Lotus position

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Lotus position

The lotus position ( Sanskrit , n., पद्मासन, padmāsana; or कमलासन, n., Kamalāsana), also colloquially the lotus position , is a sitting posture in which meditation has been practiced in the Far Eastern religions ( Hinduism and Buddhism ) since ancient times , and a the classic sitting postures of yoga .

shape

The legs are crossed in the lotus position, which is modeled on the shape of a lotus blossom . The right foot rests on the left thigh near the groin and the left foot rests on the right thigh. The soles of the feet point upwards. The seated person usually sits slightly elevated on a rather hard pillow, with their knees in contact with the floor. This results in a very stable triangle as a seat base. The upper body is straightened, the back straight, the shoulders slightly pulled back so that the head is balanced over the base.

A high mobility of the hip joints is a prerequisite for a safe execution. If this is not the case, it is either impossible for the exerciser to take the position or the knee joints are overloaded. With the given conditions and correct execution, long immobile sitting, which is a key point of passive (contemplative) meditation, is possible through the stable position and the upright back posture. In order to avoid one-sided stress, the overhead leg is changed between the meditation sessions.

There is also the "half lotus position" where there is only one foot on the other thigh; the other, however, lies under the other thigh. This seat is already stable, especially for beginners and well suited to prepare for the full lotus seat.

The so-called cross-legged (Sukhasana), however, in which both feet are under the thighs, is unstable because not let the knee into contact with the ground.

There are numerous variations of Padmasana that can be practiced by advanced students, such as: B. the reverse lotus (Urdhva Padmasana), the bound lotus (Baddha Padmasana), the yoga seal (Yoga Mudrasana) or the combination of the lotus posture of the legs with other asanas such. B. the crow (Kakasana), the headstand or the handstand .

See also

literature

Web links

Commons : lotus position  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Search results for "padma". In: spokensanskrit.org . Retrieved April 28, 2020 .
  2. ↑ Search results for "Asana". In: spokensanskrit.org . Retrieved April 28, 2020 .
  3. ↑ Brief descriptions of individual asanas Kakasana - the crow.Retrieved January 19, 2016.