You want to relax your body and mind through meditation and open your hips? Then you should learn the yoga lotus position. This is what you have to pay attention to with this exercise and this is how you do it correctly!
The lotus seat (also lotus seat) is one of the most famous yoga exercises in the world. It belongs to the sitting postures that are taken for meditation, like the sun to summer. It requires a lot from the yogi and has positive effects on the body and mind.
Even if you're not much into yoga, you should give the lotus position a chance.
The asana (sanskit for seat) is not quite as easy to perform as it may seem. You will need a few preliminary exercises to gently stretch the body and prepare it for the yoga seat.
But with simple instructions and a few tips, the lotus position can be learned in just a few steps.
Today I want to show you how everyone can adopt this special sitting posture and what you need to pay attention to.
Table of contents
- This is why you should learn the lotus position
- How to perform the lotus position correctly
- Lotus seat: what you need to pay attention to during execution
- Which muscles are required when sitting in the lotus position?
- What are the most common mistakes when learning to sit in the lotus?
- Frequently asked questions about Padmasana
This is why you should learn the lotus position
Unlike endurance or weight training, asanas also have an effect on the psyche. The lotus position supports your digestion, can free you from headaches and is a benefit for the back and hip joints.
You become more agile, learn to know your limits and to redefine them a little bit every now and then.
If you practice regularly, you will quickly notice the positive effects and realize that the stretch gets a little bigger every time you do it.
Physical effects:
- Opens the hip
- Stretching ankles, legs and knees
- The seat helps to get a healthy posture
- Strengthens active muscles
- Analgesic effect for menstrual cramps
- Creates physical stability in meditation
- Regulates blood pressure
Psychological effects:
- Balances the energy level in the body
- Has a calming effect on the brain
- Improves attention and perception in everyday life
Besides these effects you additionally take a whole range of positive effects for body and mind with, which hold all the classic yoga exercises.
Things to know about the lotus position
The lotus position is one of nine sitting postures that provide better meditation. Among all asanas, it is considered the "optimal meditation posture," which can be inferred from its name. The lotus plant is said to have unique abilities such as:
- Repulsive surface - water beads on the plant, which prevents the spread of fungi and dust. The lotus is and always remains clean, pure and healthy.
- Enlightenment - because of the ability to repel dirt, the plant is considered a symbol of unity and enlightenment. Relaxation can succeed in meditation only when yogis reject any "mental dirt", impure and disturbing thoughts.
Who should not do the lotus seat
As great as the benefits and effects of this exercise are, there are a few people who would be better off staying away from it. This includes anyone who has knee, ankle and hip injuries. Likewise, yoga beginners and very unstretched individuals should not do this asana.
Consult a sports doctor if you have ever had problems with your knees, hips or ankles. He can give you the green light and tell you if this exercise is right for you. Likewise, a physical therapist can help you become more flexible in your hips.
How to perform the lotus position correctly
The lotus position is often used for meditation, because it is supposed to calm the mind and is understood as a symbol of purity. In addition, the asana helps to refuel new energy. The wonderful thing about it is that the range of effects is so enormous.
This much in advance: the exercise is very pleasant for the back and hips, it helps with menstrual cramps and improves concentration.
- Equipment needed: yes, training mat is recommended
- Difficulty: medium to difficult
- Suitable for beginners: no
- Names: Lotus seat, lotus seat, padmasana
- Muscle groups used: Thigh muscle, hip flexor, trunk
Tip: yoga seat cushion
Many beginners have the problem that they find it difficult to sit upright. They tend to have a hunchback or hollow back. Both are very unhealthy for the spine. Without this foundation, you will not be able to learn Padmasana.
I recommend using a cork yoga block or meditation cushion in such a case. The slightly elevated position will help you keep your spine straight and your legs in the optimal position.
Learn lotus seat for beginners (half lotus seat)
You want to do a lotus position for the first time? Learning the lotus position requires prior knowledge and especially as a yoga beginner you should wait a bit with this position and start with preliminary exercises that will improve your Stretch hip. One of my favorite exercises is the butterfly!
But even as an advanced yogi, we recommend that you warm up before doing these exercises.
Important: Listen to your body and take it slow. Do not force anything and stretch loosely.
Prepare for the exercises by rotating and loosening your feet and ankles, bending your knees and loosening your hips.
As a beginner, you always start with the half lotus position. You put only one foot on your thigh. You learn how it feels, how far you can go and where your limits are.
Here are the step-by-step instructions: Half lotus position
- Sit up straight.
- Do a cross-legged pose. To do this, drop your knees to your sides to open your hips.
- The further you get with your knees to the floor, the better stretched you already are.
- Grasp your left ankle with your left hand (or start on the right).
- Lift the left foot onto the right thigh. At the beginning a stretch like in the photo above is enough.
- The right leg lies on the mat as in the normal cross-legged position.
- Hold the position and feel the stretch. Try to stay like this for at least 10 seconds.
- Stand up, shake your legs.
- Now switch sides to prepare both halves of the body for full lotus.
It's perfectly normal to feel more comfortable with one leg than the other. Don't let it bother you. I find it much easier to lift my left foot onto my right thigh.
Learn lotus seat for advanced
The important thing for the lotus position is to be patient and listen to your body. If you notice during the exercise that the posture is not good for you, you should stop it and continue to work on stretching the hips first.
- Sit on the yoga mat and stretch your legs straight out in front of you.
- The upper body is upright.
- The gaze is directed straight ahead.
- Place the right foot on the left thigh.
- Place the left foot on the right thigh.
- The heel should touch the hip and the soles of the feet point upwards.
- Your knees touch the floor.
- You can place your hands on your knees or perform a mudra in which your thumb and index finger touch and the surface of your hand points upward.
With these 7 yoga exercises you will become more flexible!
Lotus seat: what you need to pay attention to during execution
Take your time and practice slowly. Listen to yourself, then you can avoid many classic mistakes right from the start.
The spine
The spine must always be stretched during the entire exercise. Make sure that you do not form a hunchback or fall into a hollow back.
When you exhale, the spine may collapse in on itself. Try to avoid this by stretching your back - it must always be long.
The legs and hands
The legs should sink to the side and rest relaxed on the floor and relieved.
Does it hang in the air? Then your hip wants more opening. Do regular stretching exercises for the hip to open it up and get into the lotus position more easily.
Another important point when practicing the lotus position is the finger position. This is to stimulate the flow of energy.
The thumb and index finger should touch. The remaining fingers are extended. You can also rest your arms loosely on your knees.
The hip and knees
Learning to sit in the lotus position depends on the mobility of all tendons, ligaments and joints. However, this mobility should and may only be claimed within natural limits of the human body.
You should pay special attention to your knees. You can't move them in every direction.
The lotus position must come from the hips and not from a false rotation of the knees.
As soon as your knees start to pull, you are performing the exercise incorrectly. You can correct this by returning to the previous exercises and repeating them several times.
Which muscles are required when sitting in the lotus position?
Stretching and stretching is good for you, but with the lotus position you also strengthen your muscles. Let's take a close look at what those are.
Muscles involved in learning to sit in the lotus position:
- Thigh muscle
- Hip flexor
- Hull
- Adductors
- anterior tibial muscle
What are the most common mistakes when learning to sit in the lotus?
There are a few mistakes that almost every beginner makes when learning the lotus position. I want you to avoid them from the beginning and learn the yoga seat correctly. The classic mistakes are:
Tear instead of gently stretch
Many beginners demand too much from their bodies when doing yoga. Gentle stretching and feeling into oneself turns into a real stretching marathon. They stretch until everything pulls and hurts and they forget to breathe.
However, that's not the point. The point of the lotus position and yoga in general is that you listen to yourself and slowly increase. You should accept your body as it is and slowly approach your goal. You probably know the saying: The way is the goal!
The asana is not so easy and it will take you a little while to be able to perform the lotus position. Preliminary exercises that focus on the stretching of the hip and the Stretching the legs support you in this. Have patience.
If you regularly take time to practice, you will slowly notice progress. You can then continuously increase this progress.
But if you overdo it right from the start, you won't notice any progress.
Forget about breathing
Letting the breath flow and being aware of it is an essential part of all yoga exercises. If you don't breathe and try to stretch in a tense way, you can't let the energy flow and block yourself.
It's better to stretch less intensively and breathe consciously. This calms you down and makes you forget stress, which in turn makes you more flexible.
Frequently asked questions about Padmasana
Here you will find a collection of the most common questions that beginners always ask. They should help you to get into the yoga seat.
How can I learn to sit in the lotus position?
As a beginner, you need patience, time and regular practice to succeed in this pose. You should start by improving your flexibility. Regular stretching of the hips and legs are the easiest introduction to the basic exercise you need for mediation.
Start with a classic cross-legged sit if you are very immobile, and then switch to the butterfly exercise so that you become more mobile in the hips.
Then switch to the half lotus position, where you place only one foot on the thigh and learn to feel the stretch. Practice regularly, but don't overdo it. Doing a 5-minute session every third day is quite enough. Increase after the time when you feel more comfortable.
Why is the lotus pose so hard for me?
If you find it very difficult to sit in the lotus position, there may be several reasons. These are the most common reasons:
- Lack of flexibilityPadmasana requires flexibility in the hips, knees and legs. You may have naturally less flexible muscles and joints and therefore need more practice. Likewise, old injuries can be a reason for lack of flexibility.
- Unstretched hipThe lotus position requires that you can open your hips. Many people have shortened hip flexors due to their lifestyle and therefore cannot sit cross-legged or in a lotus position. Slow and careful stretching helps here.
- Knee problemsHave you ever had a knee injury? If so, you may experience pain when you try to learn the lotus position. The position puts a lot of pressure on the knees.
- Lack of muscle strengthThis yoga pose requires muscle strength in the hips and legs. If you lack muscle strength, you will hardly manage to hold the position.
- Missing exercise: The lotus position is an advanced yoga exercise that requires regular training. As a beginner, muscles, joints and ligaments are often not yet sufficiently stretched.
Is the lotus position healthy?
As a beginner, it often doesn't feel like the lotus position could be healthy. In fact, it has many health benefits for the body and mind. That is why it is used by experienced yogis during meditations. The lotus position opens the hips, stretches the knees and ankles. It helps you achieve a healthy posture and actively strengthens the muscles.
Likewise, it is said to help stabilize blood pressure and relieve menstrual pain. It is also said to have a calming effect on the brain and increase the attention of the environment.
However, the lotus position is only healthy if you are physically capable of it and have no pain in the stretch. Pulling is perfectly normal, but strong or stabbing pain is not!
For whom is the half lotus position good?
As a beginner, you should start in the half yoga seat. It is ideal for those who are not yet so mobile, have knee or hip problems and are not yet so mobile overall.
Why do yogis sit in the lotus position?
Yogis sit in the lotus position because of the upright posture. With a straight back, energies can flow into the body and deep breathing is encouraged. This straight posture supports concentration and thus meditation. In yoga, the lotus position is believed to open the mind and ground the body.
How long does it take before I can do the lotus position?
There is no general answer to this question. If you practice the lotus position 3 times a week, you will notice a clear improvement after only 2 weeks. When you can sit upright in the lotus position depends on your starting point. The less flexible you are, the longer it will take. If you stretch and exercise regularly, you will find it easier.
Can I meditate without sitting in the lotus position?
If you struggle to get into the lotus pose, it will be very uncomfortable and you will have pain. The fact that you can't meditate in this position and won't find peace is preprogrammed. Meditating is about entering a state of complete relaxation. If that's lying down or sitting upright on the couch for you, then that's perfectly fine.
If you want to incorporate meditation into your daily life, you should learn the lotus position to strengthen your body and mind.
Our conclusion
Whether it's the dog looking down or the lotus position, yoga always appeals to the body and mind. If you sit a lot during work or are constantly under stress, you should regularly unpack the yoga mat and incorporate the lotus seat into your routine.
Good luck and have fun practicing!
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