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 Asanas - Postures and Physical Culture
 Sitting asana issue
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Sol Invictus

91 Posts

Posted - Jun 24 2014 :  12:40:24 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Message
Hi everyone!

These days i am spending about 1 hour and 15 min. per sitting,doing Sadhana in Sukhasana.
Now,my hips are very inflexible and while it is true that now i can sit cross-legged longer than ever before,there are still some issues.
I have to use pillow in order to raise my butt,then i can find a position where everything locks in and i do feel relaxed and comfortable enough to do Sadhana without distraction.
But after like 45 min,legs and muscles in hip zone are getting painful,which is distracting.
So i am wondering,is that discomfort something which goes away in time?
Is there any exercise i could do which would help with that issue?
Thanx,cheers!

Ayiram

88 Posts

Posted - Jun 24 2014 :  03:11:14 AM  Show Profile  Visit Ayiram's Homepage  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply
Hi Sol,

it seems you should consider self pacing regarding sukhasana. the moment you feel your hips cannot be relaxed in that pose anymore (it can be a subtle thing), you should change your position and continue by using a chair.

I used to sit about an hour in sidhasana during my meditation practice as well, thinking I can do that since I have open hips, but I was wrong and that caused me lower back injuries.

Like Yogani says: practice wisely!
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Mykal K

Germany
266 Posts

Posted - Jun 24 2014 :  03:15:56 AM  Show Profile  Visit Mykal K's Homepage  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply
Hi Sol,
try looking at this lesson: http://www.aypsite.org/33.html, we use this approach to go into siddhasana.
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Will Power

Spain
415 Posts

Posted - Jun 24 2014 :  4:05:15 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply
Hi Sol,

the forward bendings performed from a sitting posture as taught by P. Hariharananda helps to open the hips (also in some books). Maha Mudra also helps. Perhaps you may want to do the yoga butterfly before your sessions, which helps a lot.

In my experience with time it will be easier to be for longer periods of time sitting without distraction. For me it used to depend a lot in the exercise that you are performing.
If I practiced Spinal Breathing Pranayama it was much easier to be undisturbed than with other practices, but eventually you get used to it, pushing a bit.

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Sol Invictus

91 Posts

Posted - Jun 25 2014 :  9:55:52 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply
Hey guys,

thank you all for input!

Well,i descended from chair to floor month or so ago.Just feels silly doing Sadhana like that.Like trying to swim in bathtub
Actually,butterfly crossed my mind as a way to stretch a bit before i start practicing but it turned out that it got even worse as result of it.Guess those muscles got worn out.So i might do it well before sitting to give muscles some time for recuperation.
Yup,but here the thing with Pranayam is that i do it when muscles are still "fresh",and by the time i get to Navi Kriya it gets bit uncomfortable.
I was also thinking that with time body would adjust and be able to comfortably stay in asana for prolonged period of time.
Other thing is,when it becomes uncomfortable,with 5 min of stretching and relaxing the legs i'm good to go for another round.So that is another solution,i guess.

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Will Power

Spain
415 Posts

Posted - Jun 27 2014 :  1:53:45 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply
You can try Navi K. before Pranayam and see how it goes. Many practice this way, Navi K. is performed before Pranayam to dissolve the knot of the third chakra and then prana is moved along the spine with Pranayam.

You can also try to sit on top of a small table or armless chair in Sukhasana at the beginning of the routine and then lower your legs when there is discomfort.

Use as many cushions as you need


Edited by - Will Power on Jun 27 2014 3:43:30 PM
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tonightsthenight

846 Posts

Posted - Jun 27 2014 :  3:33:13 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply
Sol, I'm a firm believer that meditation should be comfortable. Its not fair (or healthy) for the body if you have a rounded low back or upper back pain while sitting. While it is true that overcoming discomfort is part of sadhana, I would advise you to sit in such a way that is comfortable (proper lumbar curve, no rounded shoulders). Tight hips are normal, but you could endeavor to improve the situation through asana, other mindful stretching, as well as massage therapy and\or acupuncture.
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Dogboy

USA
2193 Posts

Posted - Jun 27 2014 :  4:15:05 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply
I've adopted a very comfortable meditation position from the get-go: astride a large bolster (as if on horseback) with a small bean bag at the perineum. This allows a very comfortable upright position, no stress on the knees, and the ability to raise my arms in a stretch without compromising my back. When resting after samyama, I lay astride the bolster (remove the bean bag!) and open my chest while my perineum does it's blissful love dance filling my being with joy
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Sol Invictus

91 Posts

Posted - Jun 27 2014 :  7:01:12 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply
Thank you all for input!
All the best
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Sol Invictus

91 Posts

Posted - Jul 02 2014 :  7:17:57 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply
Just have read this article about anatomy of comfortable,relaxed sitting and found it useful.Maybe someone else will find it useful to.Here is the link http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/144
Best!
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Sol Invictus

91 Posts

Posted - Jul 25 2014 :  10:57:21 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply
Hey guys..wanna follow up on this as most of my issues are gone.So i thought if anyone else is having same troubles,this might be helpful..
I was pretty convinced that bad posture is causing such pain and there was also muscles pain in the back.
Managed to find kapok filled meditation cushion here in Kuala Lumpur.Using that cushion for few weeks now has helped a lot to improve posture and all issues i had before are gone.That is also helping me to relax even more and focus on sadhana instead on uncomfortable asana.
Thou kapok filling is ok,it does fold in and i will be grabbing buckwheat filled cushion when i get back to Europe as it seems to fold in less than kapok,meaning even better support.
Now,only thing that gets bit painful after hour or so of sitting is my skinny butt so it would be convenient to stuff it with some fat
Best!

Edited by - Sol Invictus on Jul 26 2014 02:27:57 AM
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