Hi.
I have Parkinson's disease, as some here are aware, and it presents certain limitations. I also have a fairly serious heart condition, which affects circulation, and that makes sitting in the lotus position all but impossible for me for any length of time.
I find that I can sit in the saves a position for a while on some days, but not always.
We have a great many people here who have physical issues that make it difficult or impossible to sit in traditional positions. I would strongly urge anyone who finds themself in that situation to reach out for support and advice.
A suggestion I would make for those who find sitting in such a way to be physically or medically impossible, I can offer this suggestion.
I picked up one of those shower stools for people with physical limitations and handicaps. It's small, and round. It accommodates a zafu, or meditation cushion, perfectly. And the legs are completely adjustable. I can put it at the exact height I need it to be, and I can sit comfortably in zazan for as long as I need or want to. It hasn't got a back rest, so, I can sit in such a way as to rock my hips forward and sit with my back correctly straight.
They're inexpensive, very lightweight, easy to clean, adjustable, and highly portable.
This is just a suggestion for the folks here who, for reasons of medical or physical limitations simply cannot sit cross-legged on the floor.
I'm not a teacher and I'm not suggesting that this is the optimum way to sit in Zazen.
But it is a way that those of us who suffer from this or that can make it work. I hope it's taken in such spirit.
I would love to hear about some of the other workarounds people have come up with to deal with their medical, physical, or bodily differences.
Sat today!
-Ankai
I have Parkinson's disease, as some here are aware, and it presents certain limitations. I also have a fairly serious heart condition, which affects circulation, and that makes sitting in the lotus position all but impossible for me for any length of time.
I find that I can sit in the saves a position for a while on some days, but not always.
We have a great many people here who have physical issues that make it difficult or impossible to sit in traditional positions. I would strongly urge anyone who finds themself in that situation to reach out for support and advice.
A suggestion I would make for those who find sitting in such a way to be physically or medically impossible, I can offer this suggestion.
I picked up one of those shower stools for people with physical limitations and handicaps. It's small, and round. It accommodates a zafu, or meditation cushion, perfectly. And the legs are completely adjustable. I can put it at the exact height I need it to be, and I can sit comfortably in zazan for as long as I need or want to. It hasn't got a back rest, so, I can sit in such a way as to rock my hips forward and sit with my back correctly straight.
They're inexpensive, very lightweight, easy to clean, adjustable, and highly portable.
This is just a suggestion for the folks here who, for reasons of medical or physical limitations simply cannot sit cross-legged on the floor.
I'm not a teacher and I'm not suggesting that this is the optimum way to sit in Zazen.
But it is a way that those of us who suffer from this or that can make it work. I hope it's taken in such spirit.
I would love to hear about some of the other workarounds people have come up with to deal with their medical, physical, or bodily differences.
Sat today!
-Ankai
Sat Today
Comment