After sitting for about 1 year in Burmese and quarter-lotus, I was finally able to get my legs into full lotus for 1 second.
After about another year, I could sustain it for a 25 minute sit. After another year, I could do a couple periods a day in full lotus. Now, after moving to california, I can do full lotus only very for 5 or 10 minutes, except for times when I've been sitting more often than average. Not sitting with the sanga as regularly and I think also biking a lot have tightened up my hips. There are some stretches that were helpful, something like these: http://www.tricycle.com/p/2060 The key to full lotus is really your hips more so than your knees; if your knees are being twisted too much, then your hips aren't flexible enough, and you should slow down. I will say that the sitting in full lotus is noticably lighter than even half lotus. I felt like i was sort of floating along, definitely less distractable, and more like a World Honored One. Our bodies and our minds are not two distinct things, so it makes sense that posture affects thinking. How could posture not affect the brain? I think of Buddhism as an experimental practice, and the benefits are available for us to try without necessarily having a mental model of why the benefits are there. --Chris On Tue, Feb 8, 2011 at 8:15 PM, Brett Corbin <[email protected]>wrote: > > > I respect the ability some people have to be able to get into the lotus > position, If I tried I would certainly be more sober, but I would also be > screaming in pain:) > > > Brett > http://www.pbase.com/brett1963 > > --- On *Tue, 2/8/11, Anthony Wu <[email protected]>* wrote: > > > From: Anthony Wu <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Zen] Re: Aging and zazen > To: [email protected] > Date: Tuesday, February 8, 2011, 8:02 PM > > > kristy, > > The lotus position gives you a stable posture, not too tight nor too loose. > That makes you sober, not sleepy. If you don't believe, look at what Buddha > and Bill do. Then you will be convinced. > > Anthony > > --- On Wed, 9/2/11, Kristy McClain > <[email protected]<http://us.mc1217.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]>> > wrote: > > > From: Kristy McClain > > <[email protected]<http://us.mc1217.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]> > > > > Subject: Re: [Zen] Re: Aging and zazen > > To: > > [email protected]<http://us.mc1217.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]> > > Date: Wednesday, 9 February, 2011, 9:11 AM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Anthony, > > > > This gets to the heart of my > > question. Why is it that a full lotus, (or > > other prescribed pose), can faciliate "clear mind" > > more efficiently? k > > > > --- On Tue, 2/8/11, Anthony Wu > > <[email protected]<http://us.mc1217.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]>> > wrote: > > > > > > From: Anthony Wu > > <[email protected]<http://us.mc1217.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]> > > > > Subject: Re: [Zen] Re: Aging and zazen > > To: > > [email protected]<http://us.mc1217.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]> > > Date: Tuesday, February 8, 2011, 5:34 PM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ED, > > > > Though I cannot do it, I believe the lotus position > > will greatly facilitate clear mind, as you can see from the > > posture of Buddha himself. However, I will never compete > > with Buddha, so am satisfied with my slow progress. > > > > Anthony > > > > --- On Wed, 9/2/11, ED > > <[email protected]<http://us.mc1217.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]>> > wrote: > > > > > > From: ED > > <[email protected]<http://us.mc1217.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]> > > > > Subject: [Zen] Re: Aging and zazen > > To: > > [email protected]<http://us.mc1217.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]> > > Date: Wednesday, 9 February, 2011, 6:47 AM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Anthony, > > Why not? After all, the objective > > of the sitting posture is to facilitate clear mind. > > However, there is power in group practice when all are in > > traditional sitting postures, thought not > > necessarily in full lotus. > > --ED > > > > --- In > > [email protected]<http://us.mc1217.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]> > , > > Anthony Wu <wuasg@...> wrote: > > > > > > Kristy, > > > > > > I don't deny that posture is very important for > > achieving good sitting results. However, I am restricted by > > my severe arthritis, so I can only sit on a chair. My > > experiences show that as long as I can keep a clear mind > > without too much daydreaming or drowsiness, I will feel > > comfortable and happy after the sitting. Zen Master Seung > > Sahn had a (western) student, who was like me, unable to sit > > in a lotus position. > > > Anthony > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are > reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > >
