This past weekend I had the great honor of co-leading a retreat with my long-time friend and meditation teacher, Sharon Salzberg.
The retreat group was mixed, ranging from those with advanced yoga asana practices and minor seated practices to strictly meditators who had dabbled in yoga before but did not make it regularly to the mat.
Several in the room had long abandoned their meditation cushions in favor of sitting in a chair to avoid the pain that flared up after only 5 minutes of sitting.
Worse yet, some reported that they had either sat through the pain or cut their practices short to get out of the discomfort in the past.
Has meditation become an occupational hazard of your spiritual practice much like sitting at a desk or commuting long hours?
Watch the video below to find out if you have been making any of the 5 most common alignment mistakes in your meditation posture! Then learn (through yoga alignment) how to sit in ways that make your seated practice more comfortable and last longer.
As always, please leave a comment at the bottom of the blog. I would love, love, love to hear how much more mileage you get on your cushion after watching this!
Want to read more on the topic of meditation and yoga? See my article written for Elephant Journal at the Press Page.
And join us for the month of June over at the 30 Day Yoga Challenge on Facebook, where we will be meditating for 10 minutes minimum a day with a group of 2000 other yogis!
Thanks, Amy. Would you be willing to post the name of your cushion and where you got it? I want something lower. Thanks, Elisa
Of course! Prapatti Cushion is the name of the seat I use…the BOMB!
Great video! Nice easy tips and one’s that will make a world of difference in your meditation practice. Thanks for sharing Amy! xoox
Thank you for the helpful tips – my alignment has interfered with my meditation practice. I am definitely purchasing a cushion!!
Amy…this post is a godsend. I found it through Marcia Wilson. I have struggled for a year and a half to find more comfort when sitting. I have tightness in hip rotation, so I struggle with the height of the knees in relation to my pelvis.
The funny thing is, I practice as an OT and do a lot of wheelchair seating, but can’t seem to treat myself!! I will get some help with your tips to increase my comfort.
Thanks Amy!
Thanks Amy, I so enjoyed the training with you at Omega, Your so much fun! Thanks.
Thanks Amy! Great video, and great advice for sitting more comfortably!
This is very helpful! I can’t wait to sit. Thank you, Amy
I love the way you connected the allignment instructions to the five elements as the chakras in the rajanaka approach. Beautiful, elegant and I’m going to pass it on to my two new private students to review what we went over today working with korma devata as the descent of the breath in taking our seat for the ritual gift meditation we offer to ourselves.
korma devata
the light of consciousness taking the form of the turtle
“at home in our own self-awareness, we have all we need to live life to the fullest”
the descent of the breath through the regions|elements|senses
above the palate | spaciousness of the mind | sense of sound
palate to heart | movements of the wind | sense of touch
the plexus | rising of the inner fires | sense of inner vision
the belly | creative, flowing waters | sense of flavour
the pelvis & below | gathering gravity of the earth | sense of smell
brief and direct. very helpful
Thanks Amy. This is a wonderful video for meditators or anyone that sits for long periods of time.
Loved the background music, but it needs to be a little softer,
just UNDER the level of your voice, not at the same level. Thanks for the great information…I got this from my daughter-in-law, Natacha Lovering!
Hey Wanda. I know! I was kind of cringing after it got uploaded to youtube! The volume was turned down to 25% actually, and it sounded fine before it went up. Note for next time, lower it even more…glad the info was helpful.
Beautiful. Loved the simple, direct, easy to remember explanations of each element. So glad to learn some tips to stay pain free!
simply profound!,…. and beneficial – for meditation, and for all types of sitting activities (e.g. right now sitting at my desk at the university!) And, I enjoy your mix of ‘serious fun’. It is appreciated.
This is great Amy! You’re the best! and I’m going to get one of those cushions!! and love how you used the elements…really cemented it in for me
.
thanks.
much love,
gina
Super juicy-loved the way you bring the elements in. For sure, sharing.
You totally rocked it! One of your ‘mistake’ positions reminded me of one of my students who had been a meditator for decades before coming to yoga and was soooo tight in the neck and shoulders (very hunched, neck way forward)…the meditation world could definitely use a little more alignment and anatomy know-how to increase the goodness of the practice! And all of us yogis who don’t meditate regularly could definitely benefit from this month’s 10-minute challenge!
You so totally rock! Totally – I wrote this with the 30 Day Yoga Challenge in mind.
I’m on my way to sit in front of a mirror to see where my alignment mistakes are, thank you for the great tips Amy!
Thanks Amy, very useful.
What if pain is in one knee and same leg tingles? Is very unconfortable because I can’t stand inmediately to begin the practice. I tried to rotate more my thigh and calf, activate my feet, but does not work for long. May be a misalignment of the hip joint?
Hi Diana, Usually when one there are multiple issues on the same side, there is an asymmetrical alignment in either of the legs. It could be that the opposite leg is the one that needs the rotation, not the same leg. Give that a try and apply all the other “elements” and then let me know – if you leave a comment, I get an email, so we can gab about it here!
xo A
Thanks, Amy! I loved the connection with the five elements.
I think Im following your suggestions and I use my prapatti cushion, but my left leg always falls asleep at the 15 minute mark do you have any suggestions?
Thanks Bobbie
Hey Bobbie – were you good until 15 minutes before applying the suggestions in the video? If not, try giving both legs an inward rotation (do the one that has the heavier feeling sitting bone first) and “pump” your toes against the cushion to literally pump blood to leg. Also make sure your waistline is back and groins are hollow. See if that helps you get to even 16 minutes, then we know we are making progress!
Rich reminders + entertaining (especially on the not so attractive bits). Thank You.
Hehehehe!
Thank you very much! Seems to help already & getting up to 15 min with no problems (yet) !
Thank you Amy, it’s very helpful and I’m looking forward to trying a balanced sit. But when I’m sitting the part of me that hurts most is the ankles, the same pain that comes from sitting in lotus. And if I sit longer that leg goes to sleep and the pain moves up to knee. Can you suggest some way I can help that? Thank you!
Hey Ovidia! When the ankles hurt, it is either because there is not enough padding under the feet (so it feels bony and hard), or the outer ankles are overstretching from the feet being “sickled”. So either add more padding, or you have to work the foot and toes so that the ankle is more neutral. Working the foot should help the tingling and pain in the leg as well. (and of course all the other suggestions in the video will help too.
so funny… I was just teaching this today in teacher training… yay for being on the same wavelength! <3
That is awesome, girl.
Thank you so much, Amy!! It is just like having you right beside us teaching us all the great tips. Through this video, I am now more aware of what to highlight and guide in preperation for a meditation and how to help my peers and students to sit in a more comfortable position. Very, very useful andso simple that everyone can easily grasp the juice.
Thank you Henna!!! Miss you. xoxoxox
Amy, as always wonderful and inspiring!!!
Loved the tip. My right leg always goes numb after about 20 minutes. Maybe this will help. Just returned from Sacred Pilgrimage on Maui with Ram Dass and experienced Anusara for the first time. I love it. Thank you.
Beautiful job, Amy! Very clear and delivered with your usual Light and grace. I’ll be sharing this with my beginning yoga students, starting a new series tomorrow. And thanks for the tip on the Prapatti cushion – I’ve been looking for something ideal! Blessings and Love to you.
Yay, Amrito, so happy to hear from you as always…
Thanks so much for the info and demonstrations Amy! VERY helpful!
Thank you Amy! I love that you brought in the elements to support the alignment to sustain the practice!!! So effective and succinct!! You rock!
Thank you all for the wonderful comments – I am so glad this was helpful. Many of your comments have inspired me to make a SEQUEL video on this topic – so stay tuned! Thanks also for all the tweeting and liking! So many people have been meditating more now and for longer! Let’s keep it up.
Thank you again.
WOW!! Great video Amy!!! All very good points! For all of you looking to invest in your practice feel free to contact me at prapattiprops@yahoo.com and visit http://www.prapattiprops.com. I am happy to help you with a proper fitting.
Simply a beautiful offering by Amy! It’s so important to sit properly to allow the best possible energy flow during meditation. Cheers to elevating the level of global consciousness!
Metta!!!
BTW…Prapatti will be at the Hanuman Festival June 17th thru 19th, stop by the booth for a custom fitting and helpful tips!
Amy, Thanks for this great video. I too appreciate your presentation of the five elements in sitting. I am sharing the video with my current RYT200 teacher training class as well as posting it on the Yoga Birds FB page. Hope to be able to study in person with you one day. Until then, LOVING the internet connection. PEACE!!
[...] She has a blog post, entitled, “If You’re In Pain After Only 5 or 10 Minutes of Meditation, You’re Probably Making These Common … [...]
hola Amy, no consigo flexibilizar mis caderas y a la hora se sentarme a meditar mis rodillas quedan tan arriba que no consigo tener una postura comoda y no logro concentrarme, que puedo hacer? un saludo desde España.
Gracias