Classic postures for meditation all involve a stable three-point base, but it is important to recognize that posture per se is not a "show stopper" for Zen meditation. Do not force yourself into a posture that may harm your body.
The classic sitting posture is the "full lotus" in which one sits on the floor with each foot placed on the opposite thigh. You can try this if you are extremely limber or adept in hatha yoga. You will find the sitting postures almost hopeless without sitting on a cushion or folded blanket to get your buttocks above the floor. In any sitting posture, you should be sitting on no more than the front half of the cushion.
As noted earlier, there are specific cushions designed for meditation. The Japanese use circular cushions they call zafus. The Tibetans use square cushions. However, any cushion or a folded blanket will work. Just find a comfortable seat.
The "half lotus," in which one foot (either one) is on the opposite thigh and the other foot is resting on the floor, is both less symmetric and less stable than the full lotus. However, most of us find it easier to sit on the front of a cushion with our legs crossed and our knees resting on the floor in front of us.
Kneeling is a stable posture that many people find useful as an exclusive position or as a change from the sitting position. A common approach is to set the meditation cushion perpendicular to the floor and under the buttocks with the feet pressing against the cushion from both sides. If your thighs are limber, you can set the cushion parallel to the floor for greater stability. Kneeling benches slope from back to front and are placed over the legs and under the buttocks.
You can also sit on the front part of a chair without using its back, stand, or lie flat on the back. Persons with physical disabilities should find a position that is as comfortable and as stable as possible and use it.
The spine should be held by gravity in a gentle s-curve above the three-point base. One approach to positioning the spine is to thrust forward from the diaphragm while pulling the head back and tucking the chin so the eyes are slightly downcast and the nose is in line with the navel. In this position, the spine is given a gentle stretch and the chest is kept open.
The arms and shoulders should be kept as relaxed as possible. Flap the arms about and let them fall into the lap with palms up one on top of the other. The ends of the thumbs are touched together making an ellipse. The arms should be positioned so that the shoulders are completely relaxed with the shoulders neither held up nor bent forward. Each of us has a different arm length, and this effects where we position our hands to keep our shoulders tension-free.
Touch the lips together without pressure, and touch the tongue lightly to the roof of the mouth.
The eyes are kept relaxed, unfocused, and preferably open. Open and close the eyelids several times, and then let them fall where they may. Usually this is slightly open. Then let the focus of eyes relax until they see no identifiable object. When the eyes are soft or unfocused, if possible, gently open the eyes without creating tension and keep them unfocused.
For a few moments experience the body and its sensations directly just as they are without describing what is happening, commenting on it, or making any judgments.
