Sukhasana  [Easy pose]

  Sukhasana is a yoga pose practiced by yogis for meditation since ancient times. Sukh means joyful, easy in Sanskrit and asana means pose.

   In this digital era everybody relies up on computer for work, sitting forward in a chair and these may adversely affect your spine and head alignment. It requires hip flexibility and back strength in order to sit in this yoga pose for longer periods of time.

 Sukhasana helps you to correct your body posture by strengthening and balancing muscle action, particularly back and abdominal muscles.

Sitting in sukhasana means you can do this yoga pose “with ease”.  This pose opens up hip joints and strengthens back muscles. While practising this yoga pose you may support your back with blanket, blocks etc.

 How to do Sukhasana?

·       Sit on the floor. Cross one shin in front of the other, bringing each foot underneath the opposite knee.

·       Relax your feet resting on the floor.

·       Sit with your pelvis in a neutral position

·       Straighten your back. Balance your body weight across the sit bones, making sure to press the buttocks into the floor, mat, or blanket.

·       Straighten the neck and gaze ahead. Inhale deeply and exhale after three seconds, repeating the breathing exercise throughout. Hold the pose for approximately one minute .

·       Relax all the muscle in your face, forehead, scalp, and tongue. Fully relax your face while keeping the rest of your body active.

·       Rest your hands on top of your knees. Palms can be facing the down or facing the up.

Health benefits

·       Helps to relax your body and mind

·       Strengthens back ,hip and abdominal muscles

·       Improves the posture of your body.

The right alignment for easy pose / sukhasana

·       Relaxed face

·       Neck in line with spine

·       Lifting through the crown of the head

·       Spine straight and lengthened

·       Shoulders down and back

·       Chest open

·       Legs in comfortable cross-legged position

·       Optional: hands in mudra or rested on knees

Caution

Sometimes sitting in sukhasana may slightly compromise your circulation particularly in pregnant women and in cases of varicose veins on legs.

If this happens do not sit in this pose for long. Do not pull your feet so close to your pelvis. You may also choose another yoga pose for meditation.

Contraindications

 Injury to hip, knee and ankle. Avoid sitting in this pose.

Tips to help the practice of sukhasana

To support your hips: Sit on additional folded blankets so the knees are level with or below the hips. Widen the knees to give your hips more space or to open it.

To relieve knee pain: Roll up your socks and put them behind the backs of your knees before crossing your shins.

To ease your lower back: If your lower back feels exhausted, try sitting with your back against a wall and supported by bock, cushion ,blanket etc.

To relax tight shoulders: Interlace your fingers and stretch the arms overhead. Repeat several times to release any held tension in your neck and shoulders.

References

1.    https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/easy-pose-3/

2.    https://www.artofliving.org/us-en/easy-pose-sukhasana

3.    https://www.yogaalignmentguide.com/sukhasana-easy-pose