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Answers: I'm starting meditation.

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Gentle stretching yoga helps loosen your knees, legs and spine. Most people have a lot of tension in those places. The most important thing in meditation is keeping your spine straight. It is very common to use a pillow in those schools of meditation that don't use yoga exercises. It's fine because pillows can help keep the spine straight. Sitting still for a certain time period with a straight spine is all meditation amounts to. There is no trance, it just looks that way because in general in our society we are never still or positioned with a straight spine for any significant period of time. Just sit still with a straight spine and your breath will automatically become slow and rhythmic, your muscles will relax and the stress will leave you. Your mind will wander and that's fine. Just notice the crazy place your mind wanders to and bring your focus back to your "object of concentration," your breath, mantra or whatever. It won't be boring because you'll start to feel good. Like everything, you'll get better with practice. You can't do it incorrectly as long as you remain still with a straight spine. If a pillow can help you do that it is good.

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it's helpful to be able to sit up straight comfortably for a long time.

if a cushion helps you do that, then great. some people like the edge of a pillow, or just their coats, or nothing at all.
you probably won't be able to know right away. as you do it, experiment and discover what works best for you. don't spend too much money on stuff right away, it won't help all that much until you know what you need.

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