Sukhasana: Difference between revisions

{{short description|An easy seated posture in hatha yoga}}

[[File:Sukhasana.jpg|thumb|Sukhasana (easy pose)]]

{{Contains Indic text}}

'''Sukhasana''' ({{lang-sa|सुखासन}}; [[IAST]]: ''Sukhāsana''), '''easy pose''',<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2481 | title=Easy Pose |publisher=[[Yoga Journal]] | accessdate=2011-04-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Saraswati, Satyananda |authorlink=Satyananda Saraswati |title=Meditations from the Tantras, with live class transcriptions |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_bpWAAAAMAAJ |year=1974 |publisher=Bihar School of Yoga |page=94}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Institute Of Naturopathy Staff |title=Speaking Of Yoga For Health|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=caiQUPjn_K8C&pg=PA56 |date=2003 |publisher=Sterling Publishers |isbn=978-1-84557-026-2 |page=56}}</ref><ref name="FeuersteinPayne2010">{{cite book |last1=Feuerstein |first1=Georg |authorlink=Georg Feuerstein |last2=Payne |first2=Larry |title=Yoga For Dummies |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bP2CnSidS3QC&pg=PA200 |date=5 April 2010 |publisher=For Dummies |isbn=978-0-470-50202-0|page=200}}</ref> is an [[asana]] in [[hatha yoga]], [[Buddhism]], and [[Hinduism]], similar to sitting in a simple [[cross-legged]] position.

==Etymology==

The name comes from the Sanskrit words ''sukha'' (सुख, sukha) meaning "pleasure",<ref>{{cite book |last=Joshi |first=K. S. |title=Yogic Pranayama: Breathing for Long and Good Health |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NagKQNRaLtAC&pg=PA45 |year=1991 |publisher=Orient Paperbacks |isbn=978-81-222-0089-8| page=45}}</ref> and ''asana'' (आसन, āsana) meaning "posture" or "seat".<ref name="Sinha1996">{{cite book |last=Sinha |first=S. C. |title=Dictionary of Philosophy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-zzRvh1fRzEC&pg=PA18 |year=1996 |publisher=Anmol Publications |isbn=978-81-7041-293-9 |page=18}}</ref>

The 19th century ''[[Sritattvanidhi]]'' describes and illustrates the pose.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sjoman |first1=Norman E. |authorlink=Norman Sjoman |url=https://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN8170173892 |title=The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace |publisher=Abhinav Publications |year=1999 |edition=2nd |origyear=1996 |isbn=81-7017-389-2 |pages=80, 89, 96}}</ref> The name, and the more general name Yogasana which may denote a variety of similar poses, is found in much older documents as a [[meditation]] seat, such as in the 4th century ''[[Darshana Upanishad]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Larson |first1=Gerald James |last2=Bhattacharya |first2=Ram Shankar |title=Yoga : India's Philosophy of Meditation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p6pURGdBBmIC&pg=PA599 |year=2008 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-3349-4 |pages=479, 599}}</ref>

==Description==

While opening the hips and lengthening the spine, the asana's relative ease on the knees makes it easier than [[siddhasana]] or [[Lotus position|padmasana]] for people with physical difficulties. Some schools do not consider it to be as effective for prolonged meditation sessions because it is easy to slump forward while sitting in it. For meditation, it is important that the spine be straight and aligned with the head and neck. But if the practitioner steadies the sukhasana pose by putting pillows or blankets under the knees to create a steadiness, it may be easier to sit longer in sukhasana for meditation without slumping forward. An additional blanket or pillow under the buttocks may also be beneficial and steadying.<ref>Rama, Swami, Meditation and its Practice, Himalayan Institute, 1992</ref> The 20th century [[Jnana Yoga]] guru [[Ramana Maharshi]] advocated it as suitable for attaining Enlightenment.<ref>{{cite book |author=Maharsi Ramana |title=The teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi in his own words |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c-4XAAAAIAAJ |year=1962 |publisher=Rider |page=134}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[Siddhāsana]]

*[[List of asanas]]

*[[Sitting#Cross-legged|Sitting cross-legged]]

==References==

{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==

*{{cite book|last=Iyengar|first=B. K. S.|authorlink=B. K. S. Iyengar|title=Illustrated Light On Yoga|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pbx5AAAACAAJ|date=1 October 2005|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-81-7223-606-9}}

*{{cite book|last=Saraswati|first=Swami Satyananda|authorlink=Swami Satyananda Saraswati|title=Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YpR1QgAACAAJ|date=1 August 2003|publisher=Nesma Books India|isbn=978-81-86336-14-4}}

*{{cite book|last=Saraswati|first=Swami Satyananda|authorlink=Swami Satyananda Saraswati|title=A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eWOrAAAACAAJ|date=January 2004|publisher=Nesma Books India|isbn=978-81-85787-08-4}}

==External links==

* [http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2481 Step by Step instruction]

* [http://www.yoga.net.co/2016/03/sukhasana-pose-yoga-easy-pose-yoga.html Easy Pose Benefits]

{{Asana}}

{{Hatha yoga}}

[[Category:Buddhist meditation]]

[[Category:Sitting asanas]]

[[Category:Meditation asanas]]

[[Category:Medieval Hatha Yoga asanas]]

[[Category:Hip-opening asanas]]