[This is a “back-post”; it is a work-in-progress, so it may change partially or completely, with materials added or taken away, over the next several days or weeks. This is “day 5(a)” of my stay at the Vipassana Meditation retreat. For general comments and summary, see “day 11.”]
One shouldn’t underestimate the sheer difficulty of simply sitting. I think to be a successful meditator, you need to think seriously and intelligently about what I have decided to term the Technology of Sitting. What position? What cushions? What other apparatus and support? Etc.
Because, let’s get right down to it: I spend a huge proportion of my time meditating thinking about nothing except the pain in my ass. Or legs. Or back. Or foot. Or wherever. About how I should have moved such and such cushion to such and such location, how that would be so much more comfortable. Maybe.
This school of meditation doesn’t place a lot of emphasis on position or posture. They do require stillness, however. Strong determination. And stillness requires a modicum of, if not comfort, at least a kind of ease with one’s position and posture.
Therefore… I think a successful introduction to vipassana meditation might best include more overt and open discussion of posture and sitting. A la yoga, or tai chi, or something, maybe. Some kind of analysis and training on the Technology of Sitting.
