Lotus Pose (Padmasana): How you can Do, Advantages and Precautions

Even the people who find themselves not in yoga is aware of it by a single title, the lotus pose. One of the vital acknowledged yoga pose, lotus pose, can be an historic sitting posture. Yogis used to carry out it to get steadiness of their meditation & pranayama apply.

Totally different practices in yoga are named after the attractive blooming lotus flower, one such is Padma mudra, and right here the opposite Padma asana! Sure, the Sanskrit title Padmasana depicts that state of lotus flower when its petals are prepared to completely bloom. When one is mastered within the lotus pose, their ft soles pointing upwards seems just like the petals of a lotus flower. This opening of ft in direction of the sky symbolizes enlightenment and fearlessness.

Earlier than you go into performing a part of the Lotus pose, its historic roots could make you inspired to undergo any bodily impediment that is available in its method.

Lotus Pose: Historical past and Philosophy

Largely the illustration of Lord Shiva, Buddha, and lots of historic yogis may be seen in sitting a cross-legged posture whereas placing arms over the knee in Gyan mudra. Certainly, the Pasupati (lord of animals) seal we received from Indus Valley civilization was additionally in some seated posture. These cross-legged postures are none apart from however the Lotus pose. These figures recommend lotus pose has come practiced from a protracted historical past.

Padmasana is one among the many 12 seated postures talked about by Vyasa commentary on Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. This manner Padmasana is taken into account a classical pose.

One other Hatha Yoga textual content, Hatha Yoga Pradipika has said in verses 46 and 49 that Lotus pose is the destroyer of all illnesses and solely sensible can grasp it. In another yogic texts, Padmasana is talked about by a synonym title Kamalasana.

Philosophy of Working

Why Lotus pose is taken into account the perfect seated meditative pose due to its locking down mechanism. Often, our decrease physique is shaky (even it’s not seen) once we sit for meditation apply. In lotus pose, our physique particularly the decrease again and sitting bone got here in such a place that it firmly binds all bodily actions.

One other factor is when sitting bone is accurately grounded, our backbone naturally received its true alignment. When the backbone is accurately aligned, Prana begins flowing via Sushmana Nadi (the central power channel), that additional fires up the Ajna Chakra.

This manner Padmasana is greatest for sitting with none bodily disturbance in lengthy hours of meditation. Historical yoga practitioners have said that the apply of Padmasana for quarter-hour with none pause makes one able to apply pranayama.

Whereas for many of the inexperienced persons, Lotus pose seems quite simple to realize however mastering it isn’t that straightforward. Though it may be a bit of cake for you if there’s pure flexibility in your hips but when not have, anybody can develop this mobility in hips with time & constant apply.

Preparation

Should you’re a newbie need to sit in lotus pose, merely study your hips mobility by sitting into sure angle pose and see if each side knee touching the bottom with none stretching. Is it straightforward for you? Then you’ll discover it straightforward to come back into the lotus pose.

In case your hips not permitting you to completely transfer via your knees, it’s higher to first apply Straightforward pose (Sukhasana) or Half-lotus pose. Different poses you possibly can contemplate in warm-up preparation of lotus pose are:

• Janu Sirsasana (Head-To-Knee Pose) – On this pose flexion of the knee joint occurs and hips muscle stretches that are good for lotus pose.
• Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose) – This pose will give your thighs and knees further opening to easily move in Lotus pose.
• Paryankasana (Sofa Pose) – Any stiffness in ankles and decrease again might be launched by this pose.

How you can Do Lotus Pose(Padmasana)

1. Sit together with your legs prolonged in direction of one fringe of the mat, ft collectively, backbone starlight, arms resting subsequent to hips. It’s an preliminary pose known as workers pose (Dandasana).
2. From workers pose, attain down, seize the ankle of the suitable leg together with your hand, bend the knee and raise it as much as the higher physique. Then wrap up your bend decrease leg with elbows and roll this leg facet by facet for just a few breaths to launch any pressure within the hip joint. It’s known as Leg Cradle.
3. Now place your outer fringe of proper ankle on the left groin in such a fashion that foot’s sole faces the sky like lotus flower petals bloom freely. It’s one-legged lotus pose.
4. Subsequent, do the identical with the left leg. Seize your left ankle, bend it from knee, raise up and swing it facet by facet for just a few breaths. Then, cross the left ankle over the suitable shin and place it over the suitable groin in the identical method as we did with the suitable leg (sole going through upwards). It’s full lotus pose.
5. With each legs crossed, press heels firmly in opposition to decrease stomach and place your arms on knees going through up. Arms may be positioned in some yoga mudras based mostly on the Pranayama or meditation apply.
   For meditation, Gyan mudra and Dhyana mudra are essentially the most appropriate hand gesture you can also make in lotus pose.
6. Should you’re snug, maintain the pose and take just a few deep breaths. In conventional Padmasana, the pinnacle is introduced ahead identical to within the Chin lock and gaze is mounted on the nostril tip. It’s known as nasikagra drishti.
7. With a purpose to steadiness each side of hips, the identical process is completed left leg first (as a substitute of proper leg). For that, to come back out the pose, slowly seize your higher leg first & then decrease and lengthen it ahead as firstly of the pose (workers pose).

Hand Mudras for Padmasana

Yoga hand mudras are an ideal software to deepen the impact of any yoga asana. In Padmasana, whereas arms resting over knees can take such totally different gestures that can assist you to to pay attention simply.

• Jnana or Gyan mudra – With palm up and the guidelines of index finger and thumb touching one another.
• Chin mudra – With the palm going through down the and the tip of the index finger touching the tip of the thumb.
• Dhyana mudra – With each arms on the lap, the suitable palm positioned on the highest of the left palm, and each the thumbs touching one another.

Comply with-Up Poses of Lotus Pose

Paschimottanasana ( Seated Ahead Bend Pose) and Savasana (Corpse Pose) are really useful after lotus pose to deliver the blood circulation of the legs again to the traditional. Another poses you possibly can strive after lotus pose are:

Variations and Modifications

Half-Lotus Pose – As an alternative of putting each ft on the hip crease, one foot is positioned underneath the other thigh or the buttocks. The foot of the opposite leg is introduced inward and positioned close to the hip crease. This pose is one of the best ways to start your apply of the whole lotus pose and likewise as a warm-up. You should use blankets, towels, and yoga blocks to help your knees.

Utthita Padmasana – That is a sophisticated pose and will solely be practiced after you will have achieved some energy in your arms and again via the assorted core, arms, and again strengthening poses. On this pose, after staying within the lotus pose for some time, place your palms firmly on the mat and push the bottom to raise your physique whereas sitting in Padmasana. Your arms act as an anchor or just like the stand of a weighing scale, which is why additionally it is known as the size pose.

Baddha Padmasana(Certain Lotus Pose) – One other superior degree pose, it’s a nice chest and shoulder opener. Right here the flexibleness of your higher physique is examined to the extremes. Whereas sitting in Padmasana, twist in direction of the suitable from the hip. Convey your left arm again and catch the massive toe of the suitable foot with the left hand. Straighten your physique for a couple of minutes and repeat the identical course of with the suitable arm and left toe. Your arms needs to be crossed behind your again.

Fish Pose with Lotus – The fish pose is a good backbend and chest opener together with a core strengthening pose. Combining it with the lotus pose provides a further good thing about stretching the quads and knee and tonings the glutes. Whereas staying within the lotus pose, slowly and gently tilt backward with the help of your arms. After getting come to a reclined place, raise your higher again as you’ll in a conventional fish pose. You should use a bolster or a cushion if you’re unable to completely tilt again.

Precautions and Contraindications

Because the lotus pose is a sophisticated pose, it’s best to first be taught it from a certified trainer who will practice you with cues and information you with the adjustment, slightly than working towards it alone.

Keep away from working towards the pose if –  

• You’ve lately undergone knee surgical procedure otherwise you suffered an harm.
• You might be affected by sciatica.
• You may have suffered an harm in your ankles or calf.
• You may have a again or spinal ailment.
• You’ve undergone a hip surgical procedure

Advantages of Lotus Pose(Padmasana)

From enhancing the flexibleness of the hips to calming the thoughts throughout meditation, the lotus pose gives a number of advantages that can’t be missed. Though it might be tough to carry out at first, the advantages it gives to the physique and thoughts surpass the diploma of issue.

Some widespread advantages of Lotus Pose are:

• It’s a nice pose to open up the hips and enhance flexibility and vary of movement of the hip joints.
• It additionally stretches the muscle groups across the knees nicely and prepares them for tougher poses. It additionally strengthens the knee be part oft.
• A straight backbone helps appropriate a slouched or rounded again.
• This is without doubt one of the poses that additionally focuses on the ankles. It strengthens the ankle, which may be very useful in lots of balancing postures.
• It improves blood circulation to the sacral nerves, which originate from the decrease backbone and unfold to the pelvis and decrease limbs.
• Common apply of the lotus pose can stop the prevalence of sciatica and likewise relieve gentle sciatic ache.
• It’s also stated to alleviate menstrual ache and cramps.
• Should you apply this pose for a protracted time frame, it would assist tone the stomach muscle groups and strengthen your core.
• It additionally has a constructive impact in your digestive organs and improves the perform of the digestive system.
• The lotus pose helps to steadiness the foundation chakra or muladhara. Since you might be sitting on the bottom, you might be linked to the earth and preserve stability, that are the important traits of this chakra.
• Releasing pressure within the hips additionally helps relieve emotional stress that always accumulates within the hip area.
• Meditation with this pose promotes the free move of prana, which helps to stimulate and awaken the kundalini power

Conclusion

Even the people who find themselves not in yoga understand it by a single title, the lotus pose. It’s best for sitting with none bodily disturbance in lengthy hours of meditation. Though coming onto this pose generally is a piece of cake for some with a pure flexibility within the hips, those that don’t possess the flexibleness can simply develop this mobility within the hips with time & constant apply.