Having a good seated posture is very useful in Yoga. As your practice develops you may find yourself sitting for breathing and meditation practices. In this article we will work our way through a series of sitting variations – starting from a classic seated pose and then progress through more accessible variations. You may use this to find a posture that is relevant for you. How will you know you’ve reached a relevant posture?
- You should have a strong and stable base – no wobbling around – legs fixed on the floor.
- You should be able to keep your spine straight and shoulders relaxed.
- You should be able to relax your stomach muscles (if you are using them to hold the posture – the posture is not relevant for you).
- You should be able to sit comfortably for a duration of 10 to 20 minutes (as a starting point).
One of the key obstacles to choosing a seated posture is a stubborn ego. I’ve seen too many people insist on sitting in postures they cannot hold because they are too stubborn to relax their conceptions of what sitting should be. As a result:
- They sit in postures that are beyond their capabilities
- They place unhealthy strain on the spine
- They are so busy maintaining the seated posture that they can barely pay attention to the breathing or meditation practice. Choose wisely.
- Their sitting doesn’t improve
Choose your posture wisely!


By choosing a sitting option that is relevant for you, your are creating a positive and spreading affect on your practice. Your breathing and meditation practices will improve and in turn affect your physical-asana practice. This in turn may affect your spine, hips, legs, knees and other muscles – which in time may improve your sitting further.
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