Ardha Padmasana also known as the half lotus pose in Yoga is a meditation posture mentioned in the book is a part of meditation Asanas mentioned in “Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha” by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. It focuses on allowing the practitioner to sit for extended periods of time without moving the body and without discomfort. In this article we’ll discuss how to do the Ardha Padmasana, the benefits of Ardha Padmasana, and precautions while doing Ardha Padmasana or the half lotus pose in Yoga.
How to do Ardha Padmasana – Half Lotus Pose In Yoga
- Sit with the legs straight in front of the body.
- Bend one leg and place the sole of the foot on the inside of the opposite thigh.
- Bend the other leg and place the foot on top of the opposite thigh.
- Without straining, try to place the upper heel as near as possible to the abdomen. Adjust the position so that it is comfortable.
- Place the hands on the knees in either chin or jnana mudra. Keep the back, neck and head upright and straight. Close the eyes and relax the whole body.
Precautions while doing Ardha Padmasana – Half Lotus Pose In Yoga
- Those who suffer from sciatica or knee problems should not perform this asana.
Benefits of Ardha Padmasana – Half Lotus Pose In Yoga
- It allows the body to be held completely steady for long periods of time.
- It holds the trunk and head like a pillar with the legs as the firm foundation. As the body is steadied, the mind becomes calm.
- It directs the flow of prana from mooladhara chakra in the perineum to sahasrara chakra in the head, heightening the experience of meditation.
- This posture applies pressure to the lower spine, which has a relaxing effect on the nervous system. The breath becomes slow, muscular tension is decreased and blood pressure is reduced.
- The normally large blood flow to the legs is redirected to the abdominal region. This activity also stimulates the digestive process.
Meditation Postures in Yoga
Ardha Padmasana - Half Lotus Pose In Yoga is an important meditation posture in yoga. Meditation is a fundamental aspect of yoga, to be practiced at higher stages of yoga. It’s about training in awareness and getting a healthy sense of perspective. Meditation postures allow you to sit for extended periods of time without moving the body and without discomfort. It’s only when the body has been steady and still for some time will meditation be experienced. To get into deep meditation, the spinal column should be straight and very few asanas can satisfy this condition. Ardha Padmasana - Half Lotus Pose In Yoga is one such posture. There are multiple such postures (list below)List of Meditation postures in Yoga
- Sukhasana – Easy Pose In Yoga
- Ardha Padmasana – Half Lotus Pose In Yoga
- Padmasana – Lotus Pose In Yoga
- Siddhasana – Accomplished Pose For Men In Yoga
- Siddha Yoni Asana – Accomplished Pose For Women In Yoga
- Swastikasana – Auspicious Pose In Yoga
- Dhyana Veerasana – Hero’s Meditation Pose In Yoga
We hope this article gave you a good detailed information on Ardha Padmasana - Half Lotus Pose In Yoga, how to do the Ardha Padmasana - Half Lotus Pose In Yoga, its benefits, and precautions.