Thunderbolt Pose (Vajrasana)
Vajra means thunderbolt, and is also translated as diamond, while asana means posture. It is the kneeling seat: you sit back on your heels with the spine upright.
At a glance
- Sanskrit name
- Vajrasana
- Pronunciation
- vahj-RAHS-uh-nuh. The j is soft, as in jar, and RAHS takes the stress.
- Family
- Seated and floor
- Practised in
- Yoga for beginners
- In pregnancy
- Adapt
- After birth
- Adapt
Thunderbolt Pose is a steady kneeling seat. It is also the starting point for several other poses, including Camel and Child’s Pose. It asks a lot of the knees and ankles, so props make a real difference here.
In private yoga for first-timers, a block between the feet or a folded blanket under the knees is often where we begin.
When sitting on the heels is easy, Hero Pose, with the feet beside the hips takes the same kneel a step further, on a block.
How to do Thunderbolt Pose
Kneel on your mat with your knees together or slightly apart and the tops of your feet flat on the floor.
Bring your big toes to touch and let your heels open slightly, making a small cradle for your hips.
Sit back slowly onto your heels, or onto whatever support you have placed there.
Rest your hands on your thighs and stack your shoulders over your hips.
Lengthen through the spine and relax your shoulders and face.
Stay for one to three minutes to start, then lean forward onto your hands and uncurl your legs one at a time.
My cues
- Let the weight drop evenly through both sit bones. Check that you are not leaning into one heel.
- Tingling in the feet is common here. When it starts, I want you to come out, shake the legs and try again with a block, rather than sit through numbness.
- Feel the tops of the feet and the shins spread on the mat, like a wide base under a tall column.
Modifications
- Place a block between your feet and sit on it to reduce the bend in the knees.
- Put a folded blanket between your thighs and calves.
- Roll a small towel under the fronts of your ankles if the tops of the feet ache.
- Kneel on a folded blanket if the mat feels hard on your knees.
In pregnancy. Adapt. Take the knees a little apart so the belly has room, and sit on a block to ease the bend in your knees and ankles. Come out whenever your legs feel tingly, and check with your OB or midwife before starting yoga in pregnancy.
After birth. Adapt. After your OB or midwife has cleared you to exercise, sit on a block or cushion and keep the hold short at first. If the perineum or a scar is still tender, choose a chair or a raised seat instead.
Common mistakes
- Sitting through numb feet. Come out and add height under the hips.
- Letting the feet splay out wide to the sides, which twists the knees.
- Slumping the lower back. Lift the chest a little and sit higher if you need to.
- Standing up quickly after a long hold, before the legs have woken up.
Pairs well with
- Child's PoseBalasana
- Camel PoseUstrasana
- Easy PoseSukhasana