Sitting flat on the floor

[Amelia]

Re: Sitting flat on the floor

I sat for about forty-five minutes, and it was a struggle. My back is simply not used to the angle. It wasn't until the very end of the sit that I started to get a bit more relaxed and confident. It will get better.

[Ryumon]

Re: Sitting flat on the floor

I've always had kapok-filled zafus, but I've seen some filled with buckwheat. Does anyone have any thoughts on the latter, why it would be more or less comfortable?

I find kapok too soft. I would need a huge kapok filled zafu to make me comfortable (for height). My buckwheat cushion feels more firm, while still adjusting to my body. I use it upright standing on its edge.

I think you are supposed to change the filling every couple of years, but have not done so yet. I got it in 2004.

But what I don't get is how the buckwheat stays in such a way as to maintain thickness. My buckwheat pillow is like water inside a big, in a way (just with bigger bits than H20 molecules).

[Amelia]

Re: Sitting flat on the floor

I think half of the problem has been that I have tried to practice in shorts these past couple of days-- because of the heat. When I sat with long pants on today, it was much more comfortable. Most of my discomfort in the raised position comes from my ankles pulling down at the skin on my thighs.

[murasaki]

Re: Sitting flat on the floor

I sit on a thick, folded blanket because my legs fall asleep much more (and faster) when I am too high up. I know we are supposed to not mind the pins and needles, but it seems to get very bad for me, almost painful. I suspect I don't have good circulation in my body. I find that some elevation is good, so I am glad to see that that is confirmed here.

[Amelia]

Re: Sitting flat on the floor

I seem to be treating this thread as a kind of meditation diary for this week, but I really have been studying my sitting.

Today I realized that I keep having this problem of my eyes feeling really heavy like I could nod off to sleep. The only thing that seems to help is to raise my gaze higher. Closing my eyes feels like it helps, but then my body will sometimes feel like it is jerking out of sleep, even if I don't feel like I am falling asleep. I guess I could cut off my eyelids...

I think my gaze needs to be high for me not to get sleepy. My legs are feeling much more comfortable, and my back is getting used to resisting the arch. I still can't settle like I used to for some reason, so I am painfully aware of everything going on for the whole sit, but I stick with it, because I know it will probably stop in a few days.

[Dosho]

Re: Sitting flat on the floor

I sat for about forty-five minutes, and it was a struggle. My back is simply not used to the angle. It wasn't until the very end of the sit that I started to get a bit more relaxed and confident. It will get better.

How long do you typically sit for? I don't usually go longer than 30-35 minutes, usually breaking it into two segments with either a 5 or 10 minute kinhin inbetween if I have an hour.

Gassho,
Dosho

[Amelia]

Re: Sitting flat on the floor

My sits vary between about 10-sometimes even an hour with small interruptions. I just don't usually do it every day. I'm trying to do it every day now.