Instructions

1. Come into easy pose with the legs crossed Indian style. With both hands, carefully lift one foot up and place it on your left thigh, close to your hip.

2. Press the hip bones down into the floor and reach the crown of the head up to lengthen the spine. Drop the shoulders down and back, and press the chest towards the front of the room.

3. Relax the face, jaw, and belly. Let the tongue rest on the roof of the mouth, just behind the front teeth.

4. Breathe deeply through the nose down into the belly. Hold as long as comfortable, then switch legs.

Benefits + Contraindications

Benefits: Half lotus is an intermediate seated posture used for meditation. This posture opens the hips, knees and ankles and is used in preparation for full lotus.

Contraindications: Recent or chronic knee or hip injury or inflammation.

Modifications + Variations

Modifications: Place folded blanket under knees or under the hip bones.

Variations: Half Lotus is a variation of Full Lotus pose.

Vinyasa

A seated meditation posture is usually chosen to begin a practice of yoga.

Use one or more of the following postures to build a sequence ending after this pose: Seated Head to Knee, Bound Angle, Seated Twist, Seated Angle, Revolved Head to Knee.