Padmasana / Lotus Pose
Out of the 84 lakhs of yoga postures, four asanas are recommended for meditation and they are Padmasana, Siddhasana, Svastikasana and Sukhasana. Out of these four, Padmasana gains more importance, as it is the best asana for meditation.
- Sit on the floor with legs stretched forward. Keep your back straight.
- Bend the right leg and place the right foot on the left thigh. Place your right foot as close to the abdomen as possible.
- Now place the left foot on the right thigh close to your abdomen.
- Stretch your arms and place your hands on the knees with palms facing upwards.
- Assume Chin Mudhra by letting your index finger lightly touch the tip of your thumb. The remaining fingers should remain stretched.
Duration of Lotus Pose
Beginners can retain the pose for one minute and slowly increase the duration. Once you master the pose, you can meditate in this pose for an hour.
Benefits of Lotus Pose
- Best pose for meditation.
- Relaxes the body and mind of the practitioner.
- Regulates breathing
- Improves blood circulation
- Relaxes the nervous system
- Strengthens the hips
- Stretches the spine
- Strengthens the back muscles.
- Tones the pelvic region and helps in achieving easy childbirth if practiced during pregnancy.
- Relieves heel pain and those who often experience their legs falling asleep will find Lotus Pose a reliever from such problems
- Relieves anxiety and promotes calm
Note
Those with chronic knee injury and ankle injury should not do Padmasana. If one finds it difficult to achieve perfection in Lotus Pose or has inconvenience in the beginning stages, Half Lotus Pose can be practiced for a while before attempting Lotus Pose. In Half Lotus Pose, you cross one leg and leave the other leg under the crossed leg on the floor. If lifting any leg is difficult you can cross the legs as you would normally do and keep your spine straight and start practicing gently. Keeping the legs normally crossed on the floor is Easy Pose.
Counter Pose for Lotus Pose: Tadasana / Standing Mountain Pose
