mind (or the other way around guys;-)) seems to be lodged in (some of) us.

For me KAP is a yoga in that it shows off the effects aimed for. With practice, the practice becomes the effects. It's as if we could suggest that after awakening one no longer needs to be aware, nor mindful. One just is those things (or at least tries to be!)

 

So every time you are awake you are just that. Imagine how awful Enlightenment must then be?? Awake ALL the time!?

 

I've been thinking about Full Lotus (if only to pass into this thread;-)) and I think it probably would hurt.

 

Aren't there other, equally effective mudras without them being full body ones? From the limited understanding I have, mudras can be made to create circuits of all kinds with the added acupressure points linking up as well.