We often find ourselves sitting on the floor, possibly in front of a client or an audience of avid listeners, or in a yoga session leading a meditation wondering just how much should we be paying attention to what we’re doing and how much we are actually putting on the pins and needles in our legs or the gradually increasing muscular pain at odd points in our body. Sometimes we might find ourselves comfortable enough for playing the harmonium but then are completely unprepared for the mediation that follows. As respected leaders, facilitators and teachers we can always tell ourselves how we ‘should’ be sitting. We may have in our minds an ideal that we feel we ought to be or portray to others. You only have to check out the many books available to the yogi to see images of asanas (postures) and in particular people sitting crossed-legged on the floor. With practice it becomes possible to move into and become comfortable with this sitting position. But until we have developed our practice and become more fluid and flexible, how do we work with the discomfort? Modern western society is not used to sitting on the floor and we have many more stiff hips and back problems to deal with.
For me the biggest area of concern is coping with the discomfort of sitting on the floor whilst playing a musical instrument. Harmoniums have square corners, violin bows need more space than there's room for and sometimes needing to switch from one instumument to another can lead to much awkwardness. Do those of you who have to deal with these or similar problems have any suggestions? Perhaps there's something I'm missing...
