How to do Prostrations
How do I do a prostration?
There are three different ways to do prostration in the Tibetan tradition.
• Simple prostration: put both hands together and hold them near you heart. Repeat three times. Never do a single prostration.
• Half prostration: put both hands together and touch them first on your crown, then on your throat, then on your heart. Then kneel down and touch your forehead to the ground. Your hands and knees must also touch the ground. That is one set of prostrations. Repeat three times. Never do a single prostration.
• Full prostration: place your hands together and touch your crown, throat and heart, then stretch your entire body on the ground and stretch both of your hands as far as possible away from you head. Then rise up quickly and repeat. That is one set of prostrations. Repeat three times. Never do just a single prostration.
(Artwork courtesy Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition's "Preliminary Practice of Prostrations")
Why do prostrations?
Prostration in the Tibetan spiritual sense is not a sign of weakness. When done with pure intentions and devotion, it becomes an act of respect; compassion for all sentient being; purifies your negative past and present karma; and, creates positive merit for yourself.
When you practice prostrations, what are you losing?
What do you give up?
You loose nothing except your ego attachment.
The more or bigger the ego - the more suffering. The lesser or smaller the ego - the less suffering you have.