Posture as a Practice

In the beginning, I would plop down on the cushion. At best, posture was an afterthought; at worst it was something to struggle with. I want to take a moment to share what has been transformative for me and my posture; the practice of posture. For me, learning why we sit the way we do, why we have a specific posture of the body not only helped me better understand posture, but allowed me to deepen my practice of posture on an outer, inner, and secret levels.

I was taught that posture is important. Perhaps you were too? But I never knew why? I never took time to ask, why is posture important? And so when I did finally ask about the teachings on posture, I was blown away with the depth of the teachings. Essentially it was explained much like an old TV with rabbit ear antennas. The show you want to watch is right here, in the space in this very room, but without the proper position of the rabbit ears that show might never manifest. Or if it does display, it is covered in static noises and static lines making the show hard to see and understand. Likewise, our innate Buddhahood is also here in this very moment. But if we just lay around, sitting any which way, we may never allow it to come into clarity. It may be too covered in the static noise of thoughts and traces of emotionalities clouding up the self-vision. “A calm body, a calm mind” I recall my teacher saying. We sit relaxed to calm the body, the mind, and the five poisons. And we sit regally, nobally, in recognition of our own innate Buddhahood. And this is why posture is so important. 

There are many different traditions and systems of posture in Buddhism. I was fortunate to be taught a five-fold posture. The five-fold posture as I have been taught is as follows:

1. Sitting in the cross-legged position symbolizes the Contemplation of Buddha All-Pervading Vision, purifies ignorance and leads to the realization of the Wisdom of the Emptiness free from elaborations. This is associated with the space element.

2. Placing the two hands below the navel with the left one positioned above the right symbolizes the Contemplation of Buddha Insubstantial Diversity, purifies desire and attachment and ultimately leads to the realization of Discriminating Wisdom. This is associated with the fire element.

3. Straightening up the vertebrae of your spinal column symbolizes the Contemplation of Buddha Self-Arisen Clarity, purifies hatred and aversion and leads to the realization of Mirror-like Wisdom. This is associated with the earth element.

4. Hold the upper arms and shoulders high and back. Bend the neck slightly at the throat, this symbolizes the Contemplation of Buddha Virtuous Goddess of Enriching Dance, purifies pride and leads to the realization of the Wisdom of Equality. This is associated with the wind element.

5. The eyes are slightly open and looking down to the tip of the nose. Leave a space between the lips and the teeth about the size of a barley grain. Let the breath be natural and undisturbed,  this symbolizes the Contemplation of Buddha Joyfully Accomplishing Benefit, purifies jealousy and leads to the realization of All-accomplishing Wisdom. This is associated with the water element.

Furthermore, the body should not be bent forwards or backwards, nor should you move, even slightly. Leave it as it is, like an unmoving corpse. In this way:

- The Five Elements will become balanced.

- The Five Poisons will become calm in their own place.

- The Five Wisdoms will arise without effort.

- The Five Primordial Buddhas will arise in one's mind-stream.

When I sit on my cushion, I turn my mind to these five-fold postures. Establishing each physical posture, one at a time. And I turn my mind to their associated element, poison, wisdom, and Primordial Buddha. 

I check in with my body, speech, and mind which are the essence of the five elements and sit in their naturally balanced stillness, silence, and spaciousness. This is how I touch the outer aspect of the posture. 

I check in with my emotional “weather report” touching the alive vitality of emotionalities that are present within me; the essence of the five poisons. Knowing these seeds of suffering are within me, I establish my posture with the wish to calm them in their natural state sitting relaxed and at ease. This is how I touch the inner aspect of posture.

Finally, I turn my mind to the five poisons self-liberated; the five wisdoms & Primordial Buddhas. Which represent the love and understanding, the deep wisdom & compassion of all the Buddhas. This noble love and understanding is not only my aspiration, but already here within me. Knowing the seeds of Buddhahood are present with me, I establish my posture noblely sitting like a beautiful Buddha. This is how I touch the secret aspect of posture.

For me, it’s not as important to remember the details of each of the five Primordial Buddha’s names, or which poisons and wisdoms match up with each posture. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the lists and numbers. That isn’t the point. Instead, it’s more important to allow them to condense into the heart drop essence of this great gratitude of having a body, speech, and mind capable of so much, this great recognition of the suffering and emotionalities present within me, and the great wish to be free of it right here in this ever-present Buddhahood through recognizing who and what I nobly am.