I think sometimes the most helpful guidelines for the sitting posture is assume a sitting

posture that will support the inner qualities that we're hoping to cultivate, which is quality

of being alert.

So there's a wakefulness, which means you might sit up in a way that there's a quality

of uprightness sitting tall, sometimes the image of a tree with its root steep into

the earth, so you feel grounded, but then arising up into the heavens, sitting tall, and

then letting as the branches, the arms of the tree can relax, to see how your limbs can

relax, see if you can let go a little in the shoulders, just relax through the body

wherever possible, and part of that relaxing is supported by taking a few full breaths will

inhale deeply, and it's an extended inhale, so breathing in fully, and then a slow out

breath, slowly exhale, slow enough so you can feel the sensations of letting go, and then

inhaling again, deep, full in breath, and then slowly releasing the breath, as if you're

relaxing, releasing into the space around you, just letting go, letting go, and once again

a deep, full in breath, filling the chest, filling the lungs, you might even hold a moment,

feel the sense of holding the breath, and then a slow out breath, softening down the

length of the body, letting go, letting go, letting go, letting go, and then it's the breath

returns to its natural rhythm, just since that you can relax, relax as the breath comes in,

as if you're relaxing open, and relax as the breath goes out,

bringing this relaxed presence and attention to the heart, just feel whatever mood, whatever

emotion, whatever quality of heart is predominant, it might be the first time you've checked in a

while, just a sense, how's my heart? I sense an openness, or a tightness, flow, heaviness, sadness,

excitement, it's whatever's there without any judgment, noticing, allowing it to be there,

...