What Should I Do With My Hands in Meditation?

IT'S A COMMON QUESTION, AND THERE ARE A FEW CHOICES

Photo by Goh Win Nie on Unsplash

We’ve all seen statues depicting the Buddha meditating, and in each one it seems that his hands are in a different position. It often leads beginning practitioners to ask, what’s the right position?

There is no ‘right position’ for the hands, and they are often chosen by the practitioner.

I think the best choice is what’s most practical for the posture chosen.

I teach students to choose a position that doesn’t cause distraction. Here’s what I mean…

When we meditate, our body shouldn’t be the cause of distraction. In my live streamed Wednesday evening meditation instruction sessions, I initially guide students through a head to toe body scan to briefly consider each body region’s need for adjustment, for this very reason.

When our body posture is comfortable, our meditation will be more stable.

Here are a few hand position options.

Open hand position

Used most often when sitting crossed-legged on a cushion. The backs of the hand are supported by the knees, and…