GETTING COMFORTABLE

Sometimes people say they feel pain in the knees when they start meditation.  Initially for some amount of time, some of you may feel pain in the knees, because of not being used to sitting cross legged.  A little bit of pain is initially normal, but sustained pain is not good.  However, those in good health should not be troubled by pain.

In due course, this will go away and normally should not persist particularly if one follows a good healthy diet which does not contain poisons and bad food. 
There are several exercises that you can do in order to soften your knees and hips.  All are done in a sitting position.  Start with legs straight on the floor.

1. You lift one leg up so that you can hold your knee with both hands under the knee, sitting straight. Do  circles with the foot. Do this with both legs. 1-3 minutes.

2. Same position as before - now do circles with your lower leg(s).

3. Same position as before but now you grab your left knee with your left hand and the left foot with the right  hand and start making soft, large circles with the knee. Both legs.

4. You take your left lower leg "in the arms" as if you are holding a little baby - the left knee placed in or near the left elbow, the left foot in or near the right elbow.  Then take this as close to your body as possible.  Slowly and gently "rock the baby" in your arms.  Do this gently from the left to the right and so on.  And vice-versa  do it with the other (right) leg.  If you are not able to take your lower leg into your arms as described you can also grab the left foot with the right hand - as in the previous exercise and just loosen it up.  And vice-versa do it with the other (right) leg.

5. Alternatively, just gradually try to bring your left foot closer to your right hip, and vice-versa.  Slowly, but surely, you will be able to sit cross-legged in half lotus or full lotus in due course.  

After you have done all this your sitting cross legged should be easier.