Lotus Pose (Padmasana) is one you had been seemingly accustomed to earlier than you ever set foot in a yoga studio. Certainly you’d seen sculptures of Siddartha or images of Indian sadhus with their legs tightly folded collectively in a pretzel form. It’s a pose that’s related to serene states of meditation — and the form of the pose actually does encourage quiet.
Maybe the tranquil look of the pose is what makes us all pine for it. However make no mistake — it’s to not be tried flippantly. It requires an infinite quantity of flexibility within the hip joint and in case your physique simply doesn’t “go there,” you threat hurting your knees.
Within the meantime, you will get many advantages with a sequence that prepares you for Lotus. And in case your physique is able to fold into the pose, you’ll know. (Belief me on this.) There will probably be no knee ache, no stress, no sense of prying or leveraging or forcing. As an alternative, it would really feel like you might be folding your self into the pose.
Forcing your physique into Lotus Pose will not be value it in the long term. Ache in your knees or your hips is an indication to again off. Received it? Good.
Most college students make the identical mistake after they open their hips for Lotus Pose: They deal with stretching the outer hips however neglect to open the opposite muscle teams that make up the hip joint. Whereas the outer hips normally want loads of assist, the important thing to freedom and steadiness in your hips is working with all the muscle teams that have an effect on the joint, not simply your exterior rotators. I can’t promise you a Lotus, however working towards the next sequence will make your hips be happier, more healthy, and extra supple as you’re employed towards it.
If you wish to make this sequence a stronger, sweatier stream follow, be at liberty to follow a number of Solar Salutations first. You may also add standing poses, arm balances, and inversions to extend the depth of this follow.
When you’re in want of a quieter, extra contemplative follow, you possibly can end with seated meditation or pranayama.
Maintain every pose within the sequence for not less than 5 breaths and remember to follow either side earlier than making an attempt Lotus Pose.
{illustrations by MCKIBILLO}