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ease into lotus
56 YOGAJOURNAL.COM YOUR 6-WEEK YOGA GUIDE TO BUILD STRENGTH
ASANA SEQUENCE BY ROD STRYKER
petals of a lotus flower—the blossom
that grows from its base in the mud to
rest above the water and open to the
sun. The image is nothing less than a
metaphor for the unfolding process
of yoga. “A lotus is rooted in the mud,
and when it grows, it blooms into a
beautiful flower,” says Richard Rosen,
a Yoga Journal contributing editor and
Bay Area yoga instructor. “In the same
way, when a person begins yoga, they are
rooted in the mud as part of the mun-
dane world. But as they progress, they
can grow into a blooming flower.”
The lotus, or padma in Sanskrit, is a
powerful symbol that transcends time
and religion. Over the centuries, the
flower has symbolized a whole span of
states, including enlightenment, detach-
ment, cosmic renewal and rebirth,
purity, beauty, and spiritual and material
wealth. This recognizable flower plays
a prominent role in the creation stories
of ancient Egypt and India. It is also a
commonly used symbol in Hindu ico-
nography, associated with many power-
ful deities. Lakshmi (the goddess of
abundance) is often shown sitting on an
open lotus and holding another in her
hand. The same is true of Ganesha, the
elephant-headed destroyer of obstacles,
and Vishnu, who is said to represent the
prin ciple of preservation in the universe.
And lore has it that wherever the Bud-
dha walked, lotus flowers bloomed.
From such profound imagery, the
yoga pose emerged. Scholars aren’t
really sure when the first mention of the
asana was recorded, but it does appear
in a work considered the oldest authori-
tative commentary on the Yoga Sutra.
Circa 400 CE, the sage Vyasa expanded
on Patanjali’s idea of finding a comfort-
able seat. He makes reference to Lotus
as one of 11 important poses (including
Virasana, or Hero Pose, and Dandasana,
or Staff Pose) that can facilitate medita-
tion and pranayama.
Lotus turns up again in the Hatha
1
This sequence opens the hips, knees, and ankles;
stretches the hip flexors and sacral area; and
orients the pelvis and femurs in a strong exter-
nal rotation. Add warm-ups, Sun Salutations,
and counterposes for a complete practice. Take care if you have
chronic knee or ankle issues, instability in the low back, or (if the
pose is done with a strong pelvic-floor lock) you are pregnant.
1 PARIVRTTA TRIKONASANA
(REVOLVED TRIANGLE POSE),
VARIATION
BENEFITS When done with the feet
parallel, creates a gentle release in
the hips, low back, and thighs
Start by standing with your feet par-
allel, 3–4 feet apart. On an inhala-
tion, lift your arms out to the side in
line with your shoulders. On an
exhalation, twist and bend down to
reach your left hand to the floor
or onto a block near the outside of
your right foot. Reach your right
arm up. Stack your shoulders and
your arms over the bottom hand.
(To modify the pose, slightly bend
the right knee.) On each exhalation,
twist from the navel as you rotate it
toward the ceiling. Stay for 8 breaths.
Unwind and come back up to stand-
ing with your arms at your sides.
Repeat on the other side.