Take a moment to notice your supporting surfaces: the chair underneath you, your feet on the floor, and the back of the chair. Notice the breath. Let the breath help you come into the present moment and quiet busy thoughts. Notice whether your pelvis is tucked under as if you are sitting on your tailbone, or if you are leaning forward. Be sure your pelvis is at the back of the chair so that you can sit up on the sit bones — the bony points at the base of your pelvis. These bones are the pedestal upon which your spine is vertically balanced. Rock a few times side to side lifting one buttock and then the other to be sure to find them. Rest your hands rest in your lap, palms facing up. Continue reading →

Lie down on the floor and place some books under the bump at the back of your head, not touching the neck. You should have enough books so that your head is not falling back creating an excessive curve in your neck. If you feel compression in the front of the throat, you have too many books. Place your feet hip distance apart, and bent up in what we call semi-supine position, about a foot away from the buttocks. Adjust the feet slightly so that you are not gripping to keep your knees from falling. Rest your hands on the abdomen or pelvis with the elbows pointing away from the body.

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At the computer:  Your keyboard should be positioned so that your forearms are parallel with the floor. The arms support the hands at the keyboard; do not rest your wrists on the table while typing. Your monitor should be positioned at eye level or slightly lower.

About chairs:  When sitting at a computer, eating, writing, or doing any activity using your arms in front of you, be sure to let your back rest against the back of the chair. Ideally, your chair should angle back no more than 5 degrees from the vertical. Most chairs angle back much more and a pillow behind your back can correct the problem. When a pillow is not available, a folded coat or jacket draped over the back of the chair will do in a pinch.

If your feet don’t touch:  If you find that you cannot comfortably rest your feet flat on the floor, then your chair is probably too big for you and a footrest will help. This is especially important for young children. Another solution is to place a pillow behind you moving you closer to the front of the chair.  You can also try placing thin paperback books under the back legs of the chair to tilt it forward.

Reading:  The closer the book is to your head, the less you will have to hang your head to see it. Therefore, a few pillows in your lap with the book resting on top will help. If pillows are not available, a coat or briefcase can do the job.

Handbags and knapsacks:  When carrying a handbag, frequently switch shoulders. Also, shorten the straps so that the bag is as close as possible to your center of gravity. Likewise, knapsacks should rest on the upper back for women, slightly lower for men, but not low on the hips where they cause the back to arch.