After relaxing in the Corpse Pose for few minutes, come up and sit in the Easy Pose, Sukhasana, for pranayama and the neck, shoulder and eye exercises. This asana is one of the classic meditative poses, which help to straighten the spine, slow the metabolism and still the mind.
If you’re used to sitting in chairs, Sukhasana can be quite challenging.
If you find that holding the pose is uncomfortable, place a folded blanket under the back of your buttocks. In order to stretch the leg muscles evenly, be sure to alternate which leg you place on top in the posture. When you are ready, substitute the Half Lotus or Lotus at this point.
Beginner’s Tip
Sit with your back to a wall, slightly closer than the length of a yoga block, and wedge the ends of the block between the wall and your lower shoulder blades.
Should be cautious if you have weak knees.
How to sit in Sukhasana (Easy Pose) and relax
Sitting on the floor, bend your knees and, clasping your arms around them, press them to your chest to make the spine erect. Now, release your arms and cross your legs, letting your knees drop down toward the floor, keeping your head and body straight.
Relax the feet so their outer edges rest comfortably on the floor and the inner arches settle just below the opposite shin. You’ll know you have the basic leg fold of Sukhasana when you look down and see a triangle, its three sides formed by the two thighs and the crossed shins. Don’t confuse this position with that of other classic seated postures in which the ankles are tucked in close to the sitting bones. In Sukhasana, there should be a comfortable gap between the feet and the pelvis.
You can sit in this position for any length of time, but if you practice this pose regularly, be sure to alternate the cross of the legs.
A good rule of thumb : On even-numbered days, cross the right shin in front of the left, and on odd-numbered days, do the opposite. Alternately, you can divide the practice time in half, and spend the first half with your right leg forward, and the second half with the left leg forward.
Benefits of Sukhasana
- Calms the brain
- Strengthens the back
- Stretches the knees and ankles