To sit for meditation, pick a seat that lets your spine stay upright without strain: a cushion on the floor, a kneeling bench, or a chair. Then set the same few points every time: hips a little higher than your knees, a slight natural curve in the lower back, shoulders relaxed, chin slightly tucked, hands resting on your thighs or in your lap, and eyes either closed or resting softly on the floor a few feet ahead. The right meditation posture is the one you can hold, relaxed and alert, for the whole session. Those alignment points come from the posture instructions published by Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California, which this guide quotes throughout.
Disclosure: inner-growth.info may earn a commission from some product links in the future. This guide contains no affiliate links. Where a maker is named below, it is only because we are quoting that maker’s published specifications.
If you only want to know which cushion to buy, jump to our meditation cushion guide, which covers zafu and zabuton heights, fillings and an at-home height test. If you have never meditated before, you do not need any of this to start: our 5-minute meditation for beginners works on whatever chair you are sitting on right now. This guide is for the next step, when you want a posture that stops your body from becoming the main thing you notice.
Quick Reference: Meditation Positions Compared
| Position | What you sit on | Often suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burmese (cross-legged, both feet on the floor) | Cushion (zafu), ideally on a mat (zabuton) | Most beginners who want to sit on the floor | Knees floating in the air: raise the cushion |
| Half lotus | Cushion | People with open hips | Asymmetry: alternate which leg is on top |
| Full lotus | Cushion | Only people for whom it is easy | Knee strain: never force it |
| Seiza (kneeling) | Seiza bench, or a cushion on its edge | Less hip flexibility, trouble crossing the legs | Pressure on the feet if you sit on your heels |
| Chair | Firm, flat chair seat | Anyone, especially with knee, hip or back limits | Slumping into the backrest |
| Lying down | Floor or firm mat, on your back | People unable to sit; body scan practice | Falling asleep |
The descriptions in this table are drawn from the Insight Meditation Center posture guide, the Soto Zen school’s zazen instructions and the Monastery Store’s seiza bench pages. Each position has its own section below.
The Core Alignment Points (Whatever You Sit On)
Every tradition describes posture a little differently, but the same handful of points shows up again and again. Insight Meditation Center puts the goal simply: “The aim of the sitting posture is to balance being upright and alert with being relaxed.” It also offers the most reassuring line in any posture guide: “What is most important is what you do with your mind, not what you do with your feet or legs.”
1. A stable base
On the floor, the classic base is a triangle. Insight Meditation Center describes using a cushion to raise the buttocks “just a little, so that the knees can touch the ground,” so that “with your bottom on the cushion and two knees touching the ground, you form a stable tripod base.” The Soto Zen instructions describe the same idea: your knees and the base of your spine form a triangle, and “these three points support the weight of your body.” On a chair, the base is your sitting bones on the seat and both feet on the floor.
2. Hips a little higher than the knees
This is the detail that makes everything else easier. For chair sitting, Insight Meditation Center says “the hips should be slightly higher than the knees, this keeps you from slouching.” On the floor, the cushion does the same job by lifting your hips so your knees can drop. When the hips sit lower than the knees, the pelvis tends to roll back and the lower back rounds, which is why sitting cross-legged directly on a flat floor is hard work for many people.
3. A natural curve in the lower back
You are not trying to sit ramrod straight. Insight Meditation Center notes that “there should be a slight curve in the lower region of the back. In this position, it takes very little effort to keep the body upright.” The Empty Bowl Zendo sitting instructions put it as “push your lower back a little forward, open your chest.”
4. Head balanced, chin slightly tucked
Insight Meditation Center suggests you “imagine the top of your head being pulled upward towards the ceiling, which straightens your spine, then just let the muscles go soft and relax,” and adds that “the chin is slightly tucked in.” The Soto Zen guide adds a useful check: “Your ears should be in a line parallel to your shoulders, and your nose should be in line with your navel.”
5. Relax everything you are not using
Once you are upright, let go. The Soto Zen instructions say that after straightening your back, you should “relax your shoulders, back, and abdomen without changing your posture.” If you notice your shoulders creeping up toward your ears or your jaw clenching, that is your cue to soften, not to sit straighter.
6. Clothing that does not fight you
It sounds trivial until a waistband starts to dig in partway through a sit. Insight Meditation Center advises: “Wear loose clothing. Loosen your belt if necessary.” It also warns that fabric gathering behind the knees when you cross your legs “can inhibit circulation.”
A simple setup routine
Two of the Zen sources quoted here describe a short settling routine before you begin. Combined, it looks like this:
- Sit down and arrange your legs in a position you can maintain comfortably. Empty Bowl Zendo lists half lotus, full lotus, Burmese or seiza, and gives instructions for a chair too.
- Lengthen the spine, tuck the chin slightly, and let the shoulders drop.
- Rock gently forward and back, then side to side, letting the movement get smaller until you come to rest in the middle. The Soto Zen guide describes swaying “from left to right a few times,” and Empty Bowl Zendo says to continue “until you naturally come to a point of balance and stillness.”
- Take a few deep breaths, exhaling fully, then let the breath settle into its natural rhythm, as Empty Bowl Zendo describes.
- Settle your hands and eyes (see below) and begin your practice.
Sitting on a Meditation Cushion
Floor sitting on a cushion is the posture most people picture, and Insight Meditation Center recommends it “because it is very stable, such as the pyramid posture of the seated Buddha.” The cushion is usually a round zafu, and the same guide recommends placing it on a zabuton (a square padded mat) or blankets if you are on a hard floor. Our complete meditation cushion guide goes much deeper on choosing a zafu height, buckwheat versus kapok fill, and whether you need a zabuton at all. Here is the posture side.
Where to sit on the cushion
Sit forward on the cushion rather than settling into the back of it. Instructions vary a little by tradition: Insight Meditation Center says to “sit on the front third of the zafu (if round), which helps keep your back upright,” Empty Bowl Zendo says to sit “on the forward third of your cushion or chair,” while the Soto Zen school places “the base of your spine at the center of the zafu so that half of the zafu is behind you.” In each case your seat is toward the front rather than the back. Try the variations and keep the one where your back stays upright with the least effort.
Burmese position
The Burmese position is a common starting point. Insight Meditation Center describes it as legs bent with “the tops/sides of both feet” resting on the floor, and the knees ideally resting on the floor too. The Soto Zen guide describes one leg tucked against the opposite inner thigh with the other leg folded outside it, “also supported by the floor,” and says it “provides good stability for zazen if you are not able to sit in full or half-lotus.” Because neither foot rests on the other leg, it asks much less of your hips and knees than the lotus postures.
If your knees hover in the air, Insight Meditation Center notes that “it may take a bit of practice for the muscles to stretch and the knees to begin to drop” and that “a cushion under the knee(s) can help.” A taller seat helps too, which is exactly what the height test in our cushion guide is for.
Half lotus and full lotus
In half lotus, one foot rests up on the opposite thigh and the other leg is tucked under. Insight Meditation Center points out that this is “slightly asymmetrical and sometimes the upper body needs to compensate,” and recommends that if you sit more than 45 minutes a day, you “alternate which leg goes on top.” In full lotus, each foot rests on the opposite thigh. The same guide calls it “the most stable of all the positions” but gives a clear warning: “Unless it’s easy for you, one can easily injure one’s knees trying to force it.”
Treat the lotus postures as optional. Nothing in the practice requires them, and a relaxed Burmese position or a chair is a better seat than a lotus you are gritting your teeth through.
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Kneeling: Seiza and the Meditation Bench
Seiza is a kneeling posture: your shins rest on the floor and you sit back, either on your heels, on a cushion, or on a small wooden bench that straddles your lower legs. The Soto Zen guide calls it “a variation on the traditional Asian way of sitting” that “allows you to form a seated triangle with knees and the base of your spine,” with a center of gravity “a bit higher than sitting in full or half-lotus.”
Three ways to sit in seiza
- On a seiza bench. Insight Meditation Center says a seiza bench “keeps the weight off your feet and helps keep your spine straight.” The Soto Zen guide has you sit on the bench “with your legs folded under the bench, knees firmly on the zabuton.”
- On a cushion. Kneel with a cushion between your legs. Insight Meditation Center notes that a zafu used this way “is often placed ‘on edge.'” The Soto Zen guide also allows sitting “on a firm zafu instead of a bench.”
- On your heels. Insight Meditation Center notes that “some people prefer kneeling, without any pillow or bench, sitting on their heels.” With nothing taking the weight, your feet carry more of it, so a bench or cushion is the gentler place to start.
Who kneeling suits
Kneeling is often the answer for people whose hips do not want to cross. The Monastery Store says on its standard seiza bench page that “seiza is a great meditation posture for those with less hip flexibility who have trouble sitting cross-legged,” and that “the bench also keeps pressure off your feet and ankles.”
Bench height
Many benches are slanted, a little lower at the front than at the back. As an example of real dimensions, here are one maker’s two published sizes:
| Example bench | Published height | Maker’s note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard seiza folding bench | 6.5 in front, 8.25 in back | “Great meditation posture for those with less hip flexibility” | product page |
| Tall seiza folding bench | 8.25 in front, 10 in back | “Great for those with larger bodies or those looking for a higher seat” | product page |
As with cushions, a seat that is too low for your body is the usual reason a posture feels like a struggle. We are writing a dedicated meditation bench guide for this series that will cover bench height, padding and how to sit on one comfortably; it will be linked here once it is published.
Meditating in a Chair
A chair is a fully legitimate meditation seat, not a beginner’s compromise. The Soto Zen school, a tradition known for its attention to posture, includes chair sitting in its own zazen instructions: “Sit upright in a chair as you would on a zafu. Do not lean backwards.” If knees, hips or your back make floor sitting painful, the chair is where to start.
How to set up a chair posture
- Sit toward the front edge. Insight Meditation Center says “it’s easier to stay upright and alert on a chair if you sit closer to the front edge and hold your own spine up instead of leaning against the chair back.”
- Or use a cushion behind you. If you sit with your pelvis against the back of the chair, the same guide suggests “a cushion behind you to help keep your back straight.”
- Hips slightly higher than knees. A firm, flat chair seat makes this easier than a soft sofa that lets the hips sink.
- Feet flat on the floor. Insight Meditation Center adds that if you are “taller or shorter than ‘average'” you can use “a cushion under the feet or under the buttocks as needed.” The Soto Zen guide likewise suggests a square support cushion “on the seat and/or under your feet as needed.”
- Knees apart. Empty Bowl Zendo says to “keep your knees apart, about the width of your shoulders; feet firmly on the floor.”
- Hands in your lap or on your thighs, as in any other posture.
Most of the guided practices on this site, including the morning meditation routine and the beginner techniques in meditation for anxiety, work well from a chair. A full guide to meditating in a chair, including which kinds of chair and stool work, is planned for this series.
Can You Meditate Lying Down?
Yes. Insight Meditation Center opens its posture guide with “we can meditate sitting, standing, walking or lying down” and says that “for those unable to sit, you may use the alternate option of lying down.” Lying on your back is also the usual position for a 15-minute body scan meditation.
The challenge is staying awake. The Soto Zen guide warns that if your eyes are closed “you will easily drift into drowsiness or daydreaming,” and lying down only adds to that pull. Insight Meditation Center offers a few practical ways of “encouraging alertness when lying down”:
- Support the lower back. “If your knees are not bent you might place a pillow under your knees to take the stress off the low back.”
- Knees up. Place your feet apart on the floor with knees bent and not touching. “If you fall asleep, the knees will bump each other or fall away and wake you up.”
- Raise one forearm. Keep one forearm perpendicular to the floor with the elbow and upper arm resting down. “If you get sleepy, it will drop.”
- Touch the thumbs. Hold the hands with the thumbs touching; when you start to drift off, “the thumbs will pull apart and that will wake you up.”
If falling asleep is actually the goal, that is a different practice: see our meditation for sleep guide. A dedicated piece on meditating lying down, including meditating in bed, is planned for this series.
Standing and Walking Meditation
Insight Meditation Center lists standing and walking alongside sitting and lying down as ways to meditate. Moving postures can suit people who get drowsy or restless when still. In Soto Zen, walking meditation is called kinhin; the Soto Zen guide says that “from the waist up, your posture should be the same as that in zazen” and describes “taking only half step for each full breath.”
If sitting still is the hardest part for you, our guide to walking meditation for restless minds is a full practice built around movement, and meditation for restless beginners deals with the mental side of the same problem.
Where to Put Your Hands and Eyes
Hand positions
Hands matter less than people think, as long as they let your arms and shoulders relax. Common options:
- Resting on the thighs, palms up or down. Insight Meditation Center recommends “any position where the arms and hands can be relaxed, often palms up or down on your thighs or folded on your lap.”
- Folded in the lap. If there is neck, mid-back or shoulder strain, the same guide says “a small cushion can be placed under the folded hands.”
- The cosmic mudra (Zen). The Soto Zen guide describes the right hand palm up, the left hand palm up on top of it, and “the tips of your thumbs” lightly touching, held in front of the navel. Empty Bowl Zendo describes the thumb tips touching slightly, “forming a horizontal oval.” Insight Meditation Center describes a similar hold used in Zen, with the dominant hand palm up holding the other hand.
A full guide to meditation hand positions, including the mudras used in other traditions, is planned for this series and will be linked here once published.
Eyes open or closed?
Both are fine, and traditions genuinely differ. Insight Meditation Center says “in this tradition we recommend to keep our eyes closed, but it’s perfectly okay to meditate with your eyes open,” usually with the eyes lowered and “your gaze resting on the ground about two or three feet in front of you.” The Zen sources keep them open: the Soto Zen guide says to keep the eyes slightly open and “cast them downward at about a 45-degree angle,” and Empty Bowl Zendo suggests resting them “on the floor about three to five feet” ahead, “neither fully opened nor fully closed.”
A practical rule of thumb: if you tend to get sleepy, try open eyes with a soft downward gaze. If you are easily distracted by what you see, try closing them.
Mouth and tongue
Insight Meditation Center suggests keeping the mouth closed and breathing through your nose unless it is blocked, with the tongue “pressed lightly against the upper palate,” which “may reduce the need to salivate and swallow.” The Soto Zen and Empty Bowl Zendo instructions also rest the tongue on the roof of the mouth.
Common Posture Problems and How to Fix Them
| Problem | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Legs or feet fall asleep | Sustained pressure in cross-legged or kneeling postures | Insight Meditation Center calls it “common and normal” as long as circulation comes back in “a minute or so.” Raise the seat, switch which leg is in front, try a different cushion shape, or use a bench or chair. |
| Slouching or rounded lower back | Hips lower than knees; leaning on a backrest | Raise the cushion, sit forward on it, or move to the front edge of a chair with hips slightly above knees. |
| Back ache | Holding the posture with muscle, or a seat at the wrong height | Check seat height and the lower-back curve, then let the shoulders and abdomen soften. If pain persists, switch to a chair or lying down and talk to a qualified professional. |
| Knee pain | Forcing half or full lotus; knees unsupported | Go back to Burmese, support the knees with a cushion, or kneel on a bench. Never force a lotus posture. |
| Neck or shoulder strain | Hands held unsupported; head jutting forward | Rest the hands on the thighs or on a small cushion in the lap; bring the ears back in line with the shoulders. |
| Getting sleepy | Closed eyes, lying down, or a slumped spine | Open the eyes with a lowered gaze, sit more upright, or use the lying-down tricks above. |
| Constant fidgeting | Discomfort or restlessness | Sit with the urge briefly, then adjust slowly and mindfully (see below). |
On moving during a sit, Insight Meditation Center takes a middle path: “It’s helpful to not give in to every urge to move, but to sit with the discomfort for a while, and then slowly and mindfully make a minor adjustment to make the body more comfortable.” That applies to restlessness and mild stiffness, not to sharp pain. Pain in a joint is a reason to change posture, not to sit through it.
When you finish, get up slowly. The Soto Zen guide says to “move slowly, especially when your legs are asleep. Do not stand up abruptly,” and Empty Bowl Zendo says to “stretch your legs and be sure they have feeling before standing.”
How Long Should You Sit?
Posture and session length are linked: a position that is easy for a few minutes can become uncomfortable over a longer sit. Empty Bowl Zendo puts the emphasis on regularity: “Sitting every day is more important than how long you sit,” and suggests you “practice every day for ten to fifteen minutes (or more), slowly increasing the length of your sitting.” If you sit for long periods, Insight Meditation Center’s advice to alternate which leg goes in front or on top, for those sitting more than 45 minutes a day, becomes worth following.
If you are building a habit from scratch, start short with the 5-minute beginner practice and let your posture improve as your sits get longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to sit cross-legged to meditate?
No. Kneeling, sitting in a chair and lying down are all described as valid ways to meditate by the meditation centers quoted in this guide. Insight Meditation Center says what matters most is “what you do with your mind, not what you do with your feet or legs.”
Is it OK to lean against a wall or the back of a chair?
The sources quoted here suggest holding your own spine up rather than leaning back, which helps you stay upright and alert. If you need support, Insight Meditation Center suggests a cushion behind you to help keep your back straight. If back pain is the reason you need support, using it is the right call.
Should my eyes be open or closed when I meditate?
Either is fine. Insight Meditation Center recommends closed eyes but says open is “perfectly okay,” while the Zen sources keep them partly open with a lowered gaze. Open eyes can help if you get sleepy.
Is it normal for my legs to fall asleep during meditation?
Yes, it is common in cross-legged and kneeling postures. Insight Meditation Center considers it normal if circulation comes back in a minute or so. If numbness is frequent, lasting or painful, change your posture or seat, and check with a clinician.
What is the best meditation posture if I have a bad back?
Many people with back problems find a chair the easiest option, sitting near the front edge with feet flat, or lying on the back with a pillow under the knees. Because back pain has many causes, ask a doctor or physical therapist what is suitable for you before sitting for long periods.
Guides in This Series
This guide is the hub of our meditation seating and posture series. Each guide below goes deeper on one part of it:
- Meditation Cushion Guide: Zafu, Zabuton and the Height You Actually Need: how to choose a cushion, find your seat height and pick a filling.
- Meditation benches and seiza benches (coming soon).
- Meditating in a chair (coming soon).
- Can you meditate lying down? (coming soon).
- Meditation hand positions (coming soon).
Once your seat is sorted, put it to use: start the day with the 10-minute morning meditation routine, unwind with the body scan, or try the techniques in meditation for anxiety on days when your mind is louder than your knees.
This article is general information about meditation posture, not medical advice. Meditation and mindfulness practices usually are considered to have few risks, according to the NCCIH, but if you have knee, hip or back pain, an injury, or a medical condition, talk to a qualified healthcare professional before sitting for long periods, and adapt or skip any posture that causes pain.