Jeff Calcara has given me permission to post an e-mail that he sent to SRF devotees after taking the posture lesson for sitting meditation. There is a short follow up to the letter at the end of this page. Here is the letter that he wrote after attending the lesson:

Hello Dear Fellow Devotees,

I would like to suggest something to you all that could be of definite benefit to your spiritual lives. The other day I took a three and a half hour class on correct meditation posture from my friend, Phil Petachenko. I have known him for nearly thirty years. He is an excellent chiropractor and has spent much time studying the human body and its proper usage, so to speak. He has been giving classes on proper standing, sitting, lifting, and now, proper meditation posture.

The reason I am writing to you all is I took his class, and it has profoundly changed my meditations. His class goes into great detail on all the fine points of sitting: position and alignment of the feet, legs, sits-bones, lower back arch, abdomen, chest, and head.

Everything he teaches is in complete harmony with Master's instructions. I think most of us need more help than is given in the basic guidelines we have. In my 40 years of meditation, yesterday morning was the first time EVER that I felt truly relaxed and comfortable, solid and stable, and actually meditated for about 40 minutes.

Because of my other body problems, meditation has been nearly impossible for years now. But somehow, being in my new stable and comfortable posture, I was able go fairly deep despite all my other discomforts. The practice of Hong Sau and Kriya were noticeably better, and I no longer have this restless urge to end my meditation as soon a possible because I am in so much discomfort. Frankly, I am amazed.

Nothing he teaches conflicts with Master's instructions.... it is just a matter of having someone who really understands what is required to work with you and get you to that wonderful state that I have experienced. A number of other devotees who have taken his class heartily agree.

He offers classes in his office on Second Street. Here is his website if you want to read more about it: http://www.petachenko.com

With Master,
Jeff

I talked with Jeff seven months after taking the lesson and this is what he said to me: "With my body so relaxed and my posture so good even a three hour meditation is too short for me! It was never this way before the posture lesson. Thank you Phil."

Jeff started out with being amazed that he could be comfortable for 40 minutes when sitting for meditation and months later three hours seems short. 90% of the people who take the lesson are more comfortable after meditating for an hour than when they first sat down to meditate. 10% of the people who take the lesson do have physical limitations that impact how comfortable they are. To understand more about how you can be more comfortable after sitting for an hour, click here.

Click here to go back to the page with testimonials.

Click here to go to the main page for the posture lesson for sitting meditation.