Siddhasana or Auspicious Pose

Siddhasana at a Glance

How to Do Siddhasana?
Follow the Step-by-Step Procedure

In Hatha yoga Pradipika, out of the four meditation poses, that is – Padmasana, Simhasana, Bhadrasana, and Siddhasana, Siddhasana is considered the important meditative pose. The Siddhasana is an essential pose in most yoga sequences.

1. To do this pose, you should choose a quiet and comfortable place. Use a yoga mat or a soft carpet to sit on.
2. Sit on the yoga mat in the Dandasana pose, and keep your legs out straight in front of your body. Just deeply breathe in and breathe out to make yourself comfortable.
3. Now start with the right leg first, drop the right leg outside, and take the knee outside as much as possible, so that your pelvic region opens up.
4. Now your right foot heel will be placed between the anus and the reproductive area.
5. When your heel is pressed, there should be no gap between the calf and thigh of the right leg.
6. Just give a slight pressure with your heel and tilt your buttock a little forward.
7. Now same way open the left leg take the knee outside and bend from the knee.
8. Here the heel of the left foot will come on the top of the right heel, (above the penis for the male and female near the vaginal area) and press the toes (insert into) of the left leg, in between the calf and thigh of the right leg.
9. Now open the calf and the thigh of the left leg, and bring the right toes up from that gap (thigh and calf).
10. Left toes will slightly go down and right toes will come up and the left heel will be above the vaginal area in females and above the penis in the male.
11. The two heels press the two particular points. The bottom heel will press the Mooladhara point and the upper heel will press the Swadisthasana.
12. Keep your hands over your knees and hold the hasta or hand mudra.
13. The energy here is generated from the Mooladhara and channels from the Swadishtasana.
14. Here in this position, your spine becomes straight (upright posture), and the same happens when you do the other 3 asanas (Padmasana, Simhasana, Bhadrasana).
15. Then you can do any mudra, like Gyan mudra, and focus on the two points keep your eyes closed, and do the Meditation or pranayama for 15 minutes or as much as you can
16. Keep breathing and feel the heat and energy flowing within your body.
17. Prolonged periods in Siddhasana may result in noticeable tingling sensations in the Muladhara region. This can sometimes last for fifteen to twenty minutes.
18. For beginners, it can be difficult they can use a folded blanket under their buttocks for support, which elevates their buttocks and easier to sit and keep their spine straight.

What are the Benefits of Siddhasana?

• It helps to improve your self-control and focus on your behaviour and lifestyle.
• It also helps to convert sexual energy into spiritual energy, so you can do this asana for better spiritual growth.
• It helps to purify the Nadis flushes out the negative thoughts and toxins and helps the prana to flow freely.
• It helps to improve reproductive-related problems.
• It helps the Apana Vayu to channel upward to the Sahasrara to convert the desires into liberation.
• This can help your growth in the spiritual journey like the lotus pose.
• This asana can be helpful for irregular menstrual cycle, if the Apana Vayu not functioning properly, and also during pregnancy
• It helps to strengthen the hips, pelvic floor, and lower/lumbar region of the spine.
• With regular practice of this asana, your mind and the senses are controlled so you can control your actions to get the desired growth in your life.

Health Conditions that Might Benefit from Siddhasana

• Siddhasana is said to purify the 72,000 Nadis or energy channels, our prana uses to travel around the physical and energetic body.
• It helps to keep your stress, tension, and anxiety in control.
• It helps to boost your self-esteem and self-confidence and improves your way of living.
• It can help to improve your digestion process which helps to keep your digestive system healthy.
• It can help to keep your blood pressure in check if practiced regularly.
• This can help to improve your breathing quality, which helps better respiratory function.
• It can also improve blood circulation to the lumbar and abdominal regions.
• This helps physical and mental ability; it helps to soothe every cell of your body and calms the entire nervous system.
• Siddhasana helps to strengthen your pelvis, ankles, and knee joints.

Safety and Precautions

• Avoid this pose if you have any injury in your spine, knee joints, ankles, or hips.
• People with arthritis should avoid this pose, as pose may compress joints and can cause inflammation.
• Avoid this pose if you have a sacral infection and sciatica pain, it may stop the blood flow to the sciatica nerve and may worsen your condition.
• Beginners, initially on the safer side should start this asana under the guidance of the yoga teacher.
• The Accomplished Pose can cause cramps or pain in the ankles, do a bound angle pose to open your his and ankles. You can use props to help or do the easy variation initially to strengthen yourself and only under the guidance of trained yoga practitioners. 

Common Mistakes

• You should change your legs, once you are done with one leg, this way you can balance both legs.
• If you are a beginner or have any flexibility issues don’t push your knees to the floor, keep it till your reach and gradually get over.
• Keep a check on your lower and upper back, not to hunch it, so be mindful of which in this pose.
• Keep your shoulders and neck relaxed.
• Don’t try to hold your breath, if you are meditating.
• Do the preparatory poses to loosen your muscles.
• Regular practice can help you attain the final version and reap the benefits, so don’t try to rush to get into or while releasing the Siddhasana posture.

Tips for Siddhasana

• To prep for this pose, try the Sukhasana or easy pose.
• This may seem to be very easy, but people with flexibility issues may be difficult so just do it under the proper guidance.
• As with other yoga asanas do it in the morning on an empty stomach and with quiet surroundings.
• Warm-up is really important before starting this pose to your hips, knee joints, and ankles.
• You can also use some soft cushions or folded blankets to support your buttocks.
• You can keep your hands on your knees with your choice of mudra.
• Close your eyes while you hold this pose. To be with your inner self.

Physical Alignment Principles for Practicing Siddhasana

Alignment principles are always important to help get a safer Accomplished pose for all yoga poses.

• First, sit in the Dandasana (staff) pose and take a few deep breaths.
• Bend your right knee and the heel should be near your perineum.
• Tilt your buttock slightly forward, but keep your head to buttocks in one line.
• No gap between your, right thigh and calf.  
• Bend your left knee, and the heel of the left leg should be placed on the right heel.
• Tuck in the left foot’s toes between the right thigh and calf.  
• Bring up your right foot’s toes in between the left thigh and calf.  
• Your heel should be over the other heel and ankle bones are touching each other.
• Knees touching the floor, in case of any flexibility issues, don’t try to force it.
• Keep breathing and keep your hands over the knee with the hasta or hand mudra.
• Let your chest be open and relax your shoulders.
• Your head should be lifted upward.
• Close your eyes to meditate in Siddhasana.
• Beginners can use a soft cushion or folded blanket under the buttocks for support and to avoid hunching while doing Siddhasana.

Siddhasana and Breath

Siddhasana is a meditative pose, and breath plays a very important role. You can do Pranayama in the Siddhasana pose. The breath here is deep and calm and let the energy flow in and while you exhale let go of the tensions and the negative thoughts.

Start with taking a few deep breaths which calms your mind and prepares your body. When you start forming the Siddhasana, keep your breath continuous, and when you are set in the Auspicious pose, you breathe deeply through your nose breathe out, and let go of the toxicity in your body. Maintain this breath flow in a rhythmic motion and in a balanced manner. Your balanced breath will improve your, self-awareness and will help you to let go of the distractions and just be with your inner self when you are in the Siddhasana.

Siddhasana and Variations

• You can do the Jalandhar Bandh or the chin lock in Siddhasana.
• You can bring your hands in the prayer pose instead of keeping them on the knees.
• In Hatha Yoga Pradipika,the same pose is called, Siddha Yoni Asana, a variation of Siddhasana is for female yogis.
• Another variation is Ardha Siddhasana.
• You can also modify by using pros like, a yoga block, soft cushion, or folded blanket.

Conclusion

Siddhasana also known as Liberation Pose or King of Asanas is a meditative pose for prolonged meditation. Famous for purifying the 72,000 Nadis, this pose helps to channel the thoughts productively and is perfect for those who are looking for spirituality. Although it looks simple Siddhasana gives immense benefits when practiced regularly like self awareness, focus, reduced distractions, removal of negativity and calm body and mind. If you have any health concerns consult a doctor before practicing this pose.

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