Padmasana (Lotus Position)

Lotus position or Padmasana is a cross-legged sitting meditation pose in which each foot is placed on the opposite thigh.

You can start with beginner yoga poses and then move on to Padmasana to reap the complete benefits of yoga in your life. While the lotus position or Padmasana brings with it peace of mind when you perform it, It also helps in curing a lot of physical ailments. Furthermore, Padmasana has various benefits including improved digestion, mind relaxation, easy childbirth, reduced muscular tension, and a lot more. You can learn more about the types of Padmasana, how to practice it on a daily basis, benefits, and precautions in this article.

What is Padmasana?

Daily life is stressful and brings with it several ups and downs. By practising yoga, you can handle these hurdles with more equanimity. This article will help you learn more about the Padmasana yoga pose and the benefits it provides practitioners with.

Padmasana, which translates to “lotus pose” in Sanskrit, requires yogis to have open hips. This position can be classified as a cross-legged yoga pose which allows us to deepen our meditation by calming our mind and helping alleviate a ton of physical ailments.

This position involves a lot of grounding and energy and is symbolic of the lotus, which is rooted in the mud and then proceeds to bloom into a beautiful flower. In the same vein, when you first begin to practise yoga, you too are rooted in the mud and have several worries but once you progress, you are capable of blooming like the lotus flower.

Types of Padmasana

Owing to the fact that different yoga practitioners may have different capabilities, Padmasana can be practised in varied ways so that these differing capabilities of different yoga students are better accommodated. In addition to the generic lotus position, Padmasana can be performed in the following variations:

1. Ardha Padmasana

Also known as the half lotus position, as opposed to both legs being crossed, this position requires only one leg to be placed over the opposite thigh. Once beginners are more confident, they can progress to the Padmasana position.

2. Baddha Padmasana

A more complex and advanced form of the Padmasana pose, this position literally translates to a locked lotus position. Here, your legs are in the full lotus position, and then you reach each of your hands around your back to hold the opposite foot. Only after you master the Padmasana position, you can proceed to practise this position.

How to Practise Padmasana- Step by Step Process

Follow the Padmasana steps given below to practise it:

Step 1: Seat yourself down on the floor or on a mat with your legs outstretched before you and keep your spine erect.
Step 2: Bend your right knee and place it over your left thigh. Ensure that the sole of your right foot points upward and that your heel is close to your abdomen.
Step 3: Now, repeat the previous step with your left leg.
Step 4: Now that your legs are crossed and your feet are placed on opposite thighs, place both your hands on your knees in the mudra position.
Step 5: Ensure that your head is straight, and your spine is erect at all times.
Step 6: Maintain this position and continue with gentle long breaths taken in and out.

Benefits of Padmasana

The Padmasana pose brings with it several benefits, some of which have been examined below:

Improves digestion

This is because Padmasana yoga provides the abdominal portion of the body with a gentle massage, thereby boosting digestion. Furthermore, blood flow is redirected to the abdomen which enhances the digestive system. Digestive issues like constipation are eradicated when the lotus position is practised with regularity.
Helps relax the mind and alleviates stress

This is owed to the fact that this position helps relieve tightly bound muscle tissues. The regular breathing pattern that constitutes this yoga pose helps clear the mind and relieve it of any negative thoughts and emotions.
Eases childbirth

This yoga pose helps strengthen the pelvic region and ushers in stability and strength to pelvic muscles. As a result, the pain and contractions incurred during childbirth are easier to bear. Pregnant women are encouraged to practise this form of yoga without overstraining and stretching. By doing so, they can open up their hips and have a relatively pain-free delivery.
Helps reduce menstrual pain and cramps

As Padmasana yoga provides the abdomen with a gentle massage, it allows this region to relax and reduces the cramps caused due to menstruation to a certain extent. The posture this yoga pose involves helps strengthen the pelvic region and provides it with elasticity, thereby reducing the risk of incurring cramps during menstruation.

Additional benefits associated with practising Padmasana include the following:

It helps reduce muscular tension and reigns in blood pressure so that it is under control.
It helps awaken your consciousness.
Padmasana helps reign in fear and anxiety.

Beginner’s Tip for Padmasana

As a beginner, you might find it hard to cross both your legs and sit in the Padmasana pose. If that is the case, you can incorporate the Ardha Padmasana position instead. It involves placing any one leg on the opposite thigh. As a beginner, you can continue to follow the Ardha Padmasana pose until you feel flexible enough to progress to the Padmasana position.

How Often Should I do Padmasana?

As this asana is ideal for contemplation, it is recommended to be performed on a daily basis such that a routine is established. You can start with staying in Padmasana for about 1 to 5 minutes at a stretch, and then gradually increase the duration.

Padmasana- Contraindications and Precautions to Take While Performing

Prior to practising Padmasana, it is important to take into account the following considerations:

Padmasana is a meditative pose that is ideally practised during the morning as it helps refresh the mind and body. That being said, it can also be practised in the evening.
It is best to perform Padmasana on an empty stomach. However, if you plan to do it as part of a string of different exercises, it is best performed following 4 to 5 hours of having eaten.
Owing to the fact that Padmasana is a meditative pose, it should ideally be performed in a calm and peaceful place where there is minimal distraction and noise.
Do not perform Padmasana if you are suffering from any knee, ankle, calf, or spinal injury.
Always practise some stretches for your legs and spine before performing Padmasana.

Conclusion

You can start with beginner yoga poses and then move on to padmasana to reap complete benefits of yoga in your life. While the lotus position or Padmasana brings with it peace of mind when you perform it, what can further improve your mental peace is a good health insurance policy. This is because good health insurance plans provide adequate coverage if you suffer any illness or injury due to an unfortunate event. So, wait no more! Get a health insurance policy now!

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