Just like the lotus position, the perfect sitting position is the ideal position to practice meditation exercises. Not only that, this pose also brings many unexpected health benefits that make everyone surprised.
Perfect sitting posture is a basic yoga pose, suitable for everyone, especially those who are new to yoga. This pose has the Sanskrit name Siddhasana, where Siddha means perfect and asana means posture.
Regular, regular practice of Siddhasana can help improve gait, standing, lengthening the spine, widening the hips, chest and shoulders. Since you can hold this pose for long periods of time, it is ideal for meditation exercises.
In particular, the perfect sitting posture is also a great exercise to increase flexibility for the hips, groin and especially good for the abs. You should add this pose to your list of yoga exercises today and try to practice it regularly every day, especially if meditation and deep breathing are an integral part of your life.
Benefits of perfect sitting posture
Perfect sitting posture is especially effective in stretching the hips, knees, and ankles. If done correctly, this move also helps transfer energy from the lower body to the upper body through the spine, helping to keep the back straight and the spine stretched.
To get the most benefit from the perfect sitting posture, you should maintain this position when performing breathing exercises. This pose will help you focus as much as possible on the parts that are feeling stressed and pressured to relieve the discomfort you are experiencing.
Practicing Siddhasana regularly can also reduce stress and anxiety. In addition, sitting in the perfect posture while breathing deeply will help your mind and body always be in a stable state to be ready to face difficulties and challenges in life.
How to do Siddasana
Siddhasana pose is very simple, you can do it right the first time with just a few simple steps:
Sit on the mat, legs straight in front of you, hands at hip level. You can sit on a folded blanket for more support.
- Bend left knee and bring left heel close to groin area
- Bend right knee and move right heel forward of left ankle.
- Hold this position, breathe evenly, then lift your right leg and place it just above your left ankle. Bring the right heel close to the groin area. Try to keep your body comfortable, don’t force it
- Slide your right toes into the middle of your left thigh for stability.
- Place 2 palms on knees. The knee should touch the floor. You can also straighten your arms out to the sides and place your palms or wrists on your knees, palms facing up.
- Sit with your back straight, eyes looking ahead.
- Hold the pose, breathing deeply for a minute or so.
Some common mistakes
Here are some common mistakes when practicing the perfect sitting movement that few people notice:
Cross one leg continuously
To do Siddhasana correctly, you need to switch legs crossed up each time you exit the pose and rest. However, many practitioners have the habit of crossing the same leg. To avoid a situation where one side is more flexible than the other, you should switch legs on each exit.
Start your knees touching the floor
If you’re new to this pose or have limitations in your hips or knees, don’t force your knees to touch the floor. Stay at a level where you feel comfortable. If you can’t, sit on a folded blanket. This will help reduce pressure on the knees and hips.
Bend your back when performing
Trying to keep your back straight is key to doing this pose successfully, especially during long meditation sessions. If you often sit with your back arched, consider leaning your back against a wall.
Several variations of the perfect sitting posture
Siddhasana is a very common pose in most yoga exercises. You can make this exercise simpler or more difficult in the following ways:
If you feel discomfort in your hips while performing the pose, sit on a folded blanket so that your hips are higher than your knees. In addition, to prepare for this pose, you should do Sukhasana – the easy sitting position regularly.
Since Siddhasana is a yoga pose commonly used in meditation, you can make it more difficult by holding the pose longer. However, this takes time and you need to adjust slowly. Start with short intervals and increase as you get used to it.
Siddhasana is safe for everyone. However, if you have knee, hip or sciatica problems, you should avoid this pose. Also, if you have ankle problems, practice under the supervision and guidance of a professional yoga teacher. If it hurts, stop and consider adjustments to make it easier to do and avoid overstressing your body. It’s normal to feel a stretch in the inner thighs, hips, and groin area, but if you feel pain, be careful.
Reference source
How to Do Siddhasana in Yoga https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-do-siddhasana-4690478 Access date: 3/11/2020
John Alen was born in 1971 and is a doctor in the healthcare and psychology fields with many years of experience. He is currently working at easyhealthylive.com, a leading health and psychology blog. Having studied at Y1 National Medical University named after IM Sechenov, John Alen is using his knowledge and experience to help improve the physical and mental health of people in the United States.
