Vinyala

Pose sheet

Bound Lotus Pose

Baddha Padmāsanaबद्धपद्मासन

Sit in full Lotus and hold your big toes behind your back.

Open this pose in the 3D body

Steps

Support

Both sitting bones and outer areas of the thighs.

Enter

  1. Sit with your legs extended and your spine upright.
  2. Place each foot on the opposite thigh, close to your groin.
  3. Exhale and cross your arms behind your back.
  4. Hold the uppermost big toe first with that side's hand.
  5. Hold the other big toe and return your torso upright.

Hold

  1. Distribute your weight evenly between both sitting bones.
  2. Keep your torso upright and your head aligned.
  3. Draw your shoulder blades together without shrugging.

Exit

  1. Release your big toes and bring your hands forward.
  2. Slowly uncross your legs and extend them.
  3. Repeat with the leg crossing reversed.
Breathing
Breathe slowly and deeply.
Gaze
Look forward with your head aligned.
Duration
As long as you can comfortably hold it.

Adapt

Adaptations

  • Raised seatRaise your pelvis on a folded blanket.
  • Forearm claspHold your forearms behind you if you cannot reach your toes.
  • One toe holdHold just one big toe; alternate sides.
  • Half Lotus or crossed legsReduce the leg crossing and hold your forearms behind your back.

Variations

  • Yoga Mudrāsana: fold from your hips while maintaining the back bind.
  • Backward head variation: take your head backward while maintaining the bind.
  • Supta Vajrāsana: recline, chest arched, crown grounded, maintaining the bind.

Signals of effort

  • Marked external rotation of both hips.
  • Deep flexion of both knees.
  • Arms bound behind the back.