Hi Dan, a number of places (meditation specialty stores?) have little
sitting benches that lifts the pressure off your knees and ankles while
maintaining the posture. In Japan they sell these little foldable models for
about $20 (equivalent) which are really convenient, and maybe they're sold
at some store here in the US, assuming there is a "Japantown" somewhere in
your town. I guess a high round cushion on a soft surface (like a zabuton)
would also work. Until you get one of these options, shift one foot over the
other as you feel numbness approaching one of your legs ...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Gutwein" <dfgutw@wm.edu>
To: <shakuhachi@weber.ucsd.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2001 1:24 PM
Subject: posture
> Dear list,
>
> This is really a question about practicing Zen meditation, so I hope it is
> not too off topic for the list. I have a question about posture and
> approaches to sitting while practicing suizen. For many years I've found
> peace and calm just reading and contemplating Buddhist and Zen literature,
> but not until I took up playing the shakuhachi (last May), did I begin a
> regular practice of sitting/meditating. I practice shakuhachi for about
90
> min. at a stretch once or twice a day, and for all but the first 10
minutes
> I'm just fine sitting cross-legged or half-lotus, but the manner of
sitting
> that seems most profound to me (kneeling and sitting on my ankles or
feet),
> also causes my feet and legs some serious discomfort (ultimately
numbness!)
> after only 10 minutes! Therefore, I only sit this way while blowing RO
for
> the first 10-15 minutes. I would love to be able to sit in this posture
> longer, but just can't. I don't want to believe that being 50 years old
is
> an excuse. Am I being too ideological? Is this just the naivety of a
> beginner? Suggestions -- comments?
>
> Dan Gutwein
>
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Jan 08 2002 - 09:19:37 PST