Simple Sitting for Lazy Meditators

For meditation, first you need to sit. Sitting is very important. Some people tell me, “Oh, I meditate everywhere.” I admire them. I don’t know how they do it. I can’t easily do that. 

Some people say, “I meditate at work. I meditate when I’m walking, or doing this and that, in the city.” That’s wonderful. But that’s a lot of work, isn’t it? If you’re meditating 24/7. That’s not for lazy meditators. For us, it’s better to sit. 

Find a Good Meditation Posture

The first thing, when you’re sitting in meditation, is to find a good posture.

If you can, try to assume the 7-point meditation posture, with your legs crossed and your hands resting on your legs. Let your spine be straight, and gently uplifted. Let your eyes relax and remain slightly open. Just relax your mouth and jaw, with your tongue resting gently behind your teeth. Then let your chin drop slightly forward so that your gaze naturally lowers slightly.

These 7 points of the traditional Buddhist meditation posture are actually very helpful. I’ve learned that after many years of not seeing the benefit. Finally I see it.

I tell my friends that these 7 points are like the ergonomic posture, like an ergonomic chair for your mind. You may use an ergonomic chair in your office, or in your care when you’re driving.

An ergonomic chair is good for your spine, it’s good for your body, for the whole system of your body,  because of its many benefits.

So the meditation posture is like an ergonomic chair for your mind’s spine, so to speak. It’s good for your mind’s health. The posture helps the mind to find its center. It helps the whole nerve network, which can get twisted if your body is not in good alignment. Then you need a muscle relaxant. 

In meditation, if your physical posture is not good, if your ergonomics are not good, the mind gets twisted. Then your mind goes into spasms, which leads to sharp pain. It may also lead to a frozen shoulder. Then you cannot move easily.

The mind gets into those kinds of situations when your meditation posture is not good. So therefore, first and foremost it’s important to get into a good posture. Just try, you know. Don’t say it hurts right away. Just try it for a short time, okay? Maybe for 12 or 13 minutes. 

Relax in the Meditation Posture

Once you find that centricity of your physical posture, then you relax your body within that. Relaxing doesn’t mean you let go of all the points of your physical posture. But while you’re in that posture, you try to relax gently. And relax a little more. And relax a little more. 

When your body relaxes, your mind relaxes. You can notice that when you get a massage, or physical therapy. When your body’s relaxing, your mind’s relaxing. Then, even those who do not fall asleep easily, fall asleep. And those who do fall asleep easily, snore louder.

In the same way, relaxation is important for meditation.

Once you find the balance between assuming the posture and relaxing in it, when you sit in that balanced way, your mind will naturally relax. Your mind will naturally settle into meditation. Then there’s not much effort needed. It’s a good method for lazy meditators.

Do a Quick Body Scan

When you sit down to meditate, you do a quick body scan. Not a very detailed body scan, just a quick scan from your head to your feet. You’re sitting, and you just scan your body to see if you’re relaxed or not. 

I do that, and it’s really helpful. You go from your head, down to your neck, and try to relax. Then you may notice your shoulders are a little bit tense in the posture, and then you relax. Then you go down your arms, and relax. Then you look at your legs, crossed or sitting on a chair, and then you relax, relax, relax. Okay?

So that already is meditation. That relaxation, it’s meditation. 

While you’re scanning your body, your mind is focused. Your mind is not wandering away. Your mind’s focused on your body. Not only is your mind focused on your body, your mind is in the body at that time. 

One of the problems is your mind is always out. Out and about. And your body is left alone. Like Home Alone. Then bad things happen. 

What happens to the mind that leaves the body back home? That mind cannot relax. They worry about the body they left behind. 

So therefore, when you first sit down to meditate, just scanning and relaxing your body posture is already a great experience of meditation. During that time, your mind is synced with your body. Each time you scan and relax, at each point, you’re syncing. You’re not only trying to loosen the knots of your physical tension, but you’re syncing with each point of your body. From your head, to the neck, to the shoulders, all the way to the toes.

This is a very powerful meditation and an easy one. Just do it quickly. You don’t need to rush through it or anything, but you also don’t have to do a detailed examination of every large and small joint in your body.

When you do that quick body scan at the beginning, as you get settled in the sitting posture, you’re already connecting with your body, with the energy and centricity of the body. And in that process you’re already feeling the breath. You’re connecting, you’re syncing.

This article is based on a teaching given by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche at Nalanda West in Seattle, Washington, on April 5, 2026.