“May I learn to live like the lotus flower, content in muddy water.”
Lotus Posture, or Padmasana, is one of the quintessential yoga poses. You can just picture a yogi sitting with legs crossed, eyes closed and meditating blissfully. Ironically, Lotus is not a pose that is taught very frequently in yoga classes; at least in Western yoga classes. Most Westerners have tight hips and cannot do this pose. Some yoga studios caution against teaching it because people hurt their knees by trying to force themselves into the pose.
With that caution, we will work on Lotus this month. I recommend that you proceed mindfully and pay attention to your knees. There is a modification for every pose. (The basic modifications for Lotus are: Easy Pose, Half Lotus and Double Pigeon.) If you feel any strain in your knees, back off, take a modification and let it go until the next time when you can try again. This is the muddy water referred to in the quote; being okay when things don’t work out as you planned, or when things don’t happen when you want them to. Wait. Patiently. All is coming.
Below is a list of some of the poses we will be working on to help us get into Lotus Pose this month.
Easy Crossed Legs Pose
Warrior II
Side Angle
Triangle
Tree
Standing Half-Lotus Forward Bend
Frog
Gate Pose
Pigeon
Double Pigeon
Cobbler’s Pose
Seated Wide Leg Forward Bend
Revolved Seated Tree
Seated Half Lotus Forward Bend