How to Sit Correctly - About the Sitting Poses

Preface
The Sitting Poses
The Main Sitting Poses
How to Sit
The Three Diaphragms
How to Develop the Capacity to Sit Correctly

Preface

The book Props for Yoga II: Sitting Asanas and Forward Extensions includes detailed explanations on how to sit properly using props. Here I bring some excerpts from this book, as well as additions to it.

The Sitting Poses

(11) “He should sit in a clean place, his firm seat neither too high nor too low, covered with sacred grass, a deerskin and a cloth, one over the other.”

(13) “Holding the body, head, and neck erect and still, looking fixedly at the tip of his nose, without looking around.”

The Bhagavad Gita, Ch. 6 (from Radhakrishnan)

These famous shlokas from the Bhagavad Gita describe how a Yogi should sit. Indeed, sitting is fundamental for yoga practice; we sit for meditation, we sit for practicing Pranayama and we sit for chanting OM at the beginning of every yoga class to prepare mentally for the practice and study. Sitting āsanas allow for long stays with stability, balance, and evenness. They help develop correct alignment, extension, and openness as well as concentration and mindfulness.

The root of the word āsana in Sanskrit, as, means ‘sitting’ – so, in a sense, we should do all the other āsana – standing poses, forward bends, backward bends, twists, and so on – with the qualities of stability, comfort and balance that are characteristic of sitting.

We should attempt to sit daily for at least 15 minutes, in order to center down, relax and meditate or practice Pranayama.

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The Main Sitting Poses

There are many sitting poses, the main ones are listed in Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar.

These are:

Daṇḍāsana (LOY, Pl. 77) – I abbreviate “Light on Yoga Plate” to “LOY Pl.”
Vajrāsana – when one sits on the heels – this is an easier version that prepares one for Virāsana
Virāsana (LOY, Pl. 89)
Baddha Koṇāsana (LOY, Pl. 102)
Sukhāsana or Svastikāsana – this is a simple crossed-leg sitting that prepares one for Padmāsana
Padmāsana (LOY, Pl. 104)
Siddhāsana (LOY, Pl. 84)
Gomukhāsana (LOY, Pl. 80)
Siṁhāsana I (LOY, Pl. 109)

How to Sit

Sitting is like coming home; returning to ourselves; when we sit properly, not only does the body sit, but also the mind joins in and sits with the body. With our center of gravity closer to Mother Earth, we become stable and quiet. In this relaxed, neutral state we can observe our tendencies: face our impatience, boredom, restlessness, agitation, etc. We can also follow our breath and enjoy being in the ‘here and now, savoring the present (gift) of being present at the present moment.

In The Hero’s Contemplation, Pisano writes:

The organs of action (arms and legs) are conditioned to ensure survival. In sitting āsana, the legs are reposed in different ways and learn to become quiet and free from the desire for movement linked to defense, aggression or escape.
The Hero’s Contemplation, C. Pisano, p. 245

This quote is equally true for the other organs of action (speech, elimination, and reproduction organs) which also become quiet in sitting.

The Three Diaphragms

Proper alignment in sitting means that if we drop an imaginary plumb from the crown of the head its line will go straight down through the center of the chest to the center of the perineum. In any sitting pose, we have to be aware of the positioning of the three diaphragms. The pelvic diaphragm (or pelvic floor), the thoracic (or respiratory) diaphragm, and the cervical (or vocal) diaphragm (which is referred to anatomically as the thoracic inlet).

These diaphragms form the base of the three main spaces, or cavities of the body. The abdomen, the chest, and the throat. The thoracic diaphragm (which is often just called ‘the diaphragm’) separates the thoracic cavity containing the heart and lungs. From the abdominal cavity and performs an important function in respiration. The vocal diaphragm separates the thoracic cavity from the cervical region and performs an important function in voice generation through the vocal cords. In all sitting poses these three diaphragms should be vertically aligned over each other and be soft, wide, and released. We should sit in a way that expands those three cavities. The various supports used in the Iyengar method are meant to help us achieve this.

Baddha Padmasana – a restrained lotus pose

To ensure left to right alignment we should sit evenly on the two buttock bones (the ischial tuberosity) and extend evenly on both sides. From the pelvis extremities up to the armpits. To ensure front-to-back alignment we should sit on the heads of the buttock bones and lift both the sacrum and the pubic plates. Keeping them vertical and parallel to each other.

A proper base allows the abdomen and lungs to lengthen, widen and soften. The respiratory diaphragm can then move freely and breathing becomes rhythmic and smooth. Correct sitting will bring about a sense of symmetry, stability, harmony, and poise.

How to Develop the Capacity to Sit Correctly

Correct sitting requires flexibility in the joints of the legs (ankles, knees, and hips) and a strong and stable spine. When there is tightness in these places, it is difficult to lift the spine. People with short hamstrings and stiff back groins find it impossible to sit correctly on the floor. These people must sit on higher support in order to sit erect. You will need to raise your seat if you sit on the back of the buttock bones and you cannot lift the spine from the sacrum.

For many people, achieving comfort in sitting āsana is more challenging than performing standing āsana. When we stand, we can use our feet and legs to align the pelvic area and lift the trunk from the pelvic floor. But when we sit the legs cannot be used in the same way. The actions we need to do in order to extend and stabilize the spine are subtler and more intricate. We need to activate deeper layers of our torso muscles. This is developed as we mature in our practice. However, even beginners can sit for a few minutes. Over time – as flexibility, stability, and strength are developed, the duration of the sitting can be naturally extended.