Weekly Class Theme: Contentment – Lotus Pose (Padmasana)

The iconic yoga posture Lotus Pose (Padmasana) is a sacred pose. A perfectly still posture allowing the spine to sit up straight and the heart to be open while the seat is steady and balanced — it’s a great pose to practice when you need a little extra tranquility.

Much like a lotus flower, Lotus Pose invites the body to find stillness and only truly bloom when ready. Patience and contentment must be practiced along the way if you are to truly embody the power of the pose. Lotus pose is a great posture to work towards when practicing contentment because there are many stops along the journey that help you get closer and closer to the full expression of the pose.

As you move freely throughout this sequence, pay attention to where your body feels content, trusting yourself enough to know when to relinquish control and when to keep trying. Through this carefully crafted sequence, you’ll move through asanas that support and open the hips, stretch the inner thighs and ankles and allow you to maintain the integrity of your seat through balance, stillness and acceptance— all through the lens of contentment (Santosha).

Puttering (Warm Up):

• Sukhasana
• Happy Baby
• Child’s Pose
• Crescent Lunge
• Prasarita Padottanasana
• Lizard Lunge
• Crescent Twist

Standing Poses:

• Warrior II
• Extended Side Angle
• Three Legged Dog
• Pigeon Pose

Balance & Twist Section:

• Tree Pose
• Revolved Half Moon

Peak Pose: Padmasana (Lotus Pose)

This week’s class theme was centered around the beauty and awe of Padmasana. To fully experience the benefits of this pose, listening to your body in the steps along the way is crucial, as true contentment can only be felt when in alignment with your own body & mind.

How to get into Lotus pose (Padmasana):

• Start seated
• Grab one of your legs, resting your knee on the elbow of the same foot and foot of the lifted leg in the elbow crease of your opposite arm
• Cradle your leg back & forth to stretch the hips, knees, and ankles
• Do the same with the other leg
• Come to Sukhasana and then grab one of your feet and navigate it towards your pelvis, top of the foot against your thigh
• Grab your other foot and draw it towards the opposite hip crease
• Plant your hands behind you to lengthen your spine and sit up tall
• Rest your hands gently on your thighs, palms facing upwards or in a Mudra of your choice, find a full criss-cross of your arms behind your back, or use a strap to bring your hands to your feet

Wind Down Portion:

• Reclined Figure 4
• Savasana

There is so much to be explored with this pose, and you really can approach it from many different angles. As depicted as one of the later postures in Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar, it’s advanced shape tends to lend itself to be an intermediate to advanced posture but it is not impossible to attain and work towards. Even the effort needed to embody the full pose is allowing you to feel the benefits of the pose without having your arms fully bound around behind your back. Each step of the journey for the flower to unfurl is equally as important and significant. Your patience and practice in contentment will guide you along the way!

Happy practicing xx