Sitting in lotus pose for meditation is the perfect time to remember to be like a lotus flower. Open yourself up and shine toward the heavens, ready to receive any gifts the universe may choose to bestow upon you.

This is a wonderful posture (pronounced pahd-MAH-suh-nuh) for a seated meditation as it tilts your pelvis forward and down so that your back doesn’t have to work to keep you sitting up right. Since the blood flow to the legs is restricted, the internal organs have an opportunity to receive extra nourishment. It’s also a great posture for increasing flexibility in the connective tissues that surround the knees and ankles.

Steps

1. Sit on the floor with your legs straight.
2. Bend your right knee and using your hands, place your right foot into the crease where the left leg meets the torso. The bottom of the foot will rotate up toward the sky, and the heel will gently press into the lower pelvis.
3. Place the left foot into the crease at the top of the right thigh. It will probably take some minor adjustments to find the perfect positioning. Take your time and don’t force it.

Comments

If it’s comfortable, you can sit and meditate quietly in padmasana as long as you want. You may rest your hands in your lap, one on top of the other, palms facing up. Or you can try resting your hands on your knees in “gyan mudra” (palms face up, right hand on right knee, left hand on left knee, thumbs lightly touching the first fingers) a traditional hand position that is said to channel knowledge and wisdom during meditation. But if sitting in lotus is a challenge, try to relax into the posture for three to five deep breaths. Come out of the posture, shake out the legs, and repeat with the right foot on top the next time.

NOTE: This pose should not be done by everyone. If it hurts your knees at all, refrain from doing padmasana until you’ve gotten your doctor’s blessing.

Related…

Half Lotus Pose, Ardha Padmasana