Hi Joe!<br/><br/>The mudras you've spoken of are the same ones I was shown and
use in my practice. I was also taught that by maintaining a light connection
with the thumbs we can gauge how attentive our mind is to the meditation (Is
the contact too forced? Too light or disconnected?). Yes, by focusing our
attention here we are also focusing attention on the hara.<br/><br/>There is no
instruction in Vipassana regarding posture other than to try to keep the spine
erect. We usually sit for an hour, or more, per session for 10 hours a day and
for 10 straight days. The body will naturally find its own posture in this
time, but of course pain will kick in no matter how comfortable the first 20 or
30 minutes are!<br/><br/> Even though there is freedom to choose your own
sitting position you'll be pleased to hear that the half-lotus and Burmese
position with the hands in the same mudra position just discussed are the most
commonly used ones at our retreats :
)<br/><br/>Mike<br/><br/>Ps I had a very strange Kundalini experience once
when my hands/arms involuntarily raised into a beatific-like pose (like you see
in portraits of saints raising their arms to heaven). I have also heard of
people involuntarily performing a variety of hand mudras that they didn't even
know existed. Interesting stuff.<br/><br/>Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPhone
