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Tolasana

Scales Pose

tola = balance, scales

Written and reviewed by The Kriya Yogi · Updated 21 September 2026

Lotus lifted off the floor on the hands, the whole body hanging between straight arms.

Family
Arm balances
Level
intermediate
Lineage
modern
Works on
core · arms · wrists

The yogic view

A lift from lotus in this form is documented in twentieth-century sources; the classical texts describe related lifted postures such as kukkutasana, which is a genuinely classical posture with the arms threaded through the legs.

How to practise

  1. Sit in full lotus only if it is comfortable.
  2. Place the hands on the floor beside the hips, fingers spread and pointing forward.
  3. Press the hands down, draw the lower abdomen in and lift the knees and buttocks off the floor.
  4. Straighten the arms and let the body hang, gaze forward.
  5. Hold for five to ten breaths or as long as the breath stays even.
  6. Lower with control and change the leg cross.

For seated or floor-based work, use a clean, stable surface. Our natural cork yoga mat offers a grounded 5 mm surface for regular practice.

What research shows

The lift comes from pressing the hands down and drawing the abdomen in, not from hauling with the shoulders. Wrists take the full body weight, so they need to be warm and the fingers spread. Because the legs are locked in lotus, this cannot be practised safely as a way to work towards lotus — the seat comes first.

Questions about Tolasana

+ How long should you hold Tolasana?
Arm balances are held briefly. Aim for three to eight breaths, or a few controlled seconds at first, and repeat two or three times with rest between rather than straining to extend a single hold. Where the posture is one-sided, practise both sides for the same length of time. Let the breath decide: if it becomes short, held or noisy, you have stayed too long or gone too deep.
+ Is Tolasana suitable for beginners?
Not as a first posture. Tolasana is an intermediate arm balances shape: it assumes you can already hold the foundational postures for around eight calm breaths and move in and out of them with control. Most people are ready after a few months of regular practice, and the preparatory postures listed on this page are the honest route in.
+ What are the modifications for Tolasana?
Work with the shape rather than around it: reduce the range, shorten the lever by bending the nearest joint, and raise the floor toward you. Three adjustments apply to almost any posture: raise the hips on a folded blanket or cushion in seated work, bend the knees in anything that loads the back of the legs, and use a wall, chair or block to take weight and remove the fear of falling. A supported version practised often produces more change than a deep version practised rarely.
+ Who should avoid or modify Tolasana?
For Tolasana specifically: wrist injury; knee injury; shoulder injury. More generally, modify or skip it if you have an acute injury or recent surgery in the area it loads, if you are pregnant and have not been given individual guidance, or if the shape produces sharp, pinching, radiating or electric sensation. Numbness, tingling or pain travelling down a limb is a nerve signal to stop and be assessed, not to breathe through. This page is educational and is not medical advice.
+ What should you practise before and after Tolasana?
Prepare with Padmasana (Lotus Pose), Phalakasana (Plank Pose). Release afterwards with Dandasana (Staff Pose), Balasana (Child's Pose). Both lists are links on this page, and either can be shortened when time is limited — but do not skip preparation for a posture that loads a joint at end range.
+ What does Tolasana mean in Sanskrit?
Tolasana translates as scales pose — tola = balance, scales The name follows Sanskrit convention, but the posture itself is modern and is not described in the classical texts.

Prepare with

Release with

Cautions

  • wrist injury
  • knee injury
  • shoulder injury

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Educational content, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting new practices if you have a health condition or are pregnant.