Lecture 04: "Mindfulness in the Four Postures"

This is only the English version. No translation is permitted inside this document.
So far, we have covered all of the Four Noble Truths except the last two factors of the
Eightfold Noble Path – the Right Mindfulness and the Right Concentration. In this and the
remaining twenty-one lectures, we will talk about them. When the Buddha taught
meditation practice, He followed a gradual succession of instructions. Let's take a brief
look.#
From the 1Majjhima Nikāya's Gaṇakamoggallāna Sutta we learn about the gradual
training which the Buddha would apply when someone approached Him to be ordained as
a monk. 2First, the Buddha led the new monk to regulate his speech and activities so as to
support the harmony in the monastic community and for his mind, to calmly observe the
present moment. We spoke briefly about morality in the 3second lecture. Ethical behavior
with regard to thought, speech, and action is the major requirement for a peaceful life.
Human beings find themselves in particular contextual situations, and various sets of
precepts were suggested by the Buddha to fit the unique possibilities and aspirations of the
particular meditators. The basic set consists of five precepts – 4refraining from killing,
stealing, adultery, lying, drinking alcohol and taking drugs. Four days of every month were
suggested for an increased effort in self-restraint. That time would be spent training in the
eight precepts; distinguished from the five by 5refraining from sexual intercourse, not
eating after noon, avoiding musical and theatrical entertainment, shying away from self-

1 Majjhima Nikāya 107. Gaṇakamoggallāna Sutta

2 Now a list will appear next to me on a nice background. It will list the points of the gradual training, point by point. Finally it
will look like this:
The Progressive Training

1. Moderation in speech and activities (by training in a code of conduct)

2. Restraint in senses.
3. Moderation in eating and sleeping.
4. Mindfulness in the bodily postures and daily activities.
5. Concentrating mind on a single meditation object.
6. Observing the mind itself.
3 Whenever I point to an explanation given in a past lecture the lecture number, name of the lecture, and the exact time
(starting time and ending time) should appear at the top right corner of the screen.
4 List the five precepts one by one as I say them:
1. Refraining from Killing
2. Refraining from Taking What is Not Given
3. Refraining from Adultery
4. Refraining from Telling Lies
5. Refraining from Drinking Alcohol and Taking Drugs
5 The Eight Precepts will appear right next to the five precepts (for comparison):
1. Refraining from Killing
2. Refraining from Taking What is Not Given
3. Refraining from Sexual Intercourse
4. Refraining from Telling Lies
5. Refraining from Drinking Alcohol and Taking Drugs
6. Eating only from Dawn until Midday
7. Avoiding Musical and Theatrical Entertainment, Avoiding Self-Beautification
8. Avoiding High and Large Beds and Chairs
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beautification and satisfaction with low and simple beds and chairs. These eight precepts
are most useful for a non-ordained person who is attending a meditation retreat because
they support peace of mind and teach non-attachment through humble and modest
lifestyle.*
Monks, however, are supposed 6to carry the teachings of the Buddha, be the
inspiration for the society which supports them and dedicate their own lives to the ultimate
purity of mind. Because of the responsibility that the monks carry, there have been
declared 227 rules in brief and over ninety billion rules in detail. 7When a gentleman
becomes a monk, he is supposed to train himself in all those rules, with the guidance of his
teachers and peers. The rules support the monks not only to lead a harmonious and
peaceful life both in monastic society and in the presence of non-ordained people, but,
perhaps more importantly, the rules have a great impact on each monk's mindfulness – the
presence of the mind in the here and now. These give detailed instructions about the things
monks can do or say, how and what they eat and drink, how they dress, where and how
they find accommodation, how, when, and with whom they interact, and so on.#
To follow the training more easily, the Buddha further 8encourages the new monk to
be restrained in his senses. 9When a monk sees something, whether nice or ugly, he is
advised not to attach to it. By casting the eyes down, avoiding looking here and there, the
monk can observe his mind and body with little disturbance. The wisdom and mental
abilities which he gains by such restraint will be useful whenever he is confronted by the
troubles of the world. Not only eyes, but also ears, nose, tongue, body, and thoughts are to
be restrained for the benefit of purifying the mind and gaining wisdom.*
The practice of restraint also supports the monk in following these countless rules. In
fact, without the practice of restraint, it would be inconceivable to follow the strict
regulations of a monastic life. Furthermore, restraint protects the monk from exhausting his
energy by unnecessary attention or stress. When the monk is restrained both by the
precepts and in the senses, 10the Buddha encourages him to train in moderation of eating
and sleeping.#

6 A simple bulletted list of three points (in large font) will cover the screen on a nice background:
Monks
- carry the Teachings of the Buddha
- are the inspiration for the society
- dedicate their lives to the ultimate purity of mind
7 A slideshow of two paintings will cover the screen: (1) a triple picture of (a) a monk walking on alms-round with robes covering
both his sholders, head down, bare-footed, not looking anywhere (village houses in the background), (b) a monk rejecting
money (by covering his bowl by hand) when offered by a lay person in the village, (c) a monk rejecting a bottle of beer ("beer" is
written on the bottle) where offered by a joyful man. (2) Just after I say "perhaps more importantly" a picture of a monk
meditating under a tree will cover whole screen.
8 The second point of "the gradual training" will appear in the list.
9 A double painting will cover the screen – left half: a row of ca. 10 monks walking on alms-round with sight cast down, right
half: 5-10 monks invited for a meal in a house are sitting in a row with a bowl in their hands and contemplating.
10 The third point of "the gradual training" will appear in the list.
2
 In fact, if you keep yourself restrained and continuously mindful, your energy
expenditure will be minimal and eating and sleeping needs will decrease. There is no
intention to force the meditators against their natural needs. What is much safer and
commendable is creating the natural conditions where the body itself requires only a
minimum: through appropriate restraint and continuous mindfulness.*
Although the Buddha is reported only as teaching this training to monks, it has been
traditionally accepted that meditators on meditation retreats can also make use of those
suggestions. Non-ordained people, of course, cannot follow many of the monastic rules,
such as those related to the kind of robes they wear or how they deal with issues in the
monastic community. However, 11non-ordained people can follow the eight precepts and
restrain their senses. Although the eight precepts are not as efficiently supporting
continuous mindfulness as the monastic ninety billion, it is still possible for a conscientious
person to develop presence of the mind and reach the level where his/her need for food
and sleep considerably decreases.#
The decrease in food and sleep supports the meditator in decreasing their subtle
greed and aversion, and with the extended free time, also increases the opportunity for
continuity in meditation practice.
After instructing 12the training in the code of discipline, restraint in the senses, and a
decrease in food and sleeping, the Buddha begins to instruct mindfulness in the body. The
Buddha first instructs mindfulness in the bodily postures and daily activities. Then the
Buddha would explain methods of concentrating mind on a single meditation object, later
finishing with instruction on how to be mindful of the mind itself.*
This, of course, would be the process in brief. Advancement on the way toward
purity of mind is much more complicated. In this course, we will talk about all the forty
objects of 13concentration, known as the samatha practices, and the twenty-two
techniques of 14observing the body and the mind, known as the insight meditation or
vipassanā practice. I have prioritized the contiguity of the course and progressive scale in
learning the different methods over the order of the practices in which they are listed in the
Buddhist scriptures.#

11 Here a video of meditating lay people (in yogi suite, in a meditation hall) will cover the screen. They may be sitting, or
standing, or both. (Be careful that none of them sleeps, talks, or uses their phone.)
12 The points in the list "the gradual training" next to the video of me will light up one after another as I mention them. The
points 4-6 will appear as I mention them (they will remain hidden until I mention them). And as they appear they will light up,
and right after I have finished pronouncing each, they will take up the color and form of the other (not lit-up) points.
1. Moderation in speech and activities (by training in a code of conduct)
2. Restraint in senses.
3. Moderation in eating and sleeping.
4. Mindfulness in the bodily postures and daily activities.
5. Concentrating mind on a single meditation object.
6. Observing the mind itself.
13 concentration (samatha practice)"
14 observing the body and the mind / insight meditation (vipassanā practice)
3
 Although "mindfulness in the four postures" is not the first of the vipassanā
practices in the famous 15Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, the Buddha in the Ganakamoggallāna Sutta
speaks of this practice first of all when it comes to instructing His disciples on how to
meditate.
The four postures are standing, walking, sitting, and lying down. Although there are
many other postures you may assume in different circumstances, these four have been
suggested for meditation. Any other postures should be understood as temporary, and
therefore not suitable for longer periods of meditation.*
The practice of observing the four postures leads to the understanding of
impermanence in the body. The characteristics of the four postures are understood in the
framework of one's own body. Observing the mind during the four postures is an entirely
different practice which we will talk about in Lectures 19 and 20. When the Buddha spoke
about mindfulness of the postures, He concluded that, while doing that practice, the
meditator "observes body in the body." In fact, the understanding of bodily characteristics
is essential for understanding the nature of ourselves – because the body is the mind's
physical correlate, and attachment to it is the cause of a lot of mental suffering. The Buddha
also mentions that we are mindful not only our own body, but also consider the fact that
"outside," in other people's bodies, the nature is the same.#
In each of the postures, the meditator observes how that posture affects the bodily
characteristics. Extended periods of standing, walking, sitting, or lying commonly cause skin
or even muscle deformities. 16You can be aware of this fact and change posture to avoid
such problems. As you do that you realize the need to change bodily postures and thus the
lack of contentment in them. The body is not safe in any posture. Whatever posture the
body assumes, maintaining it over longer periods of time is eventually no longer conducive
to well-being. 17The decisions to change from sitting to standing, to sit down from standing,
to lie down from sitting and so on are all made because the previous posture was no longer
comfortable, either because of the body or because that posture did not fulfill the
expectations which just arose in the mind. The meditators gradually understand the
impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and the powerlessness about their own body.*
Although the Buddha suggested all of the four postures for certain meditation
techniques such as the Loving-Kindness meditation, the Buddhist scriptures give details only
on the postures of sitting and walking, perhaps because standing is not comfortable for
extended periods and lying down may bring about sleepiness. Sitting and walking can be
assumed for longer periods and thus provide the mind with a certain amount of peace from
which to observe the body and the mind itself on subtle levels.#

15 Dīgha Nikāya – Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta & Majjhima Nikāya – Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta

16 A video of a male meditator changing from one sitting posture (primary) into another (secondary).
17 A triple video of a lady meditator changing from sitting to standing (left), sitting down from standing (center) and lying down
from sitting (right) gradually covers the screen part by part as I mention the different changes in posture. The three videos
repeat themselves again and again from the moment they appear and when they stay, until I say "in the mind."
4
 Whatever posture you assume, it should be both healthy and comfortable. Although
this may seem obvious, enthusiastic meditators commonly disregard it. 18Health is
important in the long run, because it preserves the freedom to meditate in any meditation
posture in most circumstances. Comfort is then the satisfaction with a single meditation
posture for a certain amount of time. Although some meditators have attained deep
wisdom thanks to naturally arisen physical pain, there is no support for that as a practice in
the Buddhist scriptures. Rather, the Buddha is reported to mention ease and happiness,
two of the "Seven Factors of Enlightenment," as essential in the process of observing
reality.*
From the myriad ways to sit, I encourage you to choose only one for your meditation. With
only one posture for meditation, the mind will learn that this is the moment to calm down.
The act of assuming that posture will gradually become the signal for the mind that from
then on it will not be disturbed. This is a widely known psychological process, known as
"classical conditioning," first discovered by 19Ivan Pavlov at the turn of 20th century. You
can make use of this natural process for smoother returns to meditative states which you
had achieved before. 20Select a single meditation posture which you will use exclusively
for meditation. 21In other words, do not choose the tailor style or another common way of
sitting, if you want to sit that way outside your meditation time. After some time, your mind
will learn that whenever you assume the meditation posture it will have time and space for
purification, observing reality, and developing wisdom. The deeper states of consciousness,
such as alpha, theta, or even delta will quickly be attained with ease.
You can make use of this knowledge even further by adding a mental note, recited at
the beginning of your practice, for example "from now on I will be observing the body
without any movement for sixty minutes." At the end of the sitting you can add one more:
"Although I have now finished my sitting practice, I will stay continuously mindful and
shine with loving-kindness." These sentences will mark the beginning and end of your
meditative state, and increase the ease with which your mind enters it.#
Now, let me suggest to you eight ways to meditate while sitting on the floor.

18 Note-taking animation of a paper and pen will cover the screen. The pen will gradually write "notes." Already when the
paper appear, it will contain the heading:
Healthy and Comfortable Posture
Then the pen will write these two notes under the heading:
Health = preserves the freedom to meditate in any meditation posture
Comfort = satisfaction with a single meditation posture for a certain amount of time
19 The picture of Ivan Pavlov will appear in a picture, on a background covering all of the screen. The life period will be written
under the picture (1849-1936).
20 This text will appear typed next to me, without any additional background. Large, white font will be used. The word
"exclusively" will be in italics.
21 A pencil drawing of a young man sitting in simple cross-legged posture (tailor style) will appear in the right upper corner and
above will be the text "not for meditation" in bold, black font (no capital letters). Below will be a caption saying "Tailor Style".
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 When the Buddha spoke about the sitting posture, He mentioned crossed legs. The
way to cross your legs is clear from 22the story of Soṇa Koḷivisa, who was advised to sit
cross-legged, so that the king could see the hair as it grows from the soles of his feet. The
only cross-legged sitting, where our soles are visible, is the full-lotus posture. 23In it the
meditators keep one of their feet on the thigh of the opposite leg close to their torso, and
likewise place the other foot on the thigh of the first leg. The lotus posture is famously
known, but not so famously followed. If you decide to train in this posture keep in mind
your physical health and avoid extremes. There has been a case of a monk who didn't
accept the reality of his body and forced himself to sit three hours in the full-lotus posture
despite the bodily signals to change. Thereafter he was transported to a hospital and due to
the muscle deformation he could not sit in that posture again.*
Although attachment to one's body is not recommended, care and wisdom in
maintaining the body is repeatedly suggested by the Buddha even to His most enthusiastic
students. 24To make their cross-legged posture comfortable the Buddha Himself, as well as
His disciples, collected grasses from the forest and sat on them. Today you might not have
the opportunity to make your seat from grass. However, in most cases you can use a
meditation cushion. Meditation cushions are commonly available in meditation centers. At
home, if you are not ready to buy one in a shop, 25it's easy to make your own from a pillow.
If you make your own cushion, be careful about the attachment. It may happen that your
cushion becomes unusable or gets lost, and with that you stop meditating. If you can satisfy
yourself with some of the easier ways of sitting (which I will explain a little later) and avoid
the necessity of a cushion, you may experience the bliss of freedom to meditate any time,
wherever you are.#
For those who are not in the condition to sit or train sitting in the full-lotus posture
there are many alternatives. Meditation practice is not conditioned by the way you sit, but
by the way you observe the body and the mind. Therefore, do not worry if you cannot
take the full-lotus posture, it is perfectly fine even to sit on a chair.
26
There is a milder form of the full-lotus, in which both of the feet are positioned
between the thighs and calves. Alternatively, 27you can try the half-lotus posture. You can
keep one of your feet on the opposite thigh close to your torso, keeping the other foot
under the thigh of the first leg. If this works for you, please remember that after some time
your back might be shaking back and forth. This is temporary, do not worry. After some
time the muscles in the back will be trained so that the hips can tilt forward a little bit and
remain there. Once this is possible, the tendency to shake or getting tight in the belly

22 A painting of a young man sitting in the lotus posture (with hair clearly visible as growing from the soles of the feet) right in
front of the king. The king and the royal court look amazed at Soṇa Kolivisa in the palace.
23 The underlined text indicates an inserted video or a photo. The full-lotus posture will be performed (preferably) by a
volunteer, starting from a kneeling position (either on the meditation mat – if there is no pillow used, or next to the pillow).
There will be a "painted" number "1" (in circle) at the right upper corner of the video. During the time when I read the
underlined text, the video will replace the video with me. At the bottom of the video a link will appear which will redirect to
more info – For more help with full lotus posture see https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/seated-in-the-self .
6
muscles from holding the posture disappears. 28I have been meditating in this posture for
over ten years. If you use a meditation cushion, then this posture will be even more
comfortable. I, however, do not use any cushion and that works for me too.
29
Many meditators practice in a milder form of the half-lotus posture, also known as
the "quarter lotus" where they keep their foot only between their thigh and calf, not on the
thigh. This posture is also good without a cushion.*
30
A rarely known alternative to lotus postures is the so called "lotus-bud posture."
This posture is perhaps inspired by the cow-face pose from āsana-yoga. Bring one of your
ankles to the buttock of the opposite leg, over the leg. Then bring the ankle of the leg below
to the buttock of the first leg and adjust the knees to be above one another.
Another similar posture to the cross-legged style is the so-called 31"Burmese
posture," characteristic by keeping both legs on the ground, one calf in front of the other.
The aim is to keep both knees on the ground. Burmese people commonly meditate in this
posture without any cushion. However, many also meditate with a cushion under their
bum. You can also keep a cushion under the high knee.
The kite posture is one of the rare meditation postures. 32In it, one of your legs is
bent in the knee, and the calf is placed horizontally [harizantali] in front of you. The other
leg is bent in the knee and placed by your side, keeping its knee close to the foot of the first
leg. To keep your back straight you will need to keep a pillow under the buttock of the leg
which is kept in front of you.

24 A picture of the Buddha meditating under a tree, and three or more monks each under a different tree beside and behind
the Buddha. All of them are depicted with a heap of grass under their bum. From the bottom these three lines of reference will
pop-up, they may be in a small font-size -
Majjhima Nikāya - 140. Dhātuvibhaṅgasuttaṃ
Pācittiya Pāḷi - 5. Dutiyasenāsanasikkhāpadaṃ
Vinaya Piṭaka - Mahāvagga Pāḷi - 12. Uruvelapāṭihāriyakathā
25 A picture of a sleeping pillow on a meditation mat.
26 A video of a volunteer will show how to assume and stay in the mild full-lotus posture, starting from kneeling position. There
will be a "painted" number "2" (in circle) at the right upper corner of the video. A strip of colored background with this text will
slide in from the bottom left: "Known as "Swastikasana" (Auspicious Pose) in yoga."
27 A video of a volunteer will show how to assume and stay in the half-lotus posture, starting from kneeling position. There will
be a "painted" number "3" (in circle) at the right upper corner of the video.
28 Two photos of me meditating will cover the screen. First, from front, and then (when I say "I, however…") from profile.
29 A video of a volunteer will show how to assume and stay in the mild half-lotus posture, starting from kneeling position.
There will be a "painted" number "4" (in circle) at the right upper corner of the video. A strip of colored background with this
text will slide in from the bottom left: "Known as "Siddhasana" (Adept Pose) in yoga."
30 A video of a volunteer will show how to assume and stay in the lotus-bud posture, starting from kneeling position. There will
be a "painted" number "5" (in circle) at the right upper corner of the video.
31 A video of a volunteer will show how to assume and stay in the Burmese posture, starting from kneeling position. When it is
all shown, there will be two photos shown, each covering a half of the screen – (1) a photo of a volunteer sitting in Burmese
posture but on a cushion, and (2) another photo sitting without a cushion under his/her bum but with a cushion under the high
knee. There will be a "painted" number "6a" (in circle) at the right upper corner of the video and then 6b and 6c each of the
photos.
32 A video of a volunteer will show how to assume and stay in the kite posture, starting from kneeling position. There will be a
"painted" number "7" (in circle) at the right upper corner of the video.
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 Some Westerners also meditate in other comfortable postures, and you may like to
choose from them if none of those mentioned is suitable for you. In one method, called
"seiza," [sēza] 33you will sit on a bigger cushion or a pile of pillows, keeping each leg beside
you, touching the ground by your shins. You may like to keep a soft towel under your feet
to prevent pain in those areas. There is another form of seiza [sēza] - 34sitting on a stool. It is
more preferable than sitting on pillows, because when you change your place, it is easier to
carry a stool than a pile of pillows. These stools are commonly available in meditation
centers, or you may like to make your own. It is a short plank with two little square boards
attached to the plank as legs. 35The meditators tuck their lower legs under the seat and sit
on it. Their legs are next to each other, shins touching the ground. Again you can keep a soft
towel under your feet.
36
So far, we have covered eight different ways to sit on the ground. Apart from the
lotus-bud and kite postures, the remaining six are the most common ways and acceptable
in any meditation center. You may think of any other way to sit, but before you get used to
it, ask your teacher whether it is suitable in the environment where you meditate. Some
postures, such as 37hugging the bent legs, resting the legs straight on the ground , or the
skirt posture are not suitable because they do not allow you to keep your back straight or
because they are not appreciated culturally by certain communities on the Asian continent.
Finally, you can sit on a chair. Even if you can sit in a cross-legged posture, during an
intensive meditation retreat you may find it too painful and search for a different way of
sitting. Resorting to a chair is never a loss if you know how to sit. First, keep your thighs and
calves in the ninety degrees angle and place your soles evenly on the floor. Sit up straight
and do not lean over or touch the back of the chair. If the chair is too low, take a pillow
under your bum. If it's too high, keep a pillow or a stool under your feet.#
What meditators commonly do is to change the way of their sitting when they feel
any pain. You will certainly feel pain, but stay with it for a while to see whether it is a bodily
discomfort or just mental unrest. Aversion to the pain may increase it, even if the bodily
condition remains the same. When you feel the pain is too intensive, without change, or
dangerously increasing, change the way you sit. I would like to suggest that you have one

33 A video of a volunteer will show how to assume and stay in seiza on pillows, starting from kneeling position. There will be a
"painted" number "8a" (in circle) at the right upper corner of the video.
34 A video covering whole screen which shows a meditation stool from various sides to show how it looks like (a stool. These
are commonly available in meditation centers, or you may like to make your own. It is a short plank with two little square boards
attached to the plank as legs.)
35 A video of a volunteer will show how to assume and stay in seiza on a stool, starting from kneeling position. There will be a
"painted" number "8b" (in circle) at the right upper corner of the video.
36 The screen will be covered with a photo-collage of the eight meditation postures explained so far and the names at the top
of each photo: (1) full lotus, (2) mild full-lotus, (3) half-lotus, (4) mild half-lotus, (5) the bull-face posture, (6) the Burmese
posture, (7) the kite posture, (8) seiza on a stool).
37 Two pictures will each cover a half of the screen. (1) Hugging legs bent in knee, (2) straight legs on the ground. A black-and-
white pencil-drawn picture, with a small painted red cross (X) in the upper left corner.
8
alternative posture for sitting used to relieve pain. An example would be "side sitting",
sitting on the floor with knees bent and legs folded to one side.
Your main way of sitting is the "primary posture" and the position for relief the
"secondary posture." You would assume the secondary posture only to relieve your pain.
When you are sure that all of the pain has disappeared, you return to the primary posture.
This way you train in the primary posture and avoid the confusion of endlessly searching for
a good one. The decision to meditate sitting in maximum two postures will preserve your
peace.*
When you have found the way to take care of your legs best, you can now check out
your back. 38The back should be straight. Saying that is easy, but not so easily followed. Be
always ready to adjust your back according to the need of the body, especially during the
time of your meditation practice. If it is uncomfortable, move your torso back or forth and
see if that is better. You can experiment with the chest and abdomen separately. Don't
forget the shoulders. You may need to push the shoulders down a bit, or raise them up. Try
it millimeter by millimeter and see what works for you.
You can also raise your hands up as high as you can. Then you maintain your torso in
whatever position it gained and slowly lower your hands. If raising hands helps, remember
it is only to help you find the right position for the back. After several days or weeks of
meditation, when you learn what is working for you, you may achieve the state where you
can avoid raising your hands and set your back perfectly right away. Raising hands is to be
discontinued as soon as it becomes unnecessary.#
Some yogis, when they are meditating in a sitting posture, experience their torso rocking back and
forth. If that happens to you, do not try to stop it at once. Make a wish that the angle and speed of your
rocking decreases. When it decreases, see if you can decrease the rocking further, until it subsides. If it
happens again and again, be patient and reduce it only gradually, in the way I've just explained. Some yogis
need even three to five days to get free from it.*

Where should the hands rest? It is not possible to know if traditional Buddha statues
faithfully represent the historical Buddha, however, 39for millennia those hand positions
have inspired meditators, many of whom then attained profound wisdom and purified their
minds from all defilements. Today most meditators keep their hands precisely that way -
one hand placed on the other, sometimes with the thumbs connected. At least one person
told me that in this way the accumulated energies are preserved and do not leak out. Yet
another person, making her living by working with energies, did not agree. 40She was much
more comfortable resting each of her hands on her knees. The work with energies requires
neither higher ethical training nor any development in mental concentration or wisdom,

38 A video of a yogi will show the back and demonstrate the adjustment of the upper and lower portion of his/her back. Then
will follow a video with hands slowly raised up and then down.
39 Photo of Samadhi Statue, which depits the Buddha's meditating posture – "Samadhi Statue, Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura; 4th
century CE." (more in http://amazinglanka.com/wp/anuradhapura-samadhi-statue/ )

40 A photo of crossed legs (half lotus, on a cushion) and hands resting on the knees.
9
hence it doesn't find its place in Theravāda Buddhism. Whether you keep your hands in the
lap or on the knees is your personal decision, and I encourage you to choose for yourself.#
Some meditators keep their neck straight. That is however dangerous. The cervical
disks in your neck may run into trouble, and you could 41end up in a hospital, receiving a
brace around your neck. You would not be the first person who ended up like that.
Therefore, do not keep your neck straight. Lower your head, keeping your chin close
to the neck. Do not touch the neck, just approach it with the chin.*
You can keep your eyes closed as many people do. Neither closing nor opening eyes
during meditation is suggested in the Buddhist scriptures. A number of Burmese meditation
masters, 42such as the great Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw, suggested keeping eyes opened,
because in meditation techniques such as observing the nature of the eye consciousness
your practice will be smoother. Meditating with opened eyes will also allow you to avoid
unnecessary sleepiness and unintended imagination. 43Don't keep your eyes wide open.
Keep your eyes half-open, or keep only a tiny gap between the eyelids. The eyes are cast
down to the floor, right in front of yourself. In front of yourself means in the range of ten to
fifty centimeters in front of you. If the point on the floor, which you just selected is not
comfortable, you may change the direction of your vision back and forth to find a
comfortable angle. 44Under no circumstances look to the left, right, or up. Do not look
here and there, train yourself in staying motionless. 45If you have a little clock, you may
keep them next to you and look a little to a side, to check the time of your meditation. If
you find keeping opened eyes during meditation too difficult, try to take only fifteen
minutes sessions and train in them. Or ten, or five minutes sessions. Gradually increase the
time of your meditation if you succeed in short sessions. For those who usually keep their
eyes closed during meditation, this is an excellent opportunity to learn a new skill, gain a
new experience, and enjoy meditation in a wide range of circumstances.#
Of course, you can blink as much as you like. You may also close your eyes when you
are too drowsy, to get over the drowsiness, even if that turns into sleeping. Usually,
drowsiness passes over within several minutes – if you detach from it. Let it come, let it be,
let it go. Close your eyes also when they are painful, filled with tears, or when insects
approach them. Open them again when it gets better.*
Finally, you may wonder what to do with the tongue. Is the tongue kept lying in the
lower jaw, or held up, or sticking forth, or rolled downward back? You may answer this
question yourself after some time, when you get used to meditation. As for me, I keep the

41 A pencil/b&w picture of a person with brace around his/her neck.

42 The picture with his life-period on a nice background will cover the screen.
43 A video of a volunteer yogi's eyes will show how the eyes are opened only so slightly. Then the camera will zoom out to
show that the yogi has their eyes directed toward the floor.
44 The screen will be covered with a pencil-drawn picture depicting a yogi in meditation posture looking far, to the left.
45 Then the camera will focus on the little clock which lie next to the yogi. (Note that the bold-faced text will appear at the
bottom of the screen, while the video of the volunteer is running.)
10
tongue in the position similar to pronouncing the English article "the." 46It sticks to the
upper jaw surrounded by teeth and stays supported by the teeth of the lower jaw. The lips
are closed.#
You may think: 47"Why should the meditation posture be explained in such detail?" In
meditation, the peace of the mind is very important. Confusion regarding where we should
keep the legs, hands, neck, head, eyes, or tongue can be unnecessarily disturbing to the
mind and hinder its development. Decide yourself how you would like to sit and stick to
that. Your mind will get used to it within a few days or weeks of meditation and then it will
gain the space to observe subtler aspects of reality.*
48
The walking posture is designated [de ZIG neitid] by the limits of your walking path.
Meditation while walking is commonly practiced in special locations reserved just for that.
49
Some people call it "pacing up and down" because it consists of walking several steps one
way and then the same distance back. In other words, the meditator is walking from one
end to the other. There are clearly designated start and end.
Your walking path should be neither too long nor too short, perhaps somewhere
between twelve and thirty steps. Count up the steps of your walking path, before you use it
for the first time, to get more familiar with it.
50
At each end, stop for a few seconds to check whether you have been aware of the
present moment. You can ask yourself: "Is there mindfulness?" This way you keep your
mind meditating and avoid unnecessary thinking or attachment to sensual objects. 51Keep
the back straight, lower the head, and cast the sight down right in front of you. Fold your
hands at the chest, or connect them in front or at the back. Walk at a natural speed, neither
too quickly, nor too slowly.
Yes, there are meditation centers in Myanmar where the meditators walk extremely
slow. But this is suitable only for the beginners, to shift their mind from the stress and haste
which they bring from their daily lives. Some people hold the misconception that slow
motion may help them observe more detail in their body and mind. But that is only
delusional because mindfulness is sharper through purification from defilements, not
through altering the meditator's walking habits. Moreover, changing the speed of walking
46 A simple colored drawing of lateral middle section of the oral cavity when the tongue is in such position. In the bottom of
the picture there will be a link with description –

See more on this tongue position in the video

"Tips and Exercises to Correct the Position of Tongue by Prof John Mew"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPZBVmzAO1M
47 The question will appear in a cloud at the upper right corner in the screen, together with the tip coming from the screen.
("Why should the meditation posture be explained in such detail?")
48 A drone video of a "walkpad" in Sakhangyi Tawya, taking it from above, gradually moving down to see inside (from the river
side).
49 A video of two volunteers each on one "walkpad" walking in different directions.
50 A video of one volunteer as he stops at one end of the walkpad for a few seconds and then turn back.
51 A video of two volunteers each on one "walkpad" walking in different directions.
11
during meditation is not supported by the Buddhist scriptures. There may have been some
meditators who benefited from this practice, but yet other meditators have suffered
damage to their motor [məutr] functions by the same practice. As soon as you achieve the
meditative mood, the unnatural slow motion should be abandoned.#
In meditation, we do not alter [oltr] the reality. We observe the reality in its natural
form. Therefore, avoid unnatural slow motion as soon as you settle down. Keep it slow, but
know the limits. Many Burmese teachers do not teach unnatural slow motion at all because
they want to prevent the cases where the meditator gets attached to a particular pace.
When you leave a meditation center, you may have to catch a bus, get into the toilet before
it's too late, or dodge fast on a busy road. Slow motion is not the way to live, and not worth
attaching to. So, again - during meditation retreats we aim to be aware of natural
processes, not to alter [oltr] them.*
You can practice almost any meditation practice out of the 62 described in this
course while walking. 52If your object is the walking posture itself, then you may observe
the physical characteristics of the foot movement, namely lifting the foot, carrying it
forward, lowering it down, placing it down, and establishing the foot on the ground while
the other foot is being lifted up. You can also observe moving the foot to a side when you
avoid anything on the path. Gradually penetrate into the conditional nature of walking. See,
how the process is entirely dependent on diverse conditions of body and mind. When you
get tired or energized, when your walking is slow or quick, direct or staggering, decisive or
indecisive, hard or soft, pleasant or unpleasant, the mind and movement is clearly different.
As you walk, watch the impermanence in your mind and movements and how they make
up the illusionary concept of "going."
Your practice of walking may later evolve into a more detailed observation, where
you can see the power and weakness of certain elements. There are four elements –
solidity, cohesion, movement, and temperature. 53When you lift your feet up, carry them
forward or move to a side you may see the elements of solidity and cohesion weaker,
movement and temperature stronger. When you lower your feet down, place them down
and establish them on the ground, the elements of temperature and movement are weaker

52 Note taking animation -

Phases of Step
(a) raising the foot
(b) carrying it forward
(c) lowering it down
(d) placing it down
(e) establishing it on the ground
(moving it to a side)
53 Three of these phases will appear as a clear illustration, all on one screen, and then the remaining screen on another screen;
thus each three gradually appearing one next to another as if gradually uncovered from under a sliding white paper. First (a)
lifting up, (b) carrying forward, and (c) moving sideways will cover the screen, and above will be the text of "solidity" and
"cohesion" with a down arrow sign, the text of "movement" and "temperature" with the up arrow sign. Then as a new
illustration, (d) lowering foot, (e) placing down, and (f) fixing will appear on the right half, upon which the text "movement" and
"temperature" will appear above, with the down arrow sign, and the text "solidity" and "cohesion" with the up arrow sign.
12
while solidity and cohesion are stronger. We will talk more about observing elements in
Lecture 11.#
In Myanmar, there are great monks who also meditate in the standing posture.
54
Perhaps the most famous is the Dogu Sayadaw in Mon State. 55Standing posture is worth
a try. Keep your legs straight and relaxed (not locked). If you stand easy, you'll soon find out
you need to change your "easiness" from one leg to the other. If you keep your legs
straight, as when standing at attention, you may gradually discover such a balance in your
erect body that you may find there is no effort needed. Keep both soles evenly on the
ground, bring the back erect, lower the head, and cast the sight right in front of you. 56If you
feel pain in a sole, gently lift it up and place it back.*
The last posture is lying down. The lying down meditation is not explained by the
Buddhist scriptures or even meditation masters of Myanmar. That is because lying down
marks the time for sleeping. In fact, the Buddhist scriptures suggest that enthusiastic
meditators avoid lying down completely, and sleep while sitting. However, if you believe
the posture of lying down will support your meditation practice, you are welcome to try it
out. 57Lie down in such a way, that you can stay for a long time with no movement. Rest on
your back and keep your hands folded on your belly in the way of "Lazarus sign" or 58place
them along with your body. 59Keep a pillow under your head and 60perhaps another pillow
under your knees.#
Now that you know the four postures suitable for meditation, you can embark on any
meditation practice of your choice. As you meditate, you gradually develop your sitting and
other postures to the subtlest detail, making them most comfortable. Sometimes, it may
take several years before you feel your posture is perfect. Regardless of your posture,
remember to be mindful of it, keep it healthy and comfortable.
In the next lecture, we will go deeper into the nature of physical activities and how to
observe them to attain wisdom.

54 Picture of Dogu Sayadaw together with his name, location, and year of birth will cover the screen with a nice background.
55 A video of a volunteer meditating in the standing posture.
56 A video zoomed on the volunteer's feet, where one foot gently lifts up (about an inch) and then returns to the ground.
57 Lazarus posture photo. (Remember to keep a pillow under the head and knees.)
58 The first photo will be cropped to fit the left half of the screen and on the right side there will appear the photo of another
volunteer in lying down posture – but there with hands resting along the body. (Remember to keep a pillow under the head and
feet.)
59 A small green arrow will point to the pillow under the head.
60 A small green arrow will point to the pillow under the feet.
13
 Video Meditation Course -
Meditation in Theory and Practice

Contents61
● Lecture 01: "Why Meditate?" (an introduction to the history of meditation, the
attainments of the Buddha, the nature of the mind, and the Four Noble Truths)
● Lecture 02: The Foundations of Meditation: Right Attitude and Ethics

● Lecture 03: The Drive: Right Effort and Energy Management

● Lecture 04: Mindfulness and meditation postures

● Lecture 05: Mindfulness in daily activities (Four Kinds of Clear Comprehension, eating
meditation)
● Lecture 06: The Seven Suitables and the Ten Impediments

● Lecture 07: Observing and Dealing with the Five Hindrances

● Lecture 08: Loving-Kindness Meditation

● Lecture 09: Compassion, Mutual Joy, and Equanimity

● Lecture 10: The Five Powers and Four Bases of Spiritual Power

● Lecture 11: Concentrating on and Observing Parts of the Body and its Four Elements (32
Parts of Body, 4 Elements, Ajjhatta/Bahiddhā)
● Lecture 12: Concentrating on vs. Observing the Breath

● Lecture 13: Meditation on Death

● Lecture 14: Concentrating on vs. Observing the Impermanence of the Mortal Frame

● Lecture 15: Meditation on Generosity, Virtue, Deities, and Peace

● Lecture 16: Meditation on the Qualities of the Triple Gem

● Lecture 17: Kasinas

61 Whatever is in brackets is the contents of the lecture. It is not part of the lecture name.
14
● Lecture 18: The Attainments in Concentration Practice (Five kinds of Joy, Five Factors of
Jhāna, Higher Jhānas and the related controversy, Psychic Powers, and Immaterial
States)
● Lecture 19: Observing the Sixteen Mental States

● Lecture 20: Observing the Five Aggregates

● Lecture 21: Observing the Seven Enlightenment Factors

● Lecture 22: The Progress of Insight

● Lecture 23: What is Enlightenment? (Famous Arahants)

● Lecture 24: Attending a Meditation Retreat (How to Survive in a Foreign Environment)

● Lecture 25: Meditation in the Daily Life

The 62 Meditation Practices and the Lectures Where They Are Explained

40 Samatha Meditation Objects 22 Vipassanā Meditation Techniques

1
01. Earth Kasina 17 21. Buddha 01. Observing the Breath 12
6

1
02. Water Kasina 17 22. Dhamma 02. Mindfulness in Postures 04
6

1
03. Fire Kasina 17 23. Saṅgha 03. Mindfulness in Daily Activities 05
6

1
04. Wind Kasina 17 24. Morality/Virtue 04. Observing the 32 Parts of the Body 11
5

1
05. Blue Kasina 17 25. Generosity 05. Observing the 4 Elements of the Body 11
5

06. Yellow 1 06. Contemplating a Freshly Discarded

17 26. Deities 14
Kasina 5 Corpse

1 07. Contemplating a Corpse Eaten by

07. Red Kasina 17 27. Peace 14
5 Animals

1 08. Contemplating a Skeleton with Flesh

08. White Kasina 17 28. Death 14
3 and Blood

1 09. Contemplating a Fleshless Skeleton

09. Light Kasina 17 29. Body-Parts 14
1 with Blood and Sinews

1 10. Contemplating a Skeleton Detached

10. Space Kasina 17 30. Breathing 14
2 from Flesh and Blood, with Sinews

11. The Bloated 14 31. Loving-Kindness 0 11. Contemplating Randomly Connected 14

15
 8 Scattered Bones

0
12. The Livid 14 32. Compassion 12. Contemplating Whitened Bones 14
9

0
13. The Festering 14 33. Mutual Joy 13. Contemplating Piled up Bones 14
9

0 14. Contemplating Rotted, Powdered

14. The Cut-Up 14 34. Equanimity 14
9 Bones

1
15. The Gnawed 14 35. Boundless Space 15. Observing Feelings (basic) 20
8

36. Boundless 1 16. Observing Feelings (and mental

16. The Scattered 14 20
Consciousness 8 defilements)

17. The Hacked 1

14 37. Nothingness 17. Observing the 16 Mental States 19
and Scattered 8

38. Neither Perception 1

18. The Bleeding 14 18. Observing the Five Hindrances 06
nor Non-Perception 8

19. The Worm- 39. Repulsiveness in 0

14 19. Observing the Five Aggregates 20
Infested Nutriments 5

40. Four Elements (in 1

20. The Skeleton 14 20. Observing Consciousness 20
the body) 1

21. Observing Seven Factors of

21
Enlightenment

22. Contemplating the Four Noble Truths 23

16