Meditate With The Lotus Position Padmasana!

Yoga and health go hand in hand. India, the birthplace of yoga, has many poses which maintain the health of an individual. If you want to pick up a simple yet effective pose for meditation, then Padmasana is the pose for you. The lotus pose is one of the most commonly used yoga poses for meditation. The pose is known for its stability and firmness. Few experts jokingly say that if anyone sleeps while performing this pose, they will not fall down. However, as it is most common for meditating guys, it is not necessary to perform this yoga pose for meditation. Lord Gautam Buddha is the representative of this pose, and he is often seen in this pose. Lotus is generally considered as a symbol of growth and rejuvenation. It is a sign of glory rising among the mud of adversity.

Many Yoga experts consider Padmasana pose as an advanced posture as it puts lots of stress on the joints of the limbs. So it is not necessary that everybody can successfully achieve this pose. This has given rise to many variations. The demand that the lotus position put on your joints can be really taxing. Both the thighs should rotate externally in the hip sockets and should bend 90 degrees. One should be able to deeply bend the knees while activating the ankles and feet to stabilise. Medically speaking, the hip joint is a ball and socket that is capable of circular motion. The flexibility of the rotation varies from person to person.

What Is The Significance of Padmasana?

Padamasana has several benefits be it mentally, physically and spiritually. It positions the body in a tangent position to the ground. The spine is in the erect position; this helps in increasing the circulation in the lower spine, energise and tone the abdominal muscles and organs. As the weight is put on the hips, ankles and legs, it gradually strengthens the muscles of hips and legs. Gradually the meditation wills the gravity and inertia while doing this pose and can feel the grounding effect physically as well as mentally. The point of concentration is down towards the ground.

As per yoga gurus, the higher centres of the body and spine are awakened by this pose. This is also referred to as the awakening of the kundalini. Kundalini can be called as the dormant state of energy hibernated at the base of the spine. By activating the kundalini, the energy transformation from one chakra to another occurs. So now you must be curious as to how it is performed.

How To Perform The Lotus Pose?

The lotus position is not for everyone. So do not break your back doing it. However, you can try it out. As it is stretching of the lower torso muscles, be careful if your movement and posture as doing it wrongly can injure your joints. Follow the instructions below to perform the conventional lotus pose.

1. Keep your spine in an upright position and sit on the floor with legs extended. The arm should be resting on the sides. This is also called the Dandasana or seated staff pose.
2. Then bend your right knee and align closely to your chest. Then the right ankle is brought to the border of the left hip in such a way that the palm of the right foot is facing the open side. The leg sole or the infra side of the ankle should rest on the hip crease.
3. Similarly, bend your left knee. The left ankle should cross over the right leg. The sole of the left leg should also face on the open side upwards. Similarly, the left sole of its infra side should rest on the hip crease.
4. Try to draw your knees close. Press your groins towards the floor. The spine should be upright-time for your hands to rest on the knee cap with the palm facing the sky upwards. Make a circle with the index finger and thumb and keep the rest of the fingers extended. This is called the Gyan Mudra pose. The pose is rested on the knee cap.
5. Concentrate on the middle of the temple between the two eyebrows. This is also called the third eye of Lord Shiva. Hold up for a one-minute duration of your meditation.
6. Once you are done, release the pose slowly by opening the leg extensions along the floor in the staff pose. Now repeat the step with the right leg over the left leg. Once you are done, rest in the savasana for 5 minutes minimum. This is the resting or the break phase.

This is the traditional lotus pose. However, there are many variations. One note of caution, do not try this pose without the supervision of an expert. Take the help of consultant yoga experts for trying Padmasana and various other poses. Let us know about the variations and the modification.

Modifications And Variations

Duration of Lotus pose can vary from person to person. Most yogic perform this pose, for meditation and pranayama. However, if one is not comfortable with this pose then there are several modifications available for you that are safe, well supported and steady.

1. If you are finding it difficult to rest the knees on the floor, then one can use a blanket.
2. There is a variation called the Half Lotus (Ardha Padmasana). This is for those people who are not able to flex their knees completely. They can either choose the left or right leg to flex it over and rest on the opposite side hips and let the other leg be grounded.
3. Still, if you are not able to perform the half lotus position, then you can go for sukhasana. It is a simple sitting position mostly found in Indian culture. The legs are flexed and crossed, and the intersection of the legs take the sole of the legs downwards.
4. If you do not have any problem with your spine and have more strength, then one can try the scale pose or the Tolasana. The palms are pressed on the floor alongside hips. The buttocks and the legs are then taken off the ground against the gravity and the body is allowed to swing slightly. All the weight is concentrated on the hands, so be careful before you perform this pose.
5. For a deeper stretching pose, one can try the Bound Lotus Pose or the Baddha Padmasana. Once you have reached the full Lotus pose, then try reaching both the arms behind the back, crossing each other and the hands touching the opposite toe of the legs.
6. Other poses like Matsyanasa and Salamba Sarvangasana can also be performed.

Find out which pose is right for you. Call our yoga experts to set your pose right. Let us get a brief idea about the benefits of Padmasana.

Benefits Of Padmasan

Lotus pose is used to strengthen the spine and helps in the activation of chakras. As a pose of meditation, this will help to calm the mind. It also helps in stretching the limbs and the lower torso, thereby strengthening the spine and the upper back. Ladies suffering from menstrual discomfort and distress in reproductive organs and try this pose as this will increase the circulation in the lower spine and the pelvis region. It stimulates the pelvis, abdomen and bladder. It helps in easing sciatica.

According to an ancient text, Hatha Yoga Pradipika dated back to the 14th century CE; Lotus pose destroys all the disease. This text also claims the awakening of Kundalini and chakras. In some civilisations, it is believed that while meditating in the lotus pose and chanting “Om Mani Padme Hum” will purity, liberate and unite the mind and the body. But this is one of the most common injury-causing poses. Let us know the contraindications.

Padmasana Contraindications

All those people with joint problems should not perform this pose. If you have any acute or chronic case of joint, ankle or hip injury, then stay away. Lotus pose requires hyper flexibility and self awareness. So do not attempt this pose without expert supervision. You are likely to injure yourself because if you are not able to control the movement or weight transformation, then you may land up awkwardly on the ground. Lotus Position for beginners includes Sukhasana or Ardha Padmasana yoga pose.

Remember to know your limits and capacity. If you have any medical ailments, then consult your doctor before practising any yoga pose. Lotus Pose Padmasana is one of the oldest poses as it is connected to meditation. This can be one of the ways to channel a connection with ancient yogis. If you master the art of this pose, then you can take yourself one level up by practicing meditation and pranayama. Just remember, do not try to be a self-teacher. Beginners should always start with an easy pose. Do not put the weight on one side of the body. After you are done with the Lotus pose, try to rest your body in the savasana. Learn the art of Yoga from experts.

Read More:-
Which are the Best Yoga Poses for Weight Loss?
Benefits of Yoga – The Discipline of Health!