lotus position
Noun: A seated posture, fundamental to many meditation and yoga practices, where the practitioner sits on the floor with each foot placed on the opposite thigh, heels drawn close to the abdomen, spine erect, and hands resting on the knees or in the lap. It is traditionally considered a stable and symmetrical position for prolonged sitting and breath control.
The term "lotus position" is used specifically to describe this precise, formal yoga posture. It denotes a state of seated meditation or the physical act of assuming this pose. * The meditation session began with everyone assuming the lotus position. * She held the lotus position for twenty minutes while focusing on her breath. * Achieving a comfortable lotus position requires flexibility in the hips and knees.
- "Full lotus" vs. "Half lotus": In detailed yoga contexts, a distinction is made. The "full lotus position" (or ) is as defined above. The "half lotus position" (or ) is a modified version where only one foot is placed on the opposite thigh, while the other foot rests beneath the opposite knee or thigh.
- Beginners often start with the half lotus position before attempting the full lotus.
- Padmasana: The Sanskrit name for the lotus position, often used interchangeably in yoga contexts.
- Seated posture: A more general term for any position where one is sitting down.
- Meditation pose: A broader category that includes the lotus position as well as other seated postures like the easy pose ().
- Padmasana (the direct Sanskrit equivalent).
- To sit in lotus: A common shorthand phrase meaning to assume the lotus position.
- He prefers to sit in lotus during his morning practice.
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a sitting position with the legs crossed; used in yoga
