Sit on your buttocks only

What the Method Is

The core instruction for this meditation method is: “Without support for feet or hands, sit only on the buttocks. Suddenly, the centering.”. This technique is presented as a straightforward method to achieve inner centering and discover one’s inherent balance.

How It Is Done

To practice this method, you should:

  • Prepare your body by increasing sensitivity: Most people’s buttocks are insensitive due to constant sitting, which needs to be addressed first.
    • General Sensitization: Sit on a chair, relax, and close your eyes. Focus your attention on one hand (e.g., your left hand), forgetting the rest of your body. Feel it becoming increasingly heavy and note any subtle sensations like jerks or slight movements within the hand. Practice this for 10-15 minutes daily for at least three weeks.
    • Specific Sensitization for Buttocks: Once you are confident in your ability to sensitize a part of your body (like the hand), apply the same principle to your buttocks. Close your eyes and direct your entire consciousness to feeling only your buttocks, forgetting the rest of your body. Be aware of the sensation of touch from the surface you are sitting or lying on, noting coldness, warmth, or subtle movements. Various situations can be used for this, such as lying in a bathtub or standing with your buttocks against a wall. This process of “creating” or sensitizing your buttocks may take approximately three weeks.
  • Execute the main technique:
    • Choose a seating position: Sit on the ground, ideally on a natural surface rather than cement or artificial flooring, to feel more connected to nature.
    • Adopt a suitable posture: A Buddha posture, such as padmasana or siddhasana, is recommended as it helps in achieving weightlessness. Your spine should be kept straight.
    • Remove external support: Ensure you are sitting solely on your buttocks, without using your feet or hands for support.
    • Achieve balance: With your eyes closed, pay close attention to the sensation of your buttocks touching the ground. You will likely feel more weight on one side; gently shift your body until you perceive that your weight is evenly balanced on both buttocks.
    • Await centering: Once this balance is achieved, there will be a sudden experience of centering.
Commentaries and Insights
  • The Path to Centering and Bliss: Humans often live “off-center,” leading to inner tension and turmoil. This method aims to scientifically and intentionally restore one’s rootedness in the navel center (hara), the body’s original and basic center, which is the source of deep bliss. When one is deeply centered, it can lead to an inner “explosion” and a state of cosmic consciousness (samadhi).
  • Indirect Approach for Profound Results: Like many Tantra techniques, this method uses an indirect approach. The physical act of balancing the buttocks is the “doing,” and the “centering” is the delicate, intangible “result” or by-product. The practitioner should focus entirely on the technique itself, without preoccupation with the outcome, as direct pursuit of bliss can create a barrier.
  • Transcendence of Body and Mind (Weightlessness): As balance and sensitivity deepen, the experience can lead to a feeling of weightlessness. This occurs because weight is a characteristic of the body, not of the true self. This sensation allows one to transcend the identification with the physical body and even the mind, as the mind is also considered part of matter. Osho mentions historical figures like Ram and Mohammed disappearing with their bodies, which he attributes to mastering this weightless force.
  • Significance of Posture and Spine: Maintaining a straight spine in meditation postures (like Buddha’s sitting posture) is crucial as it minimizes the effect of gravity, aiding in the experience of weightlessness, and helps to create an inner electrical circuit. Buddha’s relaxed yet alert sitting posture (Zazen) in Zen, which emphasizes motionless sitting, is also mentioned as a way to transcend the “monkey mind” and find the inner.
  • Simplicity vs. Ego’s Resistance: The method, despite its profound potential, appears deceptively simple. The human ego often resists simple techniques, preferring arduous challenges that offer a sense of conquest and fulfillment. Osho emphasizes that true spiritual growth isn’t about difficulty; these simple techniques are powerful because they directly touch fundamental realities of existence and can lead to immediate transformation.
  • Tantra as Science and Acceptance: Tantra is presented as a science of subjective transformation, focused on “how” to attain truth through direct experience rather than philosophical “why”. It is non-intellectual and existential. A core principle of Tantra is total acceptance of oneself as one is, rather than suppression of natural energies or desires. This acceptance forms the foundation upon which transformation can occur through understanding.
  • Personalized Journey: Out of the 112 meditation techniques, Osho encourages individuals to experiment and find the one that “clicks” for them, feeling an affinity or natural harmony with it. No prior belief is needed, only the courage to experiment.
  • Patience and Persistence: While instantaneous glimpses are possible, sustained practice over weeks or months is generally needed to cultivate the necessary sensitivity and achieve deep results. The mind may create excuses to avoid the practice, but persistence is key.
  • Quality of Consciousness: The effectiveness of any technique lies not primarily in the act itself, but in the quality of consciousness brought to the act. Bringing total presence and awareness to any action, even simple ones, can transform it into a meditative experience.