Posture supports the activity we are engaging in.
Everything we do involves posture. Whether we are playing sports (tennis, golf) or performing a musical instrument (guitar, cello), posture is an important part of our engagement in the activity. Even everyday activities such as washing dishes or gardening involve posture.
In mindfulness meditation, posture helps us find a balance between being relaxed and alert. Postures reflects our intentions in mindfulness practice: Being both open and attentive.
Open/relaxed: Mindfulness is a practice of opening up to our experience, just noticing what is happening in this moment. Not pushing anything away, not grasping onto anything. The open and relaxed posture reflects this intention.
Alert/attentive: Mindfulness is attention training. The alert posture reflects our intention to actively work with our attention during meditation, to be aware when we drift off from the breath, and to bring our attention back to the breath.
Mindfulness is paying attention to what’s happening right now. When we take a moment to notice what’s happening with our posture right now, we are already being mindful. If we find that we are slouching, we just sit up and reassume a more alert posture. If we find that we are tensing up, we just relax, let go, and reassume a more open posture. Awareness of posture and coming back to correct posture is mindfulness practice.
Mindfulness FAQ 