Mind full to Mindful with the lotus pose - Padmasana!!!

Calming down your mind is something that we all crave for amidst the hustle-bustle of Life. Blossom like a lotus with the lotus pose also known as Padmasana (पद्मासन), a cross-legged sitting meditation pose from ancient India, is derived from two Sanskrit words, Padma (पद्म) "Lotus", and Asana (आसन) "Posture" or "Seat", also considered one of the most basic asanas from ancient times, predating hatha yoga, and is widely used for meditation in Hindu, Tantra, Jain and Buddhist traditions. In Asian cultures, the sacred lotus is used as a symbol of growth towards perfection and enlightenment as it is rooted in the mud at the bottom of the pond, but rises and blooms over the water. Padmasana is also known as "Vajra Position" in Chinese, Tibetian, and Buddhism. There are variations to this asana and the most common ones are Ardha padmasana, Baddha padmasana, Urdhva padmasana, and Yogamudrasana. In Hinduism, statues often depict gods, especially Lord Shiva, meditating in Padmasana. In Buddhism, statues of the founder, Gautam Buddha, sometimes depict him seated in lotus pose and enthroned on Lotus flower. In Jainism, seated Tirthankaras are represented in Lotus posture.

How to perform Padmasana:-

• Sit down on the floor on a yoga mat with both your legs stretched out in front. Your spine MUST be erect while you sit.
• Now bend your right knee and place it on your left thigh such that the sole of your feet point upwards direction and your heel is close to the abdomen region.
• Repeat this instruction with your left leg.
• Place your left hand on your left knee and right hand on your right knee, making a mudra where the top of your thumb and index fingers are connected and the palms are facing in an upward direction. (refer image above).
• Take slow breaths and maintain this position for some time. (Note:- beginners can start with as minimum as 30 seconds)
• Slowly move your left leg and place it in a stretched out position in front of you.
• Repeat the above step with your right leg.

Tip:- If you are just starting your journey with yoga, you may face trouble overlapping your legs while sitting in Padmasana. In that case, it is recommended that you start out with a variation of padmasana known as Ardha padmasana, which is done by placing just one leg on the thigh making a half lotus pose.

Precautions:-

Padmasana should NOT be performed if

• You are suffering from a chronic ankle injury.
• You have undergone a knee or ankle surgery.
• You have a sprain in your leg or if you have back pain. 

Benefits of Padmasana:-

• It is highly recommended by yogis for increasing concentration power and focused attention. The concentration power gets increased in the manifold and it calms down the brain.
• It helps the mind and body to relax and works perfectly as a mental detox.
• It not only helps in keeping the spine straight but also stretches the ankles and knees resulting in flexible joints and ligaments of the legs, developing a good body posture.
• It also helps in reducing muscle tension and improving the digestive system.
• Doing this asana regularly helps to preserve all the natural fluids in the body. It prevents abdominal diseases.
• It eases the menstrual discomfort.
• It helps relieve sciatica pain.

The story behind Padmasana:-

The story begins when Lord Vishnu was floating around in the cosmic sea of possibility and the time came for the next cycle of creation. A lotus sprouted out of Lord Vishnu's navel after it grew tall the petals started to open up to reveal the Hindu god of Creation, Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma chanted the mantra "AUM", and the cosmic ocean swirled into the universe we have today.  The question is how does this relate to a cross-legged asana? This story can be interpreted as "The lotus sprouting from Lord Vishnu's navel represents how we are fed and nourished from our mother through a cord at her navel, and that nourishment becomes a huge part in making us who we are today, and who we will become in the future. The sound of  "AUM" is the source of creation is translated to meditation practice to help start us tapping into our own creative potential."