Control of the Body and Senses - How to Sit

I HAVE already spoken of relaxation and muscle balance, and their relation to the practices of concentration and meditation. These are necessary so that (I) the body may not be injured by the mental efforts and (2) the mental work may not be spoiled by bodily discomfort. Thirdly, we have to remember that bodily attitudes are associated with states of feeling, such as lying down with sleep, and kneeling with prayer. That has to be taken into consideration when you are selecting a posture, but there is no objection to your lying down to concentrate or meditate, so long as you find that it does not conduce to sleepiness.

Try to select an attitude for concentration which will be free from disturbing associations. It is generally found advantageous to sit upright with the eyes closed, the hands resting, and the head and neck straight but not stiff.

You will probably find that the body is not as obedient as you would like it to be. It is often restless and impatient or troubled by trifling sensations, even when you have removed any causes of discomfort that there may be. Do not permit this. The body must be your servant. Will you be master ? Raise yourself up, and say: “I will”. Do not wish, but say: “I will”. If the body is not bright and obedient, train it. tomorrow, and each day for one month set aside some time every day and do the following exercises.

I. Standing still.

2. Nerve exercise.

3. Relaxing.

4. Breathing exercises.

5. Stretching and bending exercises.

Do all these faithfully every day for one month. If you miss one day begin again on the next and then do the exercises for one full month without missing once. This will give you an opportunity of doing something that is at once beneficial to the body and valuable training for the will. Train your body as a fancier would train a prize dog; do not starve it or beat it, but do not indulge it harmfully. If you find that under this new regime old dirt comes to the surface, and the body becomes weak and ill — an effect due to past indulgence, not to present strain — stop the practice for a few days. Then begin all over again, and thus go on again and again until the body is sound, clean and strong. Continue until weakness and sluggishness disappear. If necessary, make a change in your diet, in the direction of the “cheerful” foods, avoiding both “heavy” and “exciting” things.