Simple preparation on sand for the full ‘lotus’ position, also referred to within Chinese Buddhist (and Daoist) traditions as the ‘Vajrasana’ (金剛座 – Jin Gang Zuo). This quite literally means ‘to sit like a diamond’, with the Chinese character ‘金’ (jin) meaning ‘gold’ (as in something precious in this context), and ‘剛'(gang) meaning ‘hard’, or ‘unbreakable’. When taken together, these two characters ‘金剛’ are used to denote a ‘diamond’ , or ‘diamond-like’ substance. The third character of ‘座’ (zuo) means ‘to sit’. This version of ‘Vajrasana’ should not be confused with a different posture of the same name favoured within Japanese culture, where the meditator sits with the legs folded underneath the body. Within Chinese Buddhist scripture, the person named ‘金剛’ (jingang) is known as the Buddha’s warrior attendant (this is why this posture is sometimes also know as the ‘Warrior’ position. Practising on sand allows the ground to mould to the body shape and weight distribution This immediately reduces tension in the muscles and joints, (i.e. tendons and ligaments), and the bones become pliable.
Photographs taken on Institution Beach, Livermead, Torquay (30.7.2016)
