Leaning the back on a chair

[Martinba]

Why is leaning our back on a chair is mostly considered unadvisable?

[stillpointdancer]

Why is leaning our back on a chair is mostly considered unadvisable?

It's the idea that posture is important when you meditate. I meditated for years before going to a Buddhist centre and thought I was pretty good at sitting and meditating, but their advice about posture changed my meditation experience for the better. Whether you sit on a mat or on a chair, the important thing is an upright posture. I was told to imagine a string attached to the top of my head. Gentle pressure then pulled on the string, straightening my back, but not too much as you still need the natural curve.

In a way it doesn't really matter, but the experience changes with different positions. The hands are important too, and the shapes that you use for your hands changes the experience too. Sometimes I keep mine open, sometimes closed and at other times I keep them apart, palm up or palm down or palms facing each other. It depends on the meditation I am doing at the time.