Padma Sadhana

Description of Padma Sadhana or Lotus Meditation:

The ideal time to do Padmasadhana is between 4 and 6 o’clock in the morning.

*  Always do Padmasadhana on a blanket or mat – not directly on the floor. If you wish to do additional yoga asanas, you can do them before you begin Padmasadhana.

While combining with Home Sudarshan Kriya practice you need to finish padmasadhana practise and then do 3 stage pranayama , bhastrika, OM, and Sudarshan Kriya. 

THE SEQUENCE  OF ASANA FOR PADMASADHANA  PRACTISE :

Yoga asanas:

1. Body Rotation, 4 times clockwise, 4 times anti-clockwise, sitting in Lotus or half Lotus posture.

2. Crocodile Asana, Makarasan, lie down on stomach, left leg bended the to the left side

3. Half-Locust Asana, Ardh Sulbhasan, ie on the stomach, lift right leg one feet off the floor, then left leg

4. Full-Locust Asana, Purna Sulbhasan , lift both legs at the same time one feet off the floor (palms in fists(thumbs inside) under the pelvis).

5. Cobra Asana,Bhujangasan hands near the shoulders, bend back backwards, keep navel on the floor, look up

6. Superman Asana, Viprit Sulbhasan , lift arms (in front of the body) and legs, only stomach touches floor

7. Bow Asana, Dhanurasan, hands hold feet, only stomach touches floor

8. Rest in Crocodile Asana, Makarasan

Turn from your right side and lie down on your back

9. Dead body Asana, Savasan…lie still with out moving

10. Boat Asana,Naukasan.  lift leg and upper body up off the floor, hands point towards the knees, hand palms facing each other

11. Alternate Knees Press, Ardh Pawan Mukt Asana: to chest, first right knee, then left knee, and touch your nose to your knees.

12. Full Knees Press, Purna Pawan Mukt Asana : Bring both knees to the chest and lock arms over the knees and touch nose to your knees.

13. Shoulder-stand Asana, Shulbhasan, Bend your knees and raise your body to the sky and support your waist with your hands.

14. Dancing Shiva Asana, Natraj Asan: right side: right knee on left knee, make right knee touch floor at the left side of the body, right arm stretched away and then do the left side.

15. Rest in Dead body Asana

Turn to your right side and sit and go into the next asana

16. Spinal-twist Asana, Ardh Macchendra Asan : Right side: right foot is placed under the left hip, left foot is neear the right knees, right elbow touches outside of left knee, right hand holds left foot. and then the other side

17. Mountain Asana, Parvat Asan , Sit in Lotus or half Lotus, raise hands from the side to make palms join each other, clasp the thumbs, stretch palms away from floor.

18. Yoga-Mudra, Sitting in Lotus or half Lotus, right hand in adi mudra (fist with thumb touching root of the ringfinger finger), left hand holds right wrist, bend over with head touching the floor.

PRANAYAMA.

Do Alternate Nostril Pranayama, or Naadi Shodhan Pranamaya Breathing for 5 minutes. Sit in full lotus or half lotus position ie Ardh or Purna Padma Asan. Left hand placed on left knee in chin mudra (thumb touches index finger, three other fingers stays stretched).

 Right hand: index finger and middle finger touch lightly between the eyebrows, thumb and ring finger alternately press the nostrils (the nostrils don’t close completely). Breathe in normal breath exhaling and inhaling at the count of 6.

Meditate for 20 minutes.

If you don’t know Sahaj Samadhi meditation you can do ujjayi-breathing with the different mudras or calmly observe your breath.

End the meditation with 5 minutes Alternate Nostril Pranayama, or Naadi Shodhan Pranamaya Breathing.

As descibed, one round of Padmasadhana is:

 Yogasanas + Alternate Nostril Breathing (5 minutes) + Meditation (20 minutes) + Alternate Nostril Breathing (5 minutes)

During menstruation DO NOT DO ANY ASANAS:

Four principles during asana’s:

1.. Yoga is union of the : body -breath -mind

2.. With contraction: breathe out

With expansion: breathe in

3.. Steady, joyfull, relaxed postures

4.. 4 long breaths in each pose (asana)

Preferably avoid for better sadhana:

a.. Cigarettes and tobacco in any form.

b.. Alcohol (including beer and wine)

c.. Non-Vegetarian  food of any kind ( including fish, meat, eggs)

d.. Fermented cheese, Onion and Garlic