Easy Pose (Sukhasana)
Sukha means ease or comfort, and asana means posture, so Sukhasana is the comfortable seat. It is a simple cross-legged position used for breathing practice, meditation and the start and end of a class.
At a glance
- Sanskrit name
- Sukhasana
- Pronunciation
- soo-KAHS-uh-nuh. The kh is a breathy k, and the emphasis goes on KAHS.
- Family
- Seated and floor
- Practised in
- Yoga for beginners
- In pregnancy
- Adapt
- After birth
- Adapt
Easy Pose is the seat most people take without thinking. Done well, it lets you sit for several minutes of breathing practice without fidgeting. The difference usually comes down to the height of what you sit on.
It is often the first seat we take in beginner yoga lessons at home, and a folded blanket usually does more for it than effort does.
From this seat, a gentle Seated Twist, turning from the ribs is often the first movement I add.
How to do Easy Pose
Sit on the front edge of a folded blanket or cushion with your legs straight out in front of you.
Bend your knees and cross your shins, sliding each foot under the opposite knee or shin.
Let your knees drop toward the floor, and check that they are level with or lower than your hips.
Rest your hands on your thighs or knees, palms up or down, and let the shoulders settle.
Grow tall from the base of your spine to the crown of your head, chin level.
Stay for as long as is comfortable, then change the cross of your legs so the other shin is in front.
My cues
- Sit on your sit bones, not behind them. Rock gently side to side and forward and back until you find the top of them.
- The cushion is not a cheat. I raise the hips until the lower back stops working to hold you up.
- Soften the face and the jaw. Easy Pose should look like its name.
Modifications
- Sit higher on a block, a bolster or two folded blankets if your knees are above your hips.
- Put a block or rolled blanket under each knee if the knees float.
- Sit with your back to a wall and a small cushion behind the lower back.
- If crossing the legs does not suit your knees, sit on a chair with both feet flat on the floor.
In pregnancy. Adapt. Sit higher, on a cushion or bolster, with the knees wide and supported, and lean your back against a wall if that helps. Change position whenever your legs or back feel tired, and check with your OB or midwife before starting yoga in pregnancy.
After birth. Adapt. When your OB or midwife says you are ready to exercise, sit higher and well supported, especially if sitting is still tender after birth. A soft cushion or a chair is a fine seat for breathing practice.
Common mistakes
- Sitting flat on the floor with the knees higher than the hips, which rounds the lower back.
- Tucking the feet tightly under the thighs so the knees and ankles twist.
- Always crossing the same leg in front.
- Sitting stiffly with the chest pushed forward. Let the ribs soften over the hips.
Pairs well with
- Lotus PosePadmasana
- Butterfly PoseBaddha Konasana
- Seated Forward BendPaschimottanasana