Becoming the Lotus

[Immortal]

I've noticed quite a few people on this forum are interested in the effects of the padmasana (full lotus) and with good reason, it is the most superior asana to use during meditation.

 

The full lotus is depicted in ancient art across various cultures ranging from Egypt to Japan. It doesn't matter if you're Taoist, Buddhist, Hindu etc... this posture is ubiquitously known as the ultimate meditation asana.

 

While this asana is extremely potent it can also damage your knees. It is 100% essential first to stretch the legs and the body to comfortably accomodate this position rather than painfully forcing your body into the posture.

 

As we all know Taoism is about the natural way, not forcing. If you're forcing your legs into the position than is can cause permanent damage to your knees over time.

 

With that being said I HIGHLY recommend this book called Becoming the Lotus:

 

 

http://www.amazon.co...ming full lotus

 

It's an absolutley indespensible resource to learn to master the padmasana WITHOUT causing any damage to the knees.

 

Enjoy!

 

Adam

[skydog]

I will get this book thanks..

[RiverSnake]

A great book. As a noobie whom who is working to master full lotus I highly recommend it.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

[deci belle]

Not all skeletons will go there. Try it, but do not sacrifice you health— not only is it not worth any perceived difficulties over benefits you may experience, physical postures have absolutely no bearing on clarifying potential and seeing your nature.

 

But, if you must sit in formal meditation, and you feel you must partake of formal meditation exercises, the full lotus posture is superior and effective.

[RiverSnake]

Burmese is 2nd best IMO....its a good posture to use while you're working your way towards Full Lotus and will to a certain degree help open up your hips....but stretches are still very much needed.

 

-My 2 cents, Peace

[este]

Best book out there.

Another secret, is to sit on the floor as much as possible. If you're serious about it, throw out your chairs. Or replace them with a bench you can sit on cross legged. That's why in general Asian people (especially Indians) have no problem with the lotus.

Massaging knees and ankles with castor oil also helps

[RiverSnake]

postures have absolutely no bearing on clarifying potential and seeing your nature./quote]

 

I disagree with that. Full lotus enhances clarity immensely especially if your first starting out in meditation. Having aligned posture in itself is intrinsic in allowing chi to flow.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

[TheDustAutumn]

physical postures have absolutely no bearing on clarifying potential and seeing your nature.

I disagree. Full lotus is like a magnifying glass that focuses your internal energies. Its effects are most obvious in energy work(in my own experience gathering qi in full lotus is a lot more productive than in any other position). Just sit for 2 hours in full lotus with your eyes closed without trying to meditate or anything and you will feel the energy being focused on the microcosmic orbit.

 

Regarding succeeding in full lotus, I think the best exercise is half lotus. Just sit daily for 30 min in half lotus and in a few months tops you will reach full lotus. If you can't do half lotus than stretches are very good.

Edited January 23, 2014 by coZma

[RiverSnake]

Regarding succeeding in full lotus, I think the best exercise is half lotus. Just sit daily for 30 min in half lotus and in a few months tops you will reach full lotus. If you can't do half lotus than stretches are very good.

Interesting. I will definitely try this. Thanks.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

[TheDustAutumn]

Interesting. I will definitely try this. Thanks.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Just don't force anything. If there is pain it means you are trying to force your body into something it is not ready to do. This is the mistake most people do when they try this(the idea to "work through the pain"which only damages your body and closes your hips even more). If you feel pain in your hip put some padding under your knee until the there is no pain and only a slight discomfort than relax and the hip will open. You also shouldn't feel any pain in your knee which means you posture is incorrect and you are damaging you ligament so be careful with that.

[silent thunder]

I've found some mileage in these stretches, especially helping with loosening my hips.

 

http://zenmontpellier.voila.net/eng/lotus/lotuseng.html

 

edit: I particularly appreciate this quote: "DON'T OVERSTRETCH. Whatever you may be told, change position, rather than bear the pain. This is no masochistic contest."

Edited January 23, 2014 by silent thunder

[Songtsan]

Not all skeletons will go there. Try it, but do not sacrifice you health— not only is it not worth any perceived difficulties over benefits you may experience, physical postures have absolutely no bearing on clarifying potential and seeing your nature.

 

But, if you must sit in formal meditation, and you feel you must partake of formal meditation exercises, the full lotus posture is superior and effective.

 

I am in agreement fully.

[dee]

-

Edited February 15, 2014 by dee

[Songtsan]

The ones who struggle most with meditation and it's posture/pose get the most from it. I'm quite happy that I can't sit in any posture for longer than 1 minute lol;

I will read this book and with yoga I think I will learn with time

 

One of the reasons its a good pose is that it keeps you locked in place quite effectively, assuming you have the proper pelvic tilt (best to sit on a raised surface like a cushion). Meditators who were entering states accompanied by deep relaxation of the nervous system and extreme states of focus would therefore be protected from unconsciously slouching due to loss of attention to muscle holding patterns or even from accidentally slipping into sleeping states.

 

Those with extremely rev'ed up nervous systems, with high amounts of joint pain, tendonitis, inflammation, back pain, etc. and with trouble relaxing the muscles and grosser aspects of the nervous system - and those who have trouble falling asleep in normal situations may actually benefit more from meditating less formerly at first, even lying down, while training the physical body (mindfully) until it becomes less of a torture to assume such fixed positions.

 

If one has to wait until they can master padmasana to meditate effectively, one could spend ten years or more before one experienced an effective meditation.

Edited January 25, 2014 by Songtsan

[Immortal]

I agree with Songtsan, full lots is not necessary to begin meditation, but it is something each yogi should aspire to achieve. Purification is the initial step of ANY path of internal alchemy be it Taoist, Hindu, or Buddhist.

 

If you practice the techniques in the book during purification stage, by the time you are ready for Tummo or Kan and Li you should be able to comfortably sit in the full lotus, that way you maximize the bliss of the psychic heat generated during meditation.

 

Master Chunyi Lin stated that 20 minutes of padmasana is equivilent to 4 hrs. of any other sadhana.

Edited January 25, 2014 by Immortal