The Accomplished Pose

Svatmarama places siddhasana among the handful of postures worth naming, calling it the seat that opens the central channel and readies the practitioner for breath work. The heel is set at the perineum and the spine stacked so that the body can be forgotten. Tradition treats it as the seat in which the locks can be applied without strain.

Seated postures with a neutral, self-supported spine reduce the muscular effort needed to stay upright and allow slower, more diaphragmatic breathing. Studies of seated meditation postures consistently find that an erect but relaxed spine supports longer sessions with less discomfort — the practical claim the text makes, in different language.

1. Sit on the floor with a folded blanket under the hips so the pelvis tilts slightly forward.
2. Fold one leg in, placing the heel close to the perineum.
3. Place the other foot above or in front of the opposite thigh, whichever your hips allow.
4. Stack the spine, soften the shoulders, rest the hands on the knees.
5. Let the chin drop very slightly and breathe through the nose for five to twenty minutes.
6. Change the crossing of the legs in the next sitting.

Avoid or modify with knee, hip or ankle injury, recent joint replacement, or sciatic pain. Sit on a chair or against a wall if the lower back rounds. Pregnancy is generally fine with a wide, well-supported seat.