4bsolute Posted June 12, 2013 Dear Ones, is there any practice known to you with which one thickens the skin and tissue under the sitting bones? For sitting longer periods on bare earth or rock. Especially for people with naturally low body fat, no cussioning. How do monks do it? Simply endure the pain, overcome it through understanding and thats it, like with pretty much anything? Still our body hurts for a reason. Pain is there for a reason Any ideas? Kind regards Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hydrogen Posted June 13, 2013 I see that you have thin skin. In another threat, you mentioned that you had throat blockage. I think they might be related. The throat blockage may indicate that you have trouble to express your true feeling. There is nothing to be ashame of what/who you are at now. Everyone is a work in progress. We'd love and support whatever path you take. Be true to "yourself". Let your truth shine through. Of course having thick skin for criticism helps too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flolfolil Posted June 13, 2013 yeah i'm not a fan of the ignore the pain advice either i just use pillows in strategic ways, but that doesn't really help if you want to be rooted... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Songtsan Posted June 13, 2013 umm...sandpaper? spankings? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
h.uriahr Posted June 14, 2013 (edited) Buy a meditation cushion, just make sure that its made with a natural material. That'll help align the spine too. Edit: or make a sand pit. Edited June 14, 2013 by h.uriahr Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grady Posted June 14, 2013 More sitting. Seriously, I'm not trying to be funny, the callouses will develop eventually. Milarepa's apocryphal "last lesson" to Gampopa is instructive here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted June 14, 2013 sit in full lotus, you wont notice when your rear isnt sticking out like simple cross legged! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheshire Cat Posted June 14, 2013 Dear Ones, is there any practice known to you with which one thickens the skin and tissue under the sitting bones? For sitting longer periods on bare earth or rock. Especially for people with naturally low body fat, no cussioning. How do monks do it? Simply endure the pain, overcome it through understanding and thats it, like with pretty much anything? Still our body hurts for a reason. Pain is there for a reason Any ideas? Kind regards Use thick carpets to make the transition from the cushion to hard rock (). With time, you'll get used to sit almost everywhere. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hydrogen Posted June 14, 2013 Thanks every one for helping out 4bsolute. Thanks for every one for playing along. 4bsolute seems to need lots of help. Eventually he'd find his own voice. Lets hope the best. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flolfolil Posted June 14, 2013 sit in full lotus, you wont notice when your rear isnt sticking out like simple cross legged! speaking as a person that has injured themself doing full lotus, i find it extremely irresponsible to just tell people to do full lotus. If someone has the bodily capability to do that posture they can find it for themselves.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Songtsan Posted June 14, 2013 (edited) speaking as a person that has injured themself doing full lotus, i find it extremely irresponsible to just tell people to do full lotus. If someone has the bodily capability to do that posture they can find it for themselves.... My legs and feet can go numb after 15 minutes doing even half-lotus...I prefer those little zen benches myself...with a pillow on the bench. This isn't some kind of competition to become super-yogi. While full lotus locks you into an upright position really nicely...it is always better to have your hips elevated above the knees - this gives you the best pelvic tilt, and the straightest spine. Trust me I know about this as I have whats called hypolordosis of the lumbar spine - which is the very opposite of sway-back. So in order to elevate your hips, you have to be sitting on something...like a zen cushion, or a folded blanket. If this is the case, you wouldn't be having any issues with too hard of a seat for your buttocks. Edited June 14, 2013 by Songtsan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted June 14, 2013 speaking as a person that has injured themself doing full lotus, i find it extremely irresponsible to just tell people to do full lotus. If someone has the bodily capability to do that posture they can find it for themselves.... well hey, flexibility is potentially an issue here, but if one is *that* hardcore into meditating that the ground itself is starting to become a concern - well shouldnt your channels be open to enough of an extent that you can stretch yourself there over an appropriate amount of time? it took me a good 6 months of stretching and preparation with the explicit focus of being able to do lotus, I dont discount that any more than I discount the stupendous amount of meditative work siddartha put in before seeing the falling flowers I didnt say "cram yourself into full lotus at all costs" we speak of dantien breathing and many energetic practices around here with little mention of foundational stillness - since the context of the discussion is usually such that it is understood stillness is an important prereq! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
h.uriahr Posted June 14, 2013 well hey, flexibility is potentially an issue here, but if one is *that* hardcore into meditating that the ground itself is starting to become a concern - well shouldnt your channels be open to enough of an extent that you can stretch yourself there over an appropriate amount of time? it took me a good 6 months of stretching and preparation with the explicit focus of being able to do lotus, I dont discount that any more than I discount the stupendous amount of meditative work siddartha put in before seeing the falling flowers I didnt say "cram yourself into full lotus at all costs" we speak of dantien breathing and many energetic practices around here with little mention of foundational stillness - since the context of the discussion is usually such that it is understood stillness is an important prereq! What kind of stretching routine did you use? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted June 14, 2013 where'd that full lotus stretches thread go just basic stuff, mainly focusing on opening the hips since that was where I needed it most. ya just gotta do, and do religiously, and you will attain the goal - provided you respect your own limitations and arent spending too much time recouping from having damaged yourself! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted June 14, 2013 http://thetaobums.com/topic/4549-full-lotus/?hl=full+lotus http://thetaobums.com/topic/5345-stretch-into-full-lotus/ there's no shortage of information out there Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
h.uriahr Posted June 14, 2013 http://thetaobums.com/topic/4549-full-lotus/?hl=full+lotus http://thetaobums.com/topic/5345-stretch-into-full-lotus/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8LOhZmuVaE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJd9FVv6C_E there's no shortage of information out there Thanks! Especially for that first video...... Thank you....lol no really. I'm gong to add those stretches to my routine Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wells Posted June 14, 2013 is there any practice known to you with which one thickens the skin and tissue under the sitting bones? For sitting longer periods on bare earth or rock. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites