The Padmasana Position
I have thought that stillness is a myth. My head was a Web browser with numerous tabs open, and my body squirmed. Then, I discovered Padmasana. This was no ordinary yoga pose, and it was the key to a deeper state of calm I did not realize I could enter. In case you need a true anchor in the storm of contemporary existence, then allow me to tell you how the ancient Padmasana Position has changed my practice and my mind.
I have been gazing at the images of yogis comfortably seated in a perfect Lotus Pose and thinking it was an impossible act of flexibility. I was wrong. Padmasana is not about trying to subject your body to something, it is rather a gentle and slow process of approaching a mighty state of being.
It is the principle on which meditation, breathing changes and the real inner silence are established. My experience of entering the Padmasana pose made me understand that it is not about sitting cross-legged, but it is about locating a throne of stability inside oneself.
What is Padmasana, Really?
Padmasana, or the Lotus Pose, is a body geometry other than the physical form. It is called so because of the Sanskrit words Padma (lotus) and Asana (posture). The lotus flower is an influential image in most of Eastern cultures; it sprouts out of foul water, murky and dirty, to flower above the surface and shine brightly and flowery. This is what the pose entails. It is the sign of our capacity to go beyond the mud of our distractions, worries, and clutter of our minds to rest and be clear.
At a time when I was just getting used to my rough imitation of the pose, I began to realize this symbolism not as a concept, but as a fact. The firm, seated base helped me to lengthen my spine, to start expanding my chest, and to cease the racing of my head. It made a vessel of my energy so that it does not spurt out through nervous activity.
The Rationale behind the creation of padmasana as my Non-Negotiable Practice.
The advantages of the Padmasana posture go way beyond the seat. The radical changes I experienced are the following:
Inexcapable Concentration in Meditation: This is its Kung Pow. At the Padmasana, using my seated meditation before it was always a fight against leaning and straightening. The pose provides a stabilized base, which is symmetrical and appears to be in contact with the earth. This physical steadiness directly translates into mental steadiness, which enables me to get deeper into my practice without my body acting as a distraction.
The Physical Spring Cleaning: my hips, knees, and ankles have never been better. The soft, sustained stretch makes these usually-overlooked parts more active and supple. It also enhances posture by making the spine curve good training back muscles.
A Lesser Nervous System: This is a natural posture that promotes diaphragmatic breathing. Sitting up straight enables me to breathe in more deeply. This stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, the rest and digest mode, that my body that there is nothing to worry about. Such a hectic world only dissolves in a couple of minutes of the pose.
Greater Energy and Vitality: According to the Yogic literature, Padmasana assists in containing and directing prana, or the force of life. Although that may be esoteric, it is true that I feel the buzz of the energy of life after the practice is over, and not the exhausted state I was used to experiencing after more vigorous workouts.
My Step-by-Step Instructions To Your First Padmasana.
Do, pray, take heed to what I say. Do not force this pose. Respect your body and it will be open to you in the long run. The following is the order that I adhered to.
Step 1: The Essential Warm-Up
Never go into Padmasana cold. I take at least 10 minutes to warm my hips, knees and ankles.
Hip Circles: This I perform standing to loosen the synovial fluid.
Ankle Rotations: This is a mobilization of my ankles by tracing the alphabet with my toes.
Butterfly (Baddha Konasana): I use this one to warm the inner thighs and the groin.
Half Lotion Prep: I am sitting and position one foot on the other thigh, but not trying to press the knee down.
Step 2: Getting in the Pose, Side at a Time.
My position is on my mat with straight legs in front of my mat (Dandasana).
I bend my right knee slowly and then with the help of my hands, I put my right foot very high up on my left thigh and as near as possible to where the thigh and hip meet. It is Ardha Padmasana (Half-Lotus).
I make sure my foot is bent so as to cushion my knee and I never push on my knee itself. I breathe here for a minute.
I then ease my left knee and pull my left foot across my right leg and place it on my right thigh.
I have a long spine, I have relaxed my shoulders down my back and my hands are on my knees in Gyan Mudra (thumb index finger touching).
Step 3: Aligning with Yourself.
Knees: I do not mind whether my knees are touching the floor. They will reduce automatically with practice.
Spine: I am fantasizing that there is a rope dragging the top of my head to the ceiling.
Chin: My chin is maintained a little curled to make the back of my neck longer.
Gaze: I lower my eyes or shut my eyes.
How to sail through the Roadblocks: My own experience.
My experience was not filled with calmness. I struck false paths, and you may. The following is how I went about them.
My Knees Scream in Protest!”
This was my biggest hurdle. The solution? Back off and build up. The knee joint is a hinge joint, not a rotating joint. Padmasana mobility should be hip-based. I paid a lot of attention to such hip-opening poses as Pigeon Pose and Janu Sirsasana. Prop aids also helped me, as I was sitting on a firm cushion or folded blanket raised up my hips, and this made the position much more accessible and safe for my knees.
Can Not Get My Feet Up High Enough.
Neither could I! My initial posture was simple cross-legged sitting (Sukhasana). Then to Half-Lotus; and there I stayed as long as 30 seconds on either side. Consistency is everything. I did almost every day, and the mobility came, millimeter by millimeter.