Vinyasa for Meditation

To be able to practice meditation for extended periods of time it is necessary to both strengthen and open the hips and core. In reality most of the muscles of the spine, the back, the shoulders and legs will require lengthening and strengthening in order to have meditation be a comfortable experience.

Unfortunately, this will take more than a weekend to accomplish and is itself a form of moving meditation. If you wish to pursue meditation, then developing the body’s ability to sit still comfortably is essential.

The following vinyasa have evolved from my practice of sesshin at SogenJi (Okayama, Japan) and my practice and teaching of hatha yoga. They are presented here as a ‘moment in time’, they aren’t set in stone and will evolve with you as you explore them. I’ve practiced Zen and Yoga for over fourty years and have used these vinyasa for the past four years to help my body with the demands of long hours of meditation and have taught these vinyasa to students in my classes. Although, most students I teach don’t wish to sit for the extended periods that sesshin requires, these vinyasa are still useful to strengthen the core and keep the joints supple.

Here is an album of sequences done while on the back:

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Here is an album of sequences done seated:

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