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Restorative yoga poses and hatha yoga stretches

English name: Lotus Pose
Sanskrit name: Padmasana

Difficulty level: Advanced

Technique

1. Sit in Dandasana, back straight, legs extended in front of you.
2. Bend your left knee using your hands to position your left foot at the top of your right thigh with the heel near your navel and your left knee on the floor.
3. Bend your right knee and use your hands to position your right foot near to the top of your left thigh with your right heal near the navel, and your right knee on the floor.
4. Relax your legs and buttocks as you keep the back straight and erect.

Breathing

• Relaxed and slow breathing as you hold the pose.

Benefits

• Anatomical - Stretches and opens the hips, knees and ankles. Redirects blood flow from the legs to the abdomen improving digestion and toning the sacral nerves. Can help to lower blood pressure.
• Mental - the pose has a calming effect and is an important pose to heighten calmness for meditation.

Notes

• Depite the simplicity of the pose, Padmasana requires flixible and open hips, knees and ankles - providing an intense stretch to these areas.