Asana: Pose
Padmasana at a Glance
Padmasana, the Lotus Pose, reflects the struggles in one’s life, which you can overcome and become strong enough to bloom like a Lotus. Lotus represents purity, strength, growth, beauty, and alignment, which every human being has inside them. The lotus pose is also known as the Vajra position. This pose is meditative and restorative.
Benefits:
- Padmasana is the best foundation for meditation.
- It reduces your stress and anxiety and helps to relax.
- Lotus pose can help to keep the blood pressure in control.
- This asana helps to strengthen the pelvic region.
- This pose also helps with a better digestion process.
Who can do it?
People having some experience in yoga asana can do Padmasana. People with good hip flexibility and looking for some foundation pose for meditation can do this asana. People looking to relax and calm their minds can opt for this asana. People who want to improve their health and clear their mild physical ailments can practice this yoga asana.
Who should not do it?
People having ankle or knee injuries should avoid or consult their health care professional. Senior citizens or people with weak knees should avoid or opt for simple variation asana. People with spinal problems should avoid doing this pose. People struggling with flexibility or having certain health concerns should avoid or consult their doctor before doing this yoga asana.
How to Do Padmasana?
Follow the Step-by-Step Procedure
This pose is not easy, but with regular practice, you can achieve this meditative pose and many more benefits and enhance your hidden qualities.
- Lotus Pose should be done in a quiet and peaceful environment. Do some preparatory asanas and prepare your body for Padmasana, like Ardha Matsyendrasana, Badha konasana, and Janu Sirsasana.
- Do this asana on a yoga mat, soft carpet, and surface. Keep your back (spine) straight.
- Stretch your legs in front of you and sit in the Dandasana pose, take deep breaths, and prepare for the Padmasana pose.
- Now lift your right leg with the support of the hands, bend the right knee and rotate the leg from the hip outward (not from the knee joint). Bring your right foot close to the thigh and place it on the left upper thigh, where your right heel will be near the abdomen or touching the abdomen and soul slightly upward.
- Make yourself comfortable in this position, and now bend the left knee gently with the support of your hands, bring your left foot on the upper thigh of the right leg and place your left foot.
- Your heel of the left foot should be close to the abdomen and your sole slightly upward.
- In this Lotus position, you can see the formation of a crossed leg. Your spine should be straight and not hunched. Your feet are placed on the opposite thighs.
- Be grounded, relaxed, and comfortable in this pose, with shoulders relaxed and not stressed.
- Your hands should be on the knees and your palms facing upward or in any mudra you feel comfortable.
- This is the Padmasana pose (Lotus pose) and stay in this pose for a few minutes according to your comfort.
- Breathe gently and take a deep breath. Close your eyes to be with you and your inner self. Do the pranayama and meditate.
- While you want to come out of the pose, slowly bring your left leg straight with the support of your hands, and then bring your right leg straight in front of you. Relax your legs and come to the Dandasana pose.
- When you are relaxed, you can do it with a change of legs. Now, you can bend your left leg (left knee) and then your right leg to balance it equally.
- Then, come back to the Dandasana pose and relax with gentle breaths.
- Beginners can start doing it with Half Padmasana, where only one foot is placed on the upper thigh.
- Finally, you can do the cooling posture like savasana.
What are the Benefits of Padmasana?
- Padmasana gives a gentle massage to the abdominal area. Also, it improves the blood flow to the abdomen, which helps to stimulate your digestive system and prevent constipation and bloating.
- Practicing it regularly improves your flexibility in your hip and knee and helps with healthy joints.
- Padmasana helps you to improve your posture and helps to strengthen your back and hip muscles.
- The Padmasana pose helps to strengthen your pelvic region and pelvic muscles. This helps to reduce the pain during childbirth, so pregnant women are encouraged to do this pose safely, with props, under the guidance of the prenatal yoga trainer, only after consulting their doctor.
- This helps maintain stability and balance as you sit with crossed legs, a straight spine, and mudra. This also cultivates patience.
- It is an amazing posture to improve your focus and concentration, which can help students and people who need a lot of focus and concentration at work.
- With both legs crossed, the lotus pose helps reduce your stress and anxiety and calms you.
Health Conditions that Might Benefit from Padmasana
- This can help ladies ease the pain and cramps during their menstrual cycle.
- This can also help boost digestion as it massages the abdominal area and allows good blood flow to the abdomen.
- This pose also helps to reduce stress and anxiety and calm the nervous system.
- This pose can help diabetic patients to decrease their glucose levels and increase their insulin levels.
- This can be helpful to people looking to improve their posture and with mild back issues.
- People with stiff hips can slowly reduce stiffness by practicing the Padmasana pose regularly.
Safety and Precautions
- Don’t try it alone if you have ankle or knee pain or injury. Avoid it or do it under the guidance of a professional yoga trainer.
- Do some stretching exercises to your legs and back before doing this asana.
- For any spinal injury, avoid doing this asana.
- Support with props to avoid pressure on your hips and knee joints.
- Beginners do it only under the supervision of the yoga trainer.
Common Mistake
- Force your legs and hips to get the lotus pose when you have flexibility issues.
- Not placing the foot correctly.
- Hunching your back (spine erect).
- Not following the alignment procedure.
- Not using props when needed.
- Doing the Padmasana pose without any warmup.
- Continuing the pose even if you feel some discomfort and pain.
- Not focusing on your breath.
Tips for Padmasana
- Use pros under your knees if it is difficult to touch the floor. Keep yoga blocks or folded blankets.
- Do this lotus pose with both legs equally.
- Gradually increase the duration of the pose.
- Do this pose quietly on a yoga mat on any soft surface.
- Don’t do it immediately after your meals.
- Do preparatory poses and warm up before the Padmasana pose.
- Concentrate on your breath.
- Respect your body limits.
The Physical Alignment Principles for the Padmasana
- Sit down with your legs stretched in front of you.
- First, bend your right leg and bring it to the upper left thigh of the left leg near the pelvis.
- Then bend your left leg and get it across the right thigh close to the abdomen or pelvis.
- See that you rotate from the hips and not the knee.
- Heels should be near the core.
- Souls of the feet slightly upward.
- The spine should be straight.
- Knees should be close to the floor but don’t force. You can place a soft cushion to support.
- Keep your hands on the knees, and your palms should face up and hold some mudra.
- Close your eyes and head straight, be comfortable, and breathe gently and deeply.
- Be in this pose for 1 to 5 min according to your comfort level.
- When released, come out gently with your legs back to the Dandasana pose and relax and do it with your left leg.
Padmasana and Breath
In Padmasana’s meditative pose, breath plays a very important role. Breath is the partner in this pose. When you start this pose, inhale deeply and gently. Then, keep breathing and let the energy flow continue when you bend and bring one leg to the opposite upper thigh and the other to the opposite. Now, sitting with your legs crossed, close your eyes and come to one comfortable mudra. Breathe in and let go of the stress, inhale, feel the sensation in each part of the body, and let go with the exhale. Calm your mind and body. Focus on your inner self by maintaining balance and stability.
Padmasana and Variations
- You can do an advanced variation, like a seated mountain pose, for the stretch in the arms.
- You can opt for half lotus pose variation if you have less flexibility.
- Fold forward with the lotus pose and stretching arms in front of you.
- Comfortable variation by keeping the cushions or folded blanket under your knee for comfort.
The Bottom Line
Conclusion
As per Hatha Yoga Pradipika Padmasana or The Lotus Pose is used to cure physical ailments and to enhance spiritual well being. The pressure on the lower spine in this pose calms the nervous system and improves your posture and provides a foundation for meditation. Practicing Padmasana gives you peace of mind, focus and concentration and symbolizes purity, strength, creativity, patience and progress towards perfection and stability in life.
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