Vinyala

Pose sheet

Cradle Pose

Hindolāsanaहिन्दोलासन

Sit upright and cradle one horizontal shin, keeping your other leg folded.

Open this pose in the 3D body

Steps

Support

Sitting bones and grounded left leg; both arms support your right leg.

Enter

  1. Sit upright with your legs crossed.
  2. Lift your right leg, supporting your knee and foot.
  3. Rest your right knee in the crook of your right elbow.
  4. Place your right foot in the crook of your left elbow.
  5. Interlace your hands and bring your shin toward your chest.

Hold

  1. Keep both sitting bones grounded and your torso upright.
  2. Keep your left leg folded on the floor.
  3. Keep your shin roughly horizontal, supporting both your knee and foot.
  4. Flex your foot; keep its outer edge from dropping.

Exit

  1. Unlace your hands and support your knee and foot again.
  2. Slowly lower your leg until your foot rests on the floor.
  3. Repeat with your left leg for the same duration.
Breathing
Breathe normally without holding your breath.
Gaze
Look at a point ahead.
Duration
8–10 breaths per side.

Adapt

Adaptations

  • Raised seatSit on a folded blanket to preserve your natural lumbar curve.
  • Hand supportHold your knee and the sole of your foot without interlacing.
  • Seated figure fourGround left foot, hands behind; cross right ankle over left thigh.

Variations

  • Utthita Hindolāsana: straighten your lower leg.
  • Rocking: swing your leg from the hip.
  • Supta Hindolāsana: lie back, keeping your shin cradled between your arms.

Signals of effort

  • Hip flexion and external rotation with a deeply bent knee.
  • Both arms support the weight of one lifted leg.