This is excellent, after doing the preparation I could do the full lotus for the first time. Thank you!

Wow, this is amazing. Trying to get the knee pain out of the Lotus and watched different videos. This is the huge game changer. Thank you from my heart.

Great video! Much gratitude, you saved me a lot of pain! This is the best instruction that I've seen so far: - Laconic, effective, testable - Anatomy analysis - Suited for different levels of practice, with separate troubleshooting videos

Glad to share it. I have had a number of students get into lotus for their very first time after doing this prep. It seems to help most people. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and watching. Namaste, David

I think the suggestion for many of us doing daily meditation practice is to switch positions: left on right, then right on left. This is especially true for those who meditate more than once a day, and especially on week long meditation retreats.

I have been practicing for 10 years and still this posture is a challenge for me. These stretches are wonderful, and if you use the blocks are very safe as well. Excellent, thank you.

Awesome video. Been trying all kinds of stretches for awhile to open me up. I think this may be the last key I need.

David you have explained it so well.. it has helped me a lot. I used to think that the kneen pains, but u explained the reason so well that a lay man can get u so easily. Thank you so much

Amazing video, by far the best I've seen on the topic. Thank you very much!!

This is wonderful, David! I could definitely feel a difference in my own lotus and will borrow this technique to better prepare my students as well. Namaste.

This is truly amazing, thank you for these great videos, I just discovered them and they are incredibly instructive and most of all it works !!! Thank you for sharing this David :)

This helped a lot in just one night I noticed an immediate difference in my hip flexibility. will definitely keep doing much appreciated

Fantastic tip! Thank you David

Sat nam,Fab, fab, fab this is the simplest way yet as a yoga teacher I am always looking for ways to seat people comfortably, thanks again nameste

Thank you :) I did not even know how to start practising on the lotus at all ... this will definitely be a good start!

This video is terrific. I have been able to do lotus pretty well with the left foot going first, but it has been really tight with the right foot going first. This made a large improvement quickly. Thank you very much for 'building temples' for us in you tube. David

Thank you so much finally I can do the correct moves for my knee injuries, the small towel and the hand rotating the thigh is very good for me.

I had to do this with the support of blocks but after the stretches I am amazed that I was able to do the lotus. Still need work but I am getting there thanks to your sequence. Blessings

best yoga video ever! thanks!

I'm about to go try this. Regardless of whether this helps me or not (I think it will), just want to say thanks for making such a perfectly concise instructional video. I learned a lot. Really looking forward to checking out the rest.

thank you! your tips are very helpful!

thank you! this is extremely helpful! I achieved my full lotus for the first time after watching your video.

Thanks hope restored! I didn't know what to do about my practice and have been trying to modify, avoiding anything r/t to my knees.( was told by providers - Physiatrist, MD, ortho PA that knees are like glass: no bending, weight bearng, etc) Lotus is incorporated in so many of the asanas in my practice, but I can't "avoid knees" in yoga. I did injure my knee - 4 months to begin to heal: the medial aspect of the tibia and femur compressing. The towel is amazing! & so is having direction now.

Thank You David, I was in an accident where I broke my tibia and fibula in 5 places. I have been in rehab for 2 months but just can't seem to get my knee to bend past a certain point. Your videos have really helped me to move my knee further with less pain.

YO! THIS REALLY WORKS !! I feel so less tension in my knees and ankles after doing this. THANKS BRO 😁😁😁😁😁

Mahalo for all this incredible information. It is wonderful to hear such clear, outstanding advices.

A rational and anatomically safe approach to open the hip.

these stretches are incredibly relaxing regardless of the lotus objective

Thanks bro feels really good! Also your previous video on why the knee hurts, personally i couldnt care kess for lotus pose but i want my hips and glutes looser and this feels like its helping.

Thank you and keep up the good work! Namaste.

@dkeil Thank you for the advice. It hasn't injured me so far, nor is there any indication that it's going to. My main problem is that after about 2 hours mind begins to be less focused and less contollable, so I was looking for ways, physical or mental, to address this. Thanks again for the advice and useful videos.

Thank you!!!

amazing, so helpful! Thank you so much!

Thanks for the video! I found it really helpful!

Wow, working really well, and I'm inflexible.

Thanks.so simple.

Thank you for this instruction. I will try.

I'll focus on them more as well. Tnx Dkeil, keep up the good work

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with us.

Thank u for the clarification !

Thank you. This is excellent.

Super helpful! Thanks David. :)

Very informative ! By doing these stretches will I be able to achieve the full lotus eventually .at the moment I can bring my other foot and leg over the other ..?

Great video! Do you have a longer one too? I'd like to keep the poses following your instructions, without having to pause the video...

Will work with this... I felt more open after only a little time ....! Thanks

Thank you for sharing!

Thanks for the video David, out of curiosity, how much hip lateral rotation do you have at 90 degrees of hip flexion?

I am not sure where you're trying to purchase from. but if you go to the website listed in the description then to > shop > add each to cart > checkout.

Stabilizing the femur increases the pressure in the hip joint. Yes, stack up the blankets and bolsters for your friends with the high knees so the knees are supported and the pressure goes into the hips.

Thank you 💎

hey David, thanks for the video, very impressed. I started to practice yoga after I ruptured my anterior cruciate ligament of one knee, I'm still waiting for a chance to take the surgery. Full-lotus is one of my favorite poses and I could do it (not so good) and feel okay but my yoga teacher suggested me should not do it because of my knee. Hope to get your advice. Thanks very much.

Excellent vdo. Just what i needed. Tnx mate

Excellent videos, very clear and useful - thank you! I wonder if anatomy could help me sit it siddhasana for prolonged periods of time (2+hours) and stand in sirshasana for 20+ min. Is there something I can do anatomy-wise, or it's simply practicing? Thank you.

Thank you, this helped so much! For the first time I could do lotus without being in pain :)

Great exercise anyway :) Thank you for help

Sure. Thanks a lot.

In case you come to Amsterdam, I'd love to guide you around! I'm learning a lot through your precious work! Thank you so much. Maybe mentioning this gives a broader idea about my bone structure: I have never been able to achieve Baddha Konasana or Upavistha Konasana. No gym, ballet neither yoga teacher has ever told me that my bone structure didn't allow it, though I suspected that something was "wrong" (if have been working on it since 6 year old child, I'd love to achieve this openness ;-)

will you be abke to expalin the anotomy for the sever neck pain and how to strengthen the neck tissues. pls

Without an ACL the knee is usually destabilized. Lotus can put a lot of pressure into the knee so we want to be mindful that we're not exacerbating the instability. The other reason to let it go for a while is that you don't want to inflame the area (I'm not sure if it is still from the ACL tear or not) and you especially don't want it inflamed before having surgery. Just keep the focus on the hip.

Hy David, I did the whole sequence, with the help of many cushions.... and do not feel any pain in the gluts neither in the knees, but a lot in the hip joint (and more intense on the right side). Can you give me some advice on how to work on it? Looking forward to hear from you;)

Hi David Keil, Thank you for the video! How long can you sit in Padmasana comfortably and enjoyably? I practiced what you guided in this video and some others such as: Surya Namaskara, Uttanasana, Paschimottanasana, Bhujangasana, Pavanamukt asana, Ardha Matsyendrasana, Supta Virasana, Supta baddha konasana, Baddha Konsana, Janu sirsasana, Upavistha Konasana for 1 hour. After that, I can sit comfortably in Padmasana for 30 minutes. But after that, my leg turns to pink or red color, becoming painful. What should I do to sit comfortably in Padmasana for 1 - 2 hour?Many thanks!

Thank you. yogi from Philippines .

David, thank you for your very clear explanation! I have a special request: can you pls make a video on how to prepare for 'triang mukhaikapada paschimottanasana' ? The rotation of the hips is very unusal, as least for me, and when I am in that position I seat on one bottom cheek only, the other one doesn't reach the floor. It would be great to know on how to stretch those area. Thank you very much.

I can't get into lotus at all but I am fairly new to regular yoga practice. Is this suitable for a beginner to do on a daily basis (with blocks and bolsters) to work towards a full lotus?

should i feel ankle pain from the fire log stance

Thank you for the video, but why my muscles are not flexible? What can I do?

Oops David, Thanks for this excellent video. How long or how many breaths would you suggest for each prep movement ?

If you are having acute knee pain... don't do this at all. If you have knee pain setting this up then it could also be that your knee is too high. Sit up on top of a large pillow to see if raising your hips higher than your legs works. If when folding forward you feel more pressure in your knee, try folding away from the knee that is hurting. All of this is described in the video. It's also possible that this prep is NOT appropriate for you.

I cannot even attempt the first option for lotus due to extreme knee pain, what is best to do please

It's true you can never isolate only one muscle, or in this case one group when there is more than one group that does the same action. When in butterfly, you get more of a stretch in the adductors, because your legs are more abducted than they are in the prep I suggest, or lotus. In the prep, you are less abducted and as a result more pressure is felt in the other rotators in the gluteals, which are both thicker, larger and restrict more than the adductors. This is why I chose to focus on them.

I got it, thanks so much. Is it important to take the surgery asap? My ACL rupture happened 2 years ago, I'm still delaying the surgery. It would be maybe half a year I can't practice after the surgery?

How many times a week to see the best results

David, can you make a full lotus prep video like 40-50 minutes?

@TheAstroChild - Hey thanks for pointing out that I'm doing lotus in the female position. I'm curious though what tradition you've gotten your information from. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika very clearly states that the right leg goes first. I also know that in Tibetan systems for meditation, the left leg goes first... so there is obviously some difference of opinion. What text are you referencing for the male/female aspect?

Winde, If you feel it in the joint that's not necessarily a bad thing. Some people feel it more in the front/groin. Probably because their adductors are tighter than their glutes. It's also possible that your bone structure doesn't allow for this position well and because the bones are touching it doesn't actually stretch the tissue. It's hard to know for sure without seeing you.

Helpful. Thanks

Even the pressure that you feel between your shins is still a result of the tension remaining in your hips. You can always put a small towel between for the moment.

oh i see, and what's the importance of stabilizing the femur? I'm learning a little bit more about yoga anatomy these days, and i'm just clueless about it. Also, I've got friends whose knees are just high up there, they can't get it down coz they're so stiff, they can't cross their legs so easily too, do we get them to stack as many blankets below the knee as possible?

I can only get one leg into position. There is no way the other one will go. What can I do to help myself?

I don't have problems with putting myself in the lotus position with the one exception is that when I'm in that position, the shins are sitting on top of each other in such a way that it creates uncomfortable pressure. My hips and knees are totally fine. Do you have suggestion on what I can do?

Very good stretch

Blew out my knee for life

Hey, David. Great video. Would you also recommend this Lotus preparation for Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana? I'm thinking particularly of students who have trouble getting their heel into their navel.

Can i práctice yoga with both hips with prosthesis?

Thanks for the video, I have a very tight hips, so how long does it take to develop enough flexibility for lotus posture ? Days? Weeks?

carlo... I'll have to work on that one.

Uhm, I don't want to be a party pooper for all you aspiring Yogis out there, but the Lotus position is universal to many practices, and the -proper- Lotus position for -men- is -Left Leg First- then right, so in essence, the person in the video is sitting in a -female- Lotus. :)

Bryan, 80 - 90 degrees of lateral rotation is about average for a hip bent at 90 degrees.

Namasthey. It was nice watching your video on preparation for lotus posture. I notice that while sitting in Lotus posture, my weight is on the left buttock and wanted to know if thats normal. If not can you please suggest some exercises to correct that.

why would we want to increase the pressure in the hip joint ? isn't it all about relaxation?

Hi Al, There is no rule. My suggestion is to start with 5 - 10 breaths in each direction.

This is a really well put together video. I'm teaching a hip opening workshop and I'll definitely be doing this one, it was beautifully explained. Looking forward to the next.

hei,gibt es das auch auf deutsch?

what is the purpose of pulling the skin away at 6:14?

A perfect lotus posture is the one in which both the knees rest on ground and this is the most difficult part to master in a lotus posture.

I'm 49 and I've had previous surgery on both my knees, don't think I'll ever get into a lotus position, badly hurt my hip flexor last time I even went near it. ☹️

Nice

@gnostie Understanding the anatomy may show you where your limits are and where you need to work, but things still need to be developed or evolve over time. There are no shortcuts, not with anatomy or any other tip or trick you may find on the web. be careful with your goals of siddhasana sitting for two plus hours... It could also injure you.

Very informatibe, yet simple. Btw, I see u are doing lotus with left above right leg. But u are a male. It should be the other way around. Any particular reason why u do that?

@dkeil if you are curious about it, go to the official Falun Dafa website at falundafa . org and look at the exercise videos, specifically the Fifth Exercise, which is a sitting meditation, in the Lotus. Master shows the Full Lotus in Male form, which is left leg first then right. Any videos or images of female Falun Dafa practitioners will show you that their Lotus is reversed, right first then left. It makes complete sense, as there is of course a difference between Yin and Yang.