Contemplative Glossary

The seven-pointed posture (also known as The Posture of Vairocana) is a traditional explanation of how to sit in Tibetan Buddhist meditation.

The seven points, with some added commentary based our modern-day knowledge of physiology, are as follows:

1. Legs.  The hips should be higher than the knees.  Sit cross-legged on a cushion, with both knees firmly connected to the ground, if possible.  If that's not comfortable, the next-best posture is kneeling, with a cushion between the ankles, or on a kneeling-bench.  If neither of those are comfortable and stable, then sitting on a chair is fine. 
2. Hands. Rest the hands palms-down on the thighs, with upper-arms straight down in line with the torso.  Or with the hands below the navel in the "cosmic mudra" — left hand over the right, thumbs touching, making a circle.*
3. Spine. In terms of right and left the spine should be "straight like an arrow," and aligned with gravity.  In terms of front and back, there should be a slight s-shape, with lumbar spine concave toward the navel, and the thoracic spine convex toward the back.  The hips should be tilted slightly forward to support that curve.
4. Shoulders.  They should be "spread like the wings of a vulture."  That means the shoulder blades should be aligned on the same plane, with a relaxed, open chest.  And the shoulders should be balanced above the hips, so that hips, spine, shoulders and head are perfectly stacked.  This will allow the shoulder muscles to relax and hang loosely.
5. Chin.  Without moving the neck, tuck the chin back a centimeter or so.  That will rotate the skull at the top of the spine, causing the gaze to tilt slightly downward.
6. Tongue. Rest the tip of the tongue gently against the upper palate, right at the spot where it would touch when saying "tee tee tee".  This reduces saliva production and helps keep the chi flowing.
7. Eyes. Ideally, they should be slightly open, gazing softly downward through the space roughly 3 feet in front of the nose.  To reduce agitation, close the eyes for a while.  When sleepy, open the eyes and stare sharply.

It is named after Vairocana Buddha, one of the Five Wisdom Buddhas. 

* Here's an example of hands in a "cosmic mudra," from a statue in Berlin's Asian Art Museum: