Half Lotus Pose

Ardha = half 

Padma = lotus

ARE-dah PAD-mahs-anna

Benefits

• Grounds and centers your energy
• Opens your hips
• Strengthens spine and core
• Stretches glutes and muscles around the pelvis
• Promotes good posture

Contraindications

• Hip injury or pain
• Knee injury or pain

How To

1. Begin in Easy Pose (Sukhasana)
2. Using your hands, lift your right calf, ankle, and foot up to stack on top of your bent left leg
3. Nestle your right foot on top of your left thigh and calf
4. Find a tall spine and lift your heart towards the ceiling
5. Engage your core
6. Find a Drishti and drop into a meditation of choice while in Half Lotus

Modify or Replace

• Sit on a blanket to lift your hips above your knees
• Rest a block under either knee if they are noticeably lifted

Sequencing Tips

Before:

• Easy Pose (Sukhasana)
• Half Pigeon (Ardha Kapotasana)

After:

• Full Lotus (Padmasana)
• Forward Fold (Uttanasana)

Teaching Cues

• Find minor core engagement by drawing your belly button up towards your face and tucking your tailbone slightly underneath you
• Ground down through your sitting bones
• Lift your heart to the ceiling
• Grow tall through the crown of your head
• Option to bring your hands to meet in prayer at heart center, Anjali Mudra

Variations

• Rest in meditation
• Chant OM a few times while seated in Half Lotus with hands in Anjali Mudra, palms rest together at heart center
• Find Reverse Namaskar in your hands and arms

Watch Out For

• Slouching of spine
• Shoulders shrugged up
• Lack of core engagement
• Strain in either ankle or foot