Placement of feet

[c.smith]

Hari Om!

Concerned and questioning about the placement of ones feet in the temple and truly elsewhere while sitting for that matter. I know that one is to not point ones feet at the Deity. Have also been told that it is not appropriate to point ones feet at another. Is the latter solely a form of disrespect? Most in the temple sit crossed legged which keeps the feet from directly pointing at someone else, but I cannot maintain this posture thus sit on legs, folded at the knee with feet pointing behind me or at times with legs folded to the side. Am totally self conscious about this until I know the appropriate protocol. Don't want to be disrespectful or rude. Sometimes this keeps me from attending satsang where I must sit on the floor despite my convictions otherwise. Also, when laying flat with feet pointing behind to prostrate the deity, one must almost always point feet at another for a brief time.

Your insights, please.

Jai Jai Hanuman!

[Jainarayan]

Namaste.

Others will undoubtedly have different or better advice, but here's mine.

I cannot sit cross-legged very long. My feet go numb. Not even in Burmese position, which is the easiest cross-legged position.

The Burmese position, named so because of its use in Buddhist sculptures in Burma, places both feet in front of the pelvis with knees bent and touching the floor to the sides. The heels are pointing toward pelvis or upward, and toes are pointed so that the tops of the feet lie on the ground. This looks similar to the cross legged position, but the feet are not placed underneath the thigh of the next leg, therefore the legs do not cross. Instead, one foot is placed in front of the other. This is a popular sitting alternative for those less comfortable with the use of the Lotus or half Lotus positions in meditation and yoga. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitting#Cross-legged

A lot of times it comes from tight hip and gluteal muscles that only gentle stretching over time will resolve. I am working on that. Other cases are nerves being impinged. Because I had three lumbar microdiscectomies for herniated discs, and the other discs have mild herniations, they may be compressing nerves. I have to squirm around and change positions, sit with my back to a wall or pillar, or even stand. The sitting method you are talking about is called seiza, a seating method in Japan. It can actually be quite uncomfortable for the feet.

I've seen people also sit with their arms wrapped around their knees, feet not directly pointing forward. I've seen people, men and women, sit on one side of their hips and butt with legs to the opposite side. I think you have to balance comfort with etiquette. And at any point in any puja, someone's back or feet will be turned to some deity or other person. You cannot hop on your butt cross-legged forward and backwards to avoid feet or back turned to a person or deity. Well, my niece could do that when she was little, she never crawled, she "butt-hopped" (and was quite fast too! ). If it's known you have some sort of physical problem, I think hardly a person will chastise you for it. And if they do, they run the risk of being reborn in the same or worse condition. That's my firm opinion on it.

[devotee]

Namaste Smith,

Please relax. There is nothing much to worry about this. The people who are sitting there can very well understand that sitting in one posture for long is not easy. If you watch closely, you will find many people changing their positions during the long sittings.

Just keep one thing in mind that you should not sit with your feet stretched in front of you. As long as you are sitting with your legs folded backwards, no one would mind even if the legs are pointing towards someone. See, in any position the legs have to point to someone if the hall is full of people. If you are uncomfortable in one sitting position, say you are first sitting in crossed legs position ... change it to sideways or completely backwards by sitting in vajrAsana. You can also fold them in half vertical position and hold them with your hands till you can again go back to crossed legs position or half lotus position or lotus position. Normally, you can start with half lotus position which is the easiest position. After some time, you may change into half vertical feet holding them with your hands ... then to vajrAsana ... then to sideways backwards i.e. vajrAsana but legs on your side than below the body etc. Just a suggestion to indicate that there are many positions that you can try in a long sitting session.

OM