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Seated posture

Any arrangement that keeps the belly uncompressed and the spine upright without effort.

Published
9 Sep 2026
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There is no required posture, and the search for one delays more practice than any other single thing. The workable criteria are three: the belly is not compressed, the spine can hold itself without muscular effort, and the position can be maintained for the length of the session.

Cross-legged on a cushion, on a chair with the feet flat, kneeling on a stool, or lying down all satisfy those criteria for some people. What does not work is a soft sofa, where the spine has to be held up by the muscles of the back for the whole session.

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↔See also

  • Dullness — The foggy, sinking state that is not sleep but is not attention either.
  • Anchor — The one thing attention is asked to return to when it wanders.
  • Body scan — Moving attention systematically through the body, region by region, at a steady pace.