padma (lotus) + asana (pose)
Lotus Pose is hands down yoga's most universally recognized asana. It´s hard not to look at someone expressing the pose (even a photo) without ommmmming to yourself. While it sounds simple enough—legs crossed, hands resting on knees with thumb & index finger forming a circle—it´s a difficult posture to achieve. How open your hips are will determine how deeply you can enter & stay in the pose, so it´s likely you're going to have to work towards it. Word to the wise: if Fire Log Pose is unavailable to you, don´t move on to Lotus!—everything in its time. Make sure you really warm your hips up beforehand in Half Lotus, Cobbler´s Pose, Cradle Pose, Standing or Reclining Figure 4 Pose, or Easy Pose. Be sensible: you can hurt yourself in Padmasana—notably your ankles, knees, & hips. To achieve the full effect of this grounding pose, you should stay in Lotus for up to 1 minute, slowly come out of it, & then repeat on the other side. Relax (& reward yourself) afterwards in Seated Forward Fold, Seated Torso Circles, & Staff Pose. If you´re not one of those amazingly lucky people who can slip into Lotus on the first try, modify or try a variation—you´ll be best buds soon enough!
Benefits
opens & stretches the hips, groin, knees & ankles
targets the knee & sacroiliac joints
improves flexibility in the ankles
lengthens the spine
stimulates the abdominal organs & helps digestion & pooping
can improve sleep quality
eases menstrual discomfort
is believed to ease childbirth
helps reduce High Blood Pressure
creates a sense of balance & stability throughout the body
amplifies the flow of prana, your life-giving breath
reduces anxiety.
Remember: be mindful - this isn´t a pose that you can force upon yourself! If your knees don´t touch the ground then your hips aren´t ready for Lotus!
Props: because this pose isn´t accessible to everyone, & your alignment is exceptionally important, props can be a wonderful way to safely reap its benefits. Blocks placed under your knees will take the strain off your knees & ankles, while sitting on a folded blanket will elevate so that the bottom of your hip is slightly higher than your knee & your femurs are sloping downward a bit will help if your hip flexors are tight. If you find your ankles rolling in, place a rolled-up towel under them for support.
Avoid or Modify Lotus Pose if you
experience pain in your hips, knees, or ankles
suffer from sciatica, back pain, or stomach ache
sustained a spinal injury, leg or ankle injury
are pregnant with swollen ankles.
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