Venus Rising

Yoga for LivingIssue: Taurus 07

Take Time to Strengthen with Lotus Pose and Warrior Two

Taurians move slowly. Representative of the earth element, they are naturally patient, strong, and stable. They take their time to make decisions and move through life with care. A Taurian’s natural groundedness helps her to feel present and stable in the world, no matter what happens. In yoga, the earth element is found mainly in the legs. Its our legs that determine how we stand in the world. When we are aware of how we stand on our legs, we can choose to stand in a stable and grounded way. When we are unaware of our feet touching the earth, we might feel out of balance or even anxious. The closer we are to the ground, of course, the closer we are to the earth. Sitting can be a wonderful way to get grounded when we are feeling anxious or spaced out, and Taurians are naturally good at sitting. The lotus pose is a perfect pose for Taurians as it requires an openness through the legs, a connection to the earth through the lower body, a stable base for sitting in correct posture, and the patience both to master the pose and to sit still for longer periods of time. 

Lotus pose is considered a classic pose for seated meditation. For most of us, in the beginning, lotus is neither comfortable nor possible. It requires flexibility in both the hips and the ankles. Over time, with diligent and careful practice, we can open the hips and ankles enough to sit in lotus comfortably. Everyone’s body is different, and it is important that you do not force your body into this pose. If you try to force into the pose before you are ready, you can damage your knees because they will compensate for tightness in the hips and ankles. In fact, taking time to slowly move into the pose requires the patience of Taurus as it may take years or a lifetime to sit comfortably in lotus. Lotus pose is a perfect place for Taurians to sit and contemplate what their next move might be. 

Half Lotus/Lotus (Padmasana/Ardha Padmasana)

To practice lotus, sit on the floor in an easy cross legged pose. Lift up your left foot and place it high on top of the right thigh, in toward the groin. Hold here for a few breaths and imagine the knees weighted toward the floor. This is half lotus. If you are comfortable here and you would like to move deeper, pick up your right foot and place it over the left shin, placing the foot high on the left thigh, as close to the groin as you can get. This is full lotus. Hold here and breathe. As you get more comfortable in the pose, you can hold for longer periods of time. One breath may be enough in the beginning. Release the pose and do either half or full lotus on the second side.