The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › Injuries, Restrictions, Ailments, Pose Modifications › Knees, legs and ankles › Lotus Pose
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Hello,
I am new to this forum but do enjoy reading the discussions. If this post does not belong here, feel free to move it.
There is one pose that I would really want to do well, that is the Full Lotus Pose. Where searching this forum, I came across a couple of topics that refer to Lotus, but they are not exactly what I have in mind.
This is a pose that may be do not belong to Hot Yoga, but if you can help with the details, I would really appreciate it.
I am currently only doing the half Lotus pose, every day. When I do it, it ranges from 0.5 – 2 hours. This does not mean I do it very well, in fact, I have all sorts of pain in my body afterwards, neck, shoulders, buttocks. Some background for you here is that I have had an injury, a T12 spine compression fracture over 10 years ago. On and off, I am still doing the half Lotus pose, but the spine is somewhat curved. So if you look at me from the back, it will be like a letter C. In another words, I am not balanced, left and right. I also believe I may not be balanced front and back either.
Lately, I have done acupressure to help ease the very tight muscles at my buttocks. It helps but I am not out of misery yet.
Still, I wish to eventually be able to do a Full Lotus Pose. Please drop me a few lines and show eme a place where I can learn to overcome my difficulties. I do enjoy Gabrielle’s video, but unfortunately her DVD’s do not cover the Lotus pose.
Thanks.
personally, it never worked for me either and i couldn’t get my feet more than a foot off the floor until i made the effort to focus deeply on the erector spinae muscles and visualize the sarcomeres contracting in my mid back, then up, up, up the feet went. now i’m told that i can get my feet about 4 ft off the floor and that’s with no pain or discomfort. it’s awesome. now i just wish i could get someone to take a photo so i can see it for myself. 🙂
Hi Cecilia and Micherie
Micherie: What I know as the classic Lotus pose is sitting cross legged but with the heels on the thighs rather than on the floor under the knees. I would love to know which pose you are referring to because I think it may be a different one.
Half lotus is definitely less of a challenge isn’t it Cecilia? What types of stretches have you tried? I know there are some great yin stretches you could do which would complement your hot yoga practice beautifully. I find they work effectively and fairly quickly to open the body especially when you practice them after class when your muscles are very warm and less resistant to stretching.
Is that a hint? Do you want a video on hip opener stretches (and getting into full lotus pose)? It’s not a bad idea. If you search in the forum you can find reference to Yin Yoga in many posts. I love square, frog and other poses. Let me know if you want some ideas. Oh, another great one is thread the needle pose.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂OH!!!! I was thinking of locust… not lotus and was talking about Salabhasana with both feet going up at the same time.
Just checked out a photo of lotus and I had no idea that was a difficult pose. I’d been doing that since I was a kid, just for comfort. I have a tendency to sit with my feet up all the time… at work, at home. Sometimes I wonder if it’s bad for my legs to do that so often.
Thanks Gabrielle for your suggestions and I envy anyone who can do this pose naturally. Indeed, I have seen friends who can do it easily and they do not need to go for any stretches. They said they are born like that.
I will try your ideas of doing stretches to help myself getting there. I went to your website to search for these stretches, but only found instructions in text. Please do share with me any videos for these stretches, as they are my preferred way to learn. I am still waiting to receive my order of the Hot Yoga MasterClass complete set, thus not sure if I will find them there.
Many thanks,
Cecilia
Hello Cecilia,
I have been trying square pose (only) immediately after my Bikram yoga class. It has helped me to open my hips very well. It is quite difficult, especially when you try to keep your feet away from your groin. These pictures+information were very helpful for me:
http://www.yinyoga.com/ys2_2.0_asanas_square.php
LisaHi Cecilia
I don’t discuss the Lotus Pose in the manual. Maybe in my next book! Let’s just keep the conversation alive here. I would love to hear of your progress. I am positive that ‘square’ pose and the other hip openers I suggest will be of great use for you.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂I too have been doing Square post immediately after my Bikram yoga class. At first it was a killer, but after maybe a month of doing it every day after class it’s getting easier. I know lean back a bit as it feels like it’s the front of my hips that need to open, whereas when I started I could feel it more in the back on my hips. Interesting…
Jeez! Let me retype that!
I too have been doing Square *pose* immediately after my Bikram yoga class. At first it was a killer, but after maybe a month of doing it every day after class it’s getting easier. I *now* lean back a bit and push down on my right knee, as it feels like it’s the front of my hips that need to open, whereas when I started I could feel it more in the back of my hips.
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