Upward Lotus Pose

How to do Upward Lotus Pose

1. 1Begin in a steady Shoulderstand with your weight supported across the shoulders and upper arms rather than the cervical spine.
2. 2Slowly bend your right knee and draw the right foot into the left hip crease to enter half lotus.
3. 3Fold your left leg across the right shin to nestle the left foot into the right hip crease, securing a full Lotus bind.
4. 4Press the knees upward toward the ceiling, tilting the pelvis slightly to extend and lengthen your spine.
5. 5Once steady, carefully take your hands away from your lower back one at a time and rest them on your knees with arms straight.
6. 6Engage your deep core to maintain vertical balance over your shoulders while keeping the gaze soft toward the chest.
7. 7To release, return your hands to support your lower back, gently unbind your legs into Shoulderstand, and roll down through your spine.

Benefits

• Deeply stretches and opens the hip joints, knees, and ankles.
• Strengthens the shoulder girdle, triceps, and upper back.
• Stimulates the abdominal organs and supports healthy digestion.
• Enhances full-body proprioception and inverted balancing skill.
• Encourages venous return and lymphatic drainage from the lower body.
• Calms the nervous system and fosters intense mental focus.

Common mistakes and cues

• Collapsing onto the neck

  Keep your shoulder blades drawing toward one another and press firmly through the upper arms to keep weight off the cervical spine.

• Forcing the knee joint

  Only enter the Lotus bind if your hips have ample external rotation to avoid twisting or straining the knees.

• Rushing the hand release

  Keep your hands firmly supporting your back until your Lotus bind and core engagement feel entirely stable.

• Dropping the knees forward

  Actively lift your folded knees upward toward the ceiling to maintain an open hip angle and vertical alignment.

Modifications and props

• Keep hands on back

  Maintain the support of your hands on your mid-back rather than pressing them onto your knees to focus on hip positioning.

• Cross-legged variation

  Cross your shins in an easy seat shape (Sukhasana) instead of full Lotus if your hips or knees are not ready for a deep bind.

• Blanket under shoulders

  Place a neatly folded blanket beneath your shoulders and upper arms to protect the neck and create cervical clearance.

• Wall support

  Practice near a wall to lightly steady your bound knees as you explore balancing the hands on the knees.

Cautions

• Neck or spinal injuries

  Avoid this posture entirely if you have cervical spine issues, herniated discs, or acute neck stiffness.

• Knee issues

  Do not attempt the full Lotus bind if you experience sharp knee pain or have a history of meniscus tears.

• High blood pressure or eye pressure

  Avoid sustained inverted postures if you have uncontrolled hypertension, glaucoma, or heart conditions.

• Active pregnancy

  Skip this deep inverted bind during pregnancy due to increased joint laxity and abdominal compression.

If you are working with an injury, pregnancy or a medical condition, check with a qualified professional before practising this pose.

Practise this for

Classes that teach this pose

Upcoming Ashtanga classes where this shape shows up.

Teachers and studios for this practice

Related poses