Instructions

1. Bring the knees to the floor with the knees together and the feet hip's width apart. Carefully sit back on your heels with the heels touching the outside of hips. Rest the hands on the knees with the palms facing up or down.

2. Press the lower legs 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.

Benefits + Contraindications

Benefits: Thunderbolt pose is a comfortable seated position for meditation. This pose gently stretches the quadriceps, lengthens the spine and promotes groundedness and inner calm.

Contraindications: Recent or chronic knee injury or inflammation.

Modifications + Variations

Modifications: Place a blanket under the legs or place a folded blanket or block between the feet and under the hip bones.

Variations: Inhale arms up, interlace fingers and press palms up towards ceiling.

Vinyasa

Use one or more of the following postures to build a sequence leading up to this pose: Dog, Cat, Down Dog, One Handed Tiger.

Use one or more of the following postures to build a sequence ending after this pose:  Child, Camel, Half Circle, Gate.

Other Names

This pose is also called Vajarasana or Thunderbolt pose.