LOTUS POSE

Everything You Need To Know About Lotus Pose.

Padmasana or lotus posture is leg over leg sitting asana. Falling under the thoughtful asana (meditative pose). Padmasana or Lotus Pose is also sometimes called ‘Kamalasana'. Amongst the four poses prescribed for Japa(contemplation) and Dhyana(meditation) Lotus Pose is considered the foremost.A firm foundation of yoga practitioner will experience an upward energy in the spine which makes the padmasana effortless and  steady practice 

Lotus significance:

• In the Hindu iconography, Goddess Lakshmi supernaturally situates herself on an open lotus. Lord Ganesha and Lord Vishnu are sporadically demonstrated situated on the lotus. 
• When we discuss Buddhism, it is said that wherever Buddha set foot, a lotus sprouted. the lotus has been synonymous with separation, resurrection, excellence, virtue, otherworldliness, edification, material riches, and vast restoration. Appropriate from Egypt to India, the lotus has been a piece of numerous adventures.
• The Padma truly implies "blooming lotus". `It has been granted by the lotus..The significance of lotus is viewed as immaculate by the mud and earth through the petals rises out so as the yogi needs to turn out from these dull issues (numbness )as self-figured it out. The picture is nothing not as much as an analogy for the unfurling procedure of yoga. "A lotus is established in the mud, and when it develops, it sprouts into a lovely bloom.
• It's viewed as most developed stance one needs to ace another asana in ready to sit in padmasana for the reflection. The qualities of the lotus are balanced out and grounded which solidly sets the objective of the padmasana. Journey to the padmasana is experienced only by mastering the all other asanas then the yogi is able to achieve the deeper conscious to it.

Scriptural references

The Yogi who, sitting with Padmasana, can control breathing, there is no doubt, is free from bondage. (hath yoga pradipika  1.51)

Yogi Swatmarama says, "Ordinary people cannot achieve padmasana, only a few wise ones can." What does he mean by that? He means the average person. Of course, if you look around you will find that very few people can perform padmasana, and only those who are regular practitioners of yoga can maintain the posture for long periods of time. If you keep the legs supple you will be able to do it. Padmasana, the destroyer of the diseases of the Yamis.it awakens the kundalini energy after purifying the chakras, nadis, prana and balances the Ida and Pingala to awaken the Sushumna. Where the yogi enters in tranquility

The yogi who, situated in padmasana, breathes in through the passages of the nadis and fills them with. Maruta is another word for prana yet it likewise has different implications. 

The Upanishads say that there are forty-nine maruta. They are portrayed as being siblings of Lord Indra

Shiva, the contemplating plain Lord of Hinduism, Siddhartha Gautama, the organizer of Buddhism, and the Tirthankaras (Portage Producers) in Jainism have been portrayed in the lotus position

Steps for padmasana

Sit on a level surface on the ground with your spine erect and your legs extended. 

Slowly curve the correct knee, and utilize your hands to put it on your left side thigh. Your soles must point upward, and the foot sole areas must be near your guts. 

Do likewise with the other leg. 

Since both your legs are crossed, and your feet are easily put on the contrary thighs, show your hands into a mudra of your decision and place it in position. Commonly, the hands are put on the knees. 

Keep in mind that your head must be straight and the spine erects consistently. 

Inhale long and profound. Hold the situation for a couple of minutes. Discharge. 

Rehash the posture with the other leg to finish everything.

Steps for Traditional (baddha) Padmasana (H.P 1.44-47)

Place the right foot on the left thigh and the left foot on the right thigh

grasp the toes with the hands crossed over the back.

Press the chin against the chest and gaze on the tip of the nose.

This is called padmasana, the destroyer of a yogi's diseases.

Place the feet on the thighs, soles upward, palms in the middle of the groin, facing upward

Gaze at the nose tip, keeping the tongue pressed against the root of the upper teeth and the chin against the chest, and slowly raise the prana upward.

This is called padmasana, destroyer of all diseases. Ordinary people cannot achieve this posture, only a few wise ones on this earth can.

Contraindications:

Avoid if any type of knee damage

Avoid if any type of damage in the lower leg or calf. 

experiencing any back or spine distress. 

the shortcoming in the sciatic nerves. 

Never do this stance without rehearsing a few stretches for the legs and the spine.

Benefits:

Corrects faulty posture.

Improves flexibility of lower extremities – pelvic, knee and ankle joints.

Blood circulation in the abdominal area is significantly increased- aids digestion.

Brings awareness of body and breathing.

Improves concentration—mind remains focused and relaxed. Experience quietude.

Builds awareness of thoughts (mindfulness) – being in the present

Enhances inner harmony with oneself.

Improves digestion

Reduces muscular tension and brings blood pressure under control

Helps pregnant ladies during childbirth

Reduces menstrual discomfort

PADMASANA YOGA SEQUENCE PREPARATORY POSES:

In Lotus Pose (Padmasana), the ankles and the knees are the parts that get stiff or tight and hence working on opening the ankles and improving the flexibility of the knees is a must through the practice of other yoga poses. Lotus Pose (Padmasana) can be performed by practicing the following poses first:

Golf chakra (ankle rotation)

Janu chakra (knee crank)

Ardh titali (asana butterfly)

Shroni chakra (hip rotation)

Couch Pose (Paryankasana)

Cow Face Pose with Eagle Arms (Gomukhasana and Garudasana)

Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana

Upavistha Konasana (Seated Straddle Pose)

Vayunishkasana(wind releasing pose)

Udarakarshanasana(abdominal stretch pose)

 

Mudras for padmasana:

Mudra stimulates the flow of the energies in the body and when practiced with padmasana gives an amazing effect . each mudra would have its own effect and its benefits. concentrate on the inhalation and exhalation while doing this mudra:

 

Chin mudra
Chinmaya mudra
Adi mudra
Brahma mudra  

 

Variations:

One Legged Lotus Pose: One could start sitting in One-Legged Lotus Pose and after repeated practice, go into full Lotus Pose (Padmasana).

Blocks under knees: Putting pressure at the ankles may be painful without practice. So one can use a support by placing blocks under the knees, keeping the knee raised to support the ankle.

Sit on Cushion or Blanket: If the spine is not ready yet, then sitting on a cushion, or a thick blanket to support the buttocks will greatly help.

Soft Surface: One could start practicing this on a mattress or on a sofa to give the spine and the legs the support until it gets flexible.

Final thought: 

Whether Lotus create is in your future or not, creating a journey toward it will be deeply fulfilling. A journey may be a journey to a sacred website for healing, giving thanks, or divine association. 

tightened identical clarity of intention and steady devotion, the journey toward Padmasana may be a figurative one that gives the deep satisfaction of connecting to the intuitive self among. 

As you travel on this path, it is important that you just become awake to the sensations altogether of the preceding poses. If you're feeling mild stretching in your hips, take that as an honest sign. If you're feeling propulsion or burning sensations in your knees or ankles, take heed. Move step by step toward Padmasana consciously. within the sequence that follows, you'll be able to choose from 2 distinct paths—one that ends with the complete Lotus create and another that gives slightly less tightened poses to confirm that you just open your hips slowly and keep your knees safe.