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**Loxaeed** · 04-14-2006, 08:00 AM

Shinobi raises a good point. Posture does seem to make a huge difference, and I think whichever posture you use will depend on what you are trying to achieve. Or what works for you.

I meditate seated on a cushion and cushioned mat (zafu and zabuton if you're up with the lingo

) with my legs crossed in a room with the curtains drawn and lights switched off, usually with my mobile phone in the room with its countdown timer set (I usually limit myself to 15-20 minutes per session). There's next to no chance of falling asleep in that pose. It's important to keep the back straight and not have (or use) a backrest, otherwise you end up slouching into it and may as well lay down.

However, I'm not sure that this is the best posture for AP. This would probably be laying down or reclined in a comfortable chair with the head and feet/ankles supported and cushioned. My successes in AP have been while laying down, but not at bedtime - as it leads to sleep too quickly. Personally I prefer around 19:00-20:00 in the evening, as I'm not inclined to fall asleep at that time - even when I try.

My suggestion is try a range of positions, times and situations - remembering you need to use as little effort to maintain the position as possible, and enough cushioning to maintain comfort even in a "rag doll" physical state. Keep notes, too - written notes are far more reliable than jumbled memories.

04-14-2006, 08:00 AM	#4
Loxaeed Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 481 Senior Member	Shinobi raises a good point. Posture does seem to make a huge difference, and I think whichever posture you use will depend on what you are trying to achieve. Or what works for you. I meditate seated on a cushion and cushioned mat (zafu and zabuton if you're up with the lingo ) with my legs crossed in a room with the curtains drawn and lights switched off, usually with my mobile phone in the room with its countdown timer set (I usually limit myself to 15-20 minutes per session). There's next to no chance of falling asleep in that pose. It's important to keep the back straight and not have (or use) a backrest, otherwise you end up slouching into it and may as well lay down. However, I'm not sure that this is the best posture for AP. This would probably be laying down or reclined in a comfortable chair with the head and feet/ankles supported and cushioned. My successes in AP have been while laying down, but not at bedtime - as it leads to sleep too quickly. Personally I prefer around 19:00-20:00 in the evening, as I'm not inclined to fall asleep at that time - even when I try. My suggestion is try a range of positions, times and situations - remembering you need to use as little effort to maintain the position as possible, and enough cushioning to maintain comfort even in a "rag doll" physical state. Keep notes, too - written notes are far more reliable than jumbled memories.
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