Half Lotus Pose (Ardha Padmasana)

Pronunciation and meaning

Ardha Padmasana: AR-duh pud-MAHS-uh-nuh. Ardha stresses the first syllable, and Padmasana stresses MAHS.

Ardha means half, padma means lotus and asana means posture. One foot rests on top of the opposite thigh, as in full Lotus, while the other foot stays on the floor under the other knee.

How to do Half Lotus Pose

1. Sit on the front edge of a firm cushion or folded blanket, high enough that your knees can drop toward the floor, and cross your legs loosely.
2. Bend your left knee and tuck the left foot under the right thigh or in front of the right shin, resting on the floor.
3. Hold your right shin with both hands and turn the whole leg outward from the hip. Lift the right foot with your hands and set it on top of the left thigh, close to the hip crease, sole facing up.
4. Let the right knee settle toward the floor without pressing it. If it stays high or the knee feels any pinch, come out and return to a cross-legged seat.
5. Sit tall and breathe slowly for one to three minutes, or as long as the knees stay comfortable.
6. Use your hands to lift the foot down, stretch the legs out, then repeat with the left foot on top.

Make it easier

• Rest the top foot on the opposite calf instead of the thigh, which asks for less rotation.
• Slide a folded blanket or block under the knee that floats, so the leg has something to rest on.
• Sit on a higher cushion, or choose Easy Pose for longer sits.

Pregnancy and after birth

Pregnancy. Adapt. Pregnancy loosens the joints, so stay well short of your end range and sit high, with the knees wide for the belly. Easy Pose is often the better choice. Check with your OB or midwife.

After birth. Adapt. Once your doctor or midwife has cleared you, sit high and keep holds short. The joints can stay looser for months, so do not push the range.

For more on practising through pregnancy, see Joahnna Lee Yoga.

Common mistakes

• Pushing the knee down with the hands, which twists the knee rather than the hip.
• Sitting flat on the floor, so the knees ride up and the lower back rounds.
• Always putting the same foot on top, which builds a one-sided habit.

Half Lotus is the middle ground between sitting cross-legged and full Lotus. It shows up at the start or end of a class for breathing practice and quiet sitting, and in standing and seated poses that bind one foot into the hip crease.

It suits people whose hips already turn out freely. For most others, the honest answer is weeks or months of hip work before the foot rests comfortably on the thigh. Easy Pose, Sukhasana remains a full and complete seat in the meantime.

How do you prepare the hips for half lotus?

Work on the outward rotation of the hip, not on the knee. Fire Log Pose, with the shins stacked and Cow Face Pose open the outer hips from different angles, and the hip stretches routine adds some on the floor.

When is the full pose the next step?

Lotus Pose, Padmasana asks for the same rotation on both legs at once. Try it only when Half Lotus is easy on both sides. Stop at any sharp pain, pinching or clicking in the knee. Knees that have had surgery or injury need advice from a doctor or physio first.