How-to-Do-Lotus-Pose-(Padmasana)Yoga-2021

 Lotus Pose - Padmasana

How-to-Do-Lotus-Pose-(Padmasana)Yoga-2021

How-to-Do-Lotus-Pose-(Padmasana)Yoga
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Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes

Also Known As Lotus Position

Targets: Knees, ankles

Level: Advanced

While Lotus Pose (Padmasana) is one of the most recognizable yoga poses, it is an advanced pose that isn't appropriate for the majority of practitioners. In part, this is because most Westerners have gotten out of the habit of squatting and sitting on the floor and therefore have limited hip mobility. The good news is that your hip mobility may improve over time with consistent practice, making Lotus possible.

Benefits of Lotus Pose: How-to-Do-Lotus-Pose-(Padmasana)Yoga-2021

• Opens up the hips
• Stretches the ankles and knees
• Calms the brain
• Increases awareness and attentiveness
• Keeps the spine straight
• Helps develop good posture
• Eases menstrual discomfort and sciatica
• It Helps keeps joints and ligaments flexible
• Stimulates the spine, pelvis, abdomen, and bladder
• Restores energy levels

Step-by-Step Instructions. How-to-Do-Lotus-Pose-(Padmasana)Yoga-2021

You may want to position a blanket under your sit bones to prepare for Lotus.

• From Staff Pose, bend your right knee and use your hands to bring the right ankle to the left hip crease with the sole of the right foot facing upward. Settle the foot in the hip crease.
• Bend your left knee and use your hands to cross the left ankle over to the right hip crease with the sole of the left foot facing up.
• Sit up tall with a long spine and your shoulders moving away from your ears. Place hands on thighs, palms facing up with shoulders drawing back and down. Actively lengthen the crown of your head upwards.
• Relax your knees toward the floor.
• After 10 to 20 breaths, release the legs and repeat the posture with your left foot on the bottom and your right foot on top.

Common Mistakes. How-to-Do-Lotus-Pose-(Padmasana)Yoga-2021

Get the most out of this pose by avoiding these errors.

Not Having Enough Hip Flexibility

To get into full Lotus, the legs have to have the range of motion to externally rotate out from the pelvis. Forcing the legs into position will not have the effect of opening the hips but will instead transfer the strain down the leg to the knee joint, which is more likely to give.

As you can imagine, this is not a great scenario for the knees. Raising the seat by sitting upon a blanket helps position the hips, but it's not going to create the necessary mobility if it's not there. Instead, you will need to work your way up to full Lotus by doing Half Lotus and other hip-openers.

Precautions for Padmasana (Lotus Pose). How-to-Do-Lotus-Pose-(Padmasana)Yoga-2021

Following are the precautions necessary to keep in mind before practicing Padmasana:

• Avoid forcing yourself to remain in this asana as that will make you vulnerable to injury especially in the knees.
• A lot of people find it hard to overlap the second leg, therefore, Ardha Titli Asana (Half Butterfly Pose) must be practiced until you find it comfortable to practice Padmasana.
• People suffering from any of these should avoid practicing Padmasana: Injured or weak ankles or knees, sciatica, severe back pain, or pregnancy.