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This is post #2 on 4 Necessary Components of Meditation and deep-breathing Relaxation Techniques (RT’s). (Without all four just do your best.) They are:
1) A quiet environment
2) A COMFORTABLE POSITION
3) An object on which to focus
4) A passive attitude
A Comfortable Position??
This may seem ridiculously obvious – of course you want to be comfortable if you’re trying to relax. But the position you’re in and your degree of comfort make a difference. Remember: the goal is to be comfortable, but not so much that you fall asleep. Here are the basics:
Get Physically Comfortable
If you can, wear comfortable, loose clothes. Remove eye glasses, shoes, dangling jewelry, and loosen tight belts. If you’re at work, just do your best with this.
Stay Awake During Practice
As a rule, meditation and RT’s are done during the day – morning and early evening are ideal, but do whatever works for you. The intention is to stay awake and alert, though deeply relaxed. With that said: if you have trouble falling asleep, doing deep abdominal breathing, or progressive muscle relaxation in bed can help. But generally pick a time of day and physical position which are conducive to staying awake. Lying down to do RT’s when you’re chronically fatigued will probably put you to sleep. It’s much better to sit up.
When Sitting
Meditation is best done sitting. If in a chair, use a straight-backed chair and put the small of your back against the back of the chair. Sit straight without slouching, but not rigid. Keep your head up. Imagine a string attached to the top of your head pulling you up to the ceiling. Uncross your legs, put your feet flat on the floor, and let your uncrossed hands rest in your lap or at your sides. Allow your body to be open. I personally avoid recliners (too comfortable), and chairs with high backs. If you can lean your head against it, you’ll more likely nod off.
If sitting on the floor sit cross-legged with your hands at your sides or in your lap, on a pillow if needed. Meditation centers sell very firm meditation pillows on which to either sit or sort of squat on, where the pillow is under you sideways and you’re sitting on your knees a bit higher up. These work really well and help keep your back straight. (I have one of these. In the days when you could actually take luggage onto a plane for free, I took it with me when I traveled. It made for a great conversation piece with the flight attendants.)
When Lying Down
Again, use caution here – avoid falling asleep. It’s best to use a not-too-comfortable surface. Use a floor with a rug and a small pillow under your head if needed. Or use a yoga mat. Beds and cushy couches cause sleepiness.
When Standing Up
Standing up, you say? How would that be comfortable? Well, in stressful situations when you’re standing, RT’s can come in handy. Just stand straight on both feet equally, and breathe deeply. Keep your eyes open or closed depending on the circumstance. Try this when you want to strangle the slow clerk at the check-out counter. Or at the podium right before you have to give a speech. No one will even know you’re doing it.