Upward Lotus · Urdhva Padmasana
Urdhva Padmasana · 우르드바 파드마사나 · 든 연꽃
Primary Series · Yoga Chikitsa (Yoga Therapy) — Finishing Sequence
Breath: 8 · Drishti (gaze): nose tip
Still inverted, fold the legs into lotus and press the knees onto straight arms, pelvis and palms pushing into each other for balance. The mid-air lotus asks fine coordination — and constant care that no weight drifts into the neck.
Alignment
- Hands — arms straight, each palm supporting the same-side knee from below
- Feet — the lotus insteps stay sealed on the thighs in the air
- Knees — resting at right angles on the palms, the lotus level with the ceiling
- Gaze — the nose tip; the balance lives in symmetrical shoulders and arms
Entering the pose
- Fold the lotus while in shoulderstand
- Straighten the arms, palms to the knees
- Balance on shoulders and arms, breathing
Common mistakes
- Forcing the lotus in mid-air
- Weight drifting into the neck
Modifications & props
- If lotus won't form upside down, cross the ankles or press the soles together — the arm-support structure trains the same.
- If moving the hands one at a time wobbles you, practice near a wall with the toes touching it.
- Should folding the legs send weight into the neck, return at once to supporting the back — the fold can wait.
Benefits
- Trains balance and core control while inverted
- Teaches a straight spine supported through the arms
- Prepares the fold into pindasana
Role in the sequence
Third pose of the inversion block: a lotus placed on top of shoulderstand. The Padmasana completed in the seated section must now be folded again upside down — a very Ashtanga arrangement, testing one skill at new coordinates. Its support structure, straight arms under the knees, is the staging position for folding down into Pindasana next.
Practice notes
Urdhva means upward and padma means lotus: a lotus tied above the shoulders. Balance and lotus meet in one place for the first time here, and building a lotus in the air is a different task from building one on the floor — you have to find the feet by feel rather than by sight.
The order of assembly is the technique. From Karnapidasana straighten the legs upward, support one knee with a hand while the opposite foot is placed on the thigh, then repeat for the second foot. Once both are set, move the hands onto the knees to support them and count eight breaths.
If the lotus will not form in the air, crossing the ankles takes its place. Twisting a knee to force the foot up is considerably more dangerous here than on the floor, because the body is busy holding itself up and cannot make the small adjustments the leg needs.
Two checks: are the hands supporting the knees so the thighs are parallel to the floor, and have the elbows drifted wide and collapsed the shoulder support? This pose flows straight into Pindasana, so once the lotus is stable here, all that remains is to fold the knees.
A simple leg cross works until lotus is easy.
Written by Choi Seongjin — 20 years of Ashtanga practice, currently teaching three classes a week. Last updated: .
This guide is for general information and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant, injured, or have a medical condition, consult a qualified teacher or physician before practising. Disclaimer & Legal Notice
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