Full Lotus Position Tips

[ValleyStream]

I am currently trying to limber up enough to sit in full lotus position.

 

I am not unfamiliar with proper stretching techniques and all the basics of fitness.

 

I was only wondering if anyone had personal advice concerning specific techniques to limber up to successfully sit in full lotus.

[soaring crane]

well... I would say start with half lotus. But there's a huge thread on full lotus in the archives. I'll see if i can find it ... well, here are a few threads on the subject:

 

http://thetaobums.com/topic/14194-getting-to-full-lotus/

 

http://thetaobums.com/topic/12514-what-is-so-special-about-full-lotus/

 

http://thetaobums.com/topic/21518-my-first-full-lotus-experiences/

 

(searching tip: go to google and search "thetaobums ________ " put whatever you want in place of the underline)

[silent thunder]

http://zenmontpellier.voila.net/eng/lotus/lotuseng.html

[ValleyStream]

well... I would say start with half lotus. But there's a huge thread on full lotus in the archives. I'll see if i can find it ... well, here are a few threads on the subject:

 

http://thetaobums.com/topic/14194-getting-to-full-lotus/

 

http://thetaobums.com/topic/12514-what-is-so-special-about-full-lotus/

 

http://thetaobums.com/topic/21518-my-first-full-lotus-experiences/

 

(searching tip: go to google and search "thetaobums ________ " put whatever you want in place of the underline)

 

I guess this would have been the right course of action before starting a duplicate thread. Was not thinking straight. XD

 

Thank you.

[ValleyStream]

http://zenmontpellier.voila.net/eng/lotus/lotuseng.html

 

Great Stuff and exactly what i was looking for. I definitely bookmarked this.

[SecretGrotto]

A wide, deep, assisted horse stance is great for strengthening muscles used in the full lotus. I use my hands to push my legs further apart in the deep horse stance position, which really helps to stretch the hips. Flexible hips are key to a good full lotus.

[ValleyStream]

A wide, deep, assisted horse stance is great for strengthening muscles used in the full lotus. I use my hands to push my legs further apart in the deep horse stance position, which really helps to stretch the hips. Flexible hips are key to a good full lotus.

 

A deeper horse stance will help my Taijiquan also!

 

Good advice.

[soaring crane]

I guess this would have been the right course of action before starting a duplicate thread.

 

no, not at all. It's a great topic. And of course TTB is a great resource for it :-)

[Cookie Monster]

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Edited May 5, 2021 by Ocean Form

[silent thunder]

Great Stuff and exactly what i was looking for. I definitely bookmarked this.

Yea, this one has helped my wife and I with our hips and knees in a big way.

[gendao]

Whew, I've been at this for a while now...maybe 5 years or more?

 

In retrospect at this point, I have a few speculative observations:

 

1) In order to sit in full-lotus comfortably, you primarily have to be able to perform 3 basic poses (or some variations thereof):

Upavistha Konasana (Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend Pose) - to open your kua and get your knees down to the ground

Sucirandrasana (Eye of the Needle) - for more hip-opening rotation

Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Fold) - so you can sit up straight without your lower back bowed back

 

2) It may easily take years to sufficiently lengthen all the requisite muscle bodies (many large) and manually work out muscle adhesions - not to mention meridians - to be able to assume full lotus loosely. It actually requires the opening and clearing of a LOT of different areas - so should not be underestimated or rushed and is not easy to "fake." But as with many spiritual "attainments," full lotus is more the end result of clearing all this out...than the actual means to do so. It's more the cart, than the horse, so to speak...which most people have backwards..

 

3) Once attained, it is a resting position that also passively stretches a lot of tissues and meridians out to their limits. Because this helps keeps them open with minimal additional effort, it is thus such an optimal position for meditation/neigong.

Edited September 24, 2014 by vortex

[cmpunk50]

I am currently trying to limber up enough to sit in full lotus position.

 

I am not unfamiliar with proper stretching techniques and all the basics of fitness.

 

I was only wondering if anyone had personal advice concerning specific techniques to limber up to successfully sit in full lotus.

 

Becoming the Lotus by Martin Faulks is a good book on this. Plenty of exercises in the book that basically start you off slow (so you don't pull or damage anything, which is very possible if you exert yourself too much), especially useful if you aren't flexible at all. I have the book, and it gives you a detailed outline. And you can get it for less than $10. Just do an internet search.

[MooNiNite]

full lotus comes with time and meditation progression