The symbolism of padmasana (lotus position)
Lotus position is the quintessential meditation posture. Sitting cross-legged and tall with straight back is so integral a part of yoga and meditation the world over that we don’t even question its meaning. Yet the lotus is a potent symbol and padmasana, lotus pose, has deep significance…
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Padmasana (lotus position) is the traditional seated pose allowing yogis and meditators to engage concentration, meditation and, ultimately, samadhi (enlightenment). By sitting in lotus – for the experienced with the feet crossed on top of the thighs and the spine effortlessly straight – we are connected firmly to the earth and our roots. As we develop and our yoga/meditation practice grows, with our consciousness expanding, we sit taller – just like the lotus flower reaching through the water to bloom in the sun. As with the lotus, our humble beginnings need not prevent us from blossoming in purity.
The lotus flower, though it appears regal growing on water and is regarded as sacred in India, actually comes from humble origins. Growing in canals and swamps, often heavily polluted, it starts from a seed in the muck at the bottom of a murky pond. As the lotus root takes hold, however, a shoot starts to search for the sun – symbolic of seeking knowledge, enlightenment and the ultimate truth.
This growth reflects the journey of the yogi. We start so bogged down by the ‘muck’ (avidya) of life (our names, careers, family history, age, race, religion) which divide and define us. Like the lotus seed, we may often feel stuck in this bog of labels and divisiveness. But then maybe one day we hear some simple wisdom that cracks open the tough shell of the seed. And so our journey begins.
Lotus flowers sit serenely on top of the water, without any of their petals touching the polluted canals beneath them. Our own enlightenment is to achieve this serenity.
Adapted from a beautiful book, Myths of the Asanas, which is a Hub favourite
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