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Finding Your Seat In Meditation

Finding your seat in meditation means much more than sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion, posturing a perfectly straight spine and meditating with your eyes closed.

"Finding your seat" is a practice in itself. It begins with the very process of showing up to meditation and spans all the way to experiencing deep unwavering contentment, equanimity, inner-solidness and peace. 

Let's explore this beautiful teaching of how to 'take your seat," both figuratively and literally.

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• Step 1 - Finding your way to meditation

  • Finding your seat first begins with taking your seat in meditation. Whether it's for 5 minutes a day, or for a regular 30-minute daily practice, or as often as you can throughout the week, touching your tush to the cushion is always step one. Read 'The Art of Approaching Practice' or 'Starting & Sustaining  a Meditation Practice' if you would like a little extra support and inspiration to take your seat during the week. 

• Step 2 - Finding your comfortable position and posture

  • This is where you literally find your seat in meditation. Being comfortable is my number one rule of thumb in meditation because if you are not comfortable while you meditate, you most likely won't continue to practice. For posture suggestions read more on 'Starting & Sustaining  a Meditation Practice'.

• Step 3 - Settling in your seat of practice

  • If you have ever meditated with me in person, you most likely have heard me offer guidance on "allowing your attention to settle in your seat of practice." Your seat of practice is the area of your body making contact with the cushions, couch, chair or floor beneath you. This includes your pelvic floor, your glutes, your two sitting bones, the bottom of your spine, and the sides of your legs, ankles and feet if you are cross-legged. When you place your attention on 'your seat of practice' you invite all of the mental tension you may be having to release. You also move into the realm of direct sensations through mindfulness of the body. It is when your attention settles into 'your seat of practice,' you can begin to access qualities like groundedness, centeredness, and stability. 

• Step 4 - Make your anchor & Take your seat

  • Once you have taken your seat and your attention has settled into 'your seat of practice,' you have also created an anchor for yourself in meditation. An anchor is an object that brings your attention back to the present moment when it drifts away to thoughts or distractions. When 'your seat of practice' becomes an anchor for you in meditation, it is a way to arrive back to your home within, return to the present moment, take your seat and begin again. 

• Step 5 - Take your seat at anytime

  • Just like in meditation when thoughts, emotions, sounds, or distractions take you away from being present and you "take your seat again" during life's daily moments you can also take your seat. Simply close your eyes, take a deep breathe in and out, place your attention in 'your seat of practice' and feel your center again. This is taking your "inner-seat." Find a sense of stability and groundedness no matter what is happening or where you are in the world.

May your seat of practice serve you and support you.

With Love, Amanda