Posture

Question: BELOVED OSHO, CAN YOU PLEASE SPEAK ON DISCIPLINE AND MEDITATION? The lotus posture was chosen for many reasons. If one can manage it without torturing himself, then it is the best, but it is not a necessity. It is certainly the best situation in which you can enter into watchfulness. The legs are crossed, the hands are crossed, the spine is straight; it gives many significant supports to being watchful. First, in this position, gravitation has the least effect on the body because your spine is straight. So the gravitation can effect a very small portion. When you are lying down, gravitation effects your whole body. That's why for sleeping, lying down is the best posture. Gravitation pulls the whole body, and because of its pull, the body loses all tensions.

Is any posture good for this? Is a sitting posture good, or a relaxed, resting posture?

No, no—just as comfortably as you can. It’s not about posture; comfort is what’s important. There’s no need to give importance to anything else. Give importance only to doing it in the way that feels pleasant to you. If lying down feels pleasant, you can do it lying down. Because whether you are lying down, sitting, or standing—the soul is in the same state. Your lying down, getting up, or sitting makes no difference. The only point of posture is that your body’s position should be such that it does not itself become a disturbance. Keeping only this in mind, do the experiment at any time. In just a few days you will have very wondrous experiences. Very wondrous!

(As Susana sits in front of Osho listening to the explanation of her new name, Anand Archano, her eyes close and her head slowly falls back. Moments later a tear plops off her cheek onto her lap.) I know only one prayer and that is being blissful. Nothing has to be said to god, one has simply to be blissful and all is said through one's bliss. People can pray but if they are sad, miserable, their prayer is only words, empty words with no content. If one is blissful then words are not needed at all; one can simply dance and sing or just sit silently, joyously -- and that's enough. That gratitude reaches to the ultimate source of light. So that is going to be your prayers no words but a silent joy pervading your whole being. -- How long will you be here? -- Forever.

Is the practicing of traditional asanas helpful for meditation?

Why was Mahavira sitting in that position? Buddha's posture is all right, but Mahavira's posture is very absurd. He was not practicing it; it came. Something happened within him and his body took on a certain posture -- although a very absurd posture. If he had been practicing asanas he would have been sitting just like Buddha, because that was the traditional meditation posture. But he was in an attitude of letgo, and samadhi came and created a posture that was particularly required for his body and his individuality. Everyone will need to express himself individually. No person is like any other and no one can be. An individual is unique so that everything that flowers in him will flower in an individual and unique way. If you impose something from without, then it will be a generalized conception; it can never be fitting and harmonious to your situation. So…