Sitting pains

[Alexander]

Hello, all.

Perhaps my inquiry is specific to me, but I know that there are others here with physical disabilities that may benefit from any advice.

When I was born, I was injured on the way out which resulted in a condition called Brachial Plexus. Similar to Cerebral Palsy, my left arm has significant nerve damage and only grew to the size of a 10 year olds. On the other side of the coin, my right arm is incredibly strong, compensating for the lack of strength in the other. Throughout my life, this difference in size and weight has inevitably tilted my torso, curving my spine.

When I'm sitting, I feel my posture is straight like a stupa of rocks, but it also feels like I'm straightening out a recurve bow.

I know that periods of kinhin are often done during longer meditations. Would it be disruptive to do a short kinhin for something like a 30 minute meditation, or is it better to aim to sit through it?

Gassho,
Alexander
ST/LAH

[Jundo]

Hi Alex,

I would say that you know your body, you determine what is best. If it feels right ... as balance and comfortable as you can manage ... then that is a good way. Walk if you feel a medical need.

On the other hand, sometimes we sit with "what is" even if we do not like "what is." One just sits in radical acceptance of "just what is."

So, how about a middle way on this: Both! Sometimes doing what you feel makes you balanced and comfortable. Sometimes sitting with what is not so pleasing (assuming their are no harmful and damaging physical effects from doing so, which does not sound like your case at all), but dropping from mind all preferences?

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

PS - Do you know the Johnson book on posture? It does not exactly apply to your situation, but the philosophy will apply ...

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?6913-Book-Recommendation-THE-POSTURE-OF-MEDITATION

[Alexander]

Thank you, Jundo.
I'll be honest, sometimes it is more of a mental discomfort than a physical. I spend all day going through life in my modified way. When I sit down for zazen, I strive for perfection with an imperfect body. It is possible that the "straightening a curve" feeling is the result of my modified nature meeting my true nature.

Gassho,
Alexander
ST/LAH

[Jundo]

I'll be honest, sometimes it is more of a mental discomfort than a physical.

Ah, then the problem is mostly between your ears, not inside or outside your body.

In that case, sitting "just as what is" is a good treatment or cure. Life is full of things we dislike or resist as less than ideal, but in Zazen we stop doing so. Zazen is ideal by being Zazen alone. Thus, find the posture where you are comfortable and balanced as best you can be, and then be satisfied with that. Drop the part which is just mental judgment and resistance.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

[Alexander]

During my Zazen tonight I felt a bit of what you're talking about. I just accepted the unorthodox nature of my alignment and breathed.

I grabbed me a copy of that book on positions. I'm eager to see what I can learn from it. Hopefully continued daily stretching will supplement my progress.

Thank you, Jundo.

Gassho,
Alexander
ST/LAH

[moshezhang88]

Hi All
If i might add something here. I have found that my hips and the sciatic nerve pain (i sit a lot working) is primarily due to a tightening of the muscles in my inner thighs (the muscles that get stretched if you try to do the “splits”...... maybe some who run and stretch a lot don't have this problem, but I see a lot of guys who limp due to this type of problem..... so....
I have a suggestion for the older guys (men tend to be tighter in the inner thighs than women) practicing zazen who have hip pain and leg pain (much of it is due to the sciatic nerve and piriformis )...... I sit Seiza style
If you don't have one already, Buy a yoga ball, put a blanket or something over it so you can "slip" easily, as the plastic ball is a bit sticky..... Sit down on it like you are riding on a saddle on a horse with your legs wide open....relax as you sit down on it.... let it stretch the muscles in your inner thighs.. if you are tight, it will feel like you need to relax your upper leg/hip joint.....sit on it for as long as you can (if it doesn't stretch anything, give the yoga ball to your wife I am doing 5 minutes at this point.... (if it hurts, it will feel like forever)..... I also do 2 stretches before I sit..... a short yoga session of 8 stretches almost every day.....

I would love to hear back from anyone who has this kind of problem, or anyone who tries this yoga ball idea....

Also, here is a bunch of information on piriformis syndrome.... i think this is pretty fundamental to being able to sit zazen.....

https://www.alwaysfysio.nl/en/piriformis-syndrome-treatment/

Gassho
Shou An

sat today

[Wadavis]

Hello, I will have to try the yoga ball stretch. It doesn’t matter what I do after 20min my leg falls asleep. I have tried multiple positions to not pinch the nerve but have been unsuccessful. Thanks for the suggestion.
Gassho, sat today