How to Do Bhadrasana & What are its Benefits?

Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose is a basic yoga pose suitable for beginners. It is very easy to practice and a great asana for meditation. With practice, everyone can hold the asana for extended periods of time as it is comfortable and preferred over other asanas by many yogis and yoginis.

The name Bhadrasana is derived from Sanskrit where “Bhadra” means “Auspicious” or “Throne” and “Asana” means “Pose” or “Posture.” In the final position of Bhadrasana the body looks very gracious and hence it is called The Gracious Pose.

Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose is also called “the posture of the blessing.”

Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose is the one of the simplest of the sitting postures in yoga. It is easy to perform and can be done even by elderly people. But, people with serious knee or hip injuries should avoid practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose

Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose should be integrated in daily yoga practice. Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose is also said to activate the Muladhara chakra which helps in connecting us to the world and help us to solve all our worldly issues. Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose is also very good for getting rid of the pelvic pain.

• To practice Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose, sit with your legs outstretched on the floor or on the yoga mat.
• Kneel down while bending your lower legs backwards in such a way that they are kept together and the big toes of both the feet are crossing each other.
• To practice Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose, gently lower your body on the lower legs in such a way that the thighs are resting on your calves.
• Keep your hands on your knees and set your gaze on a point and look forward while keeping your head and neck straight.
• Maintain your breath while practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose You should inhale and exhale deeply while sitting in this position.
• Close your eyes while breathing and focus on the eye center and try to calm your mind.
• Stay in this position for a few breaths while practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose
• Now, from this position, separate the knees as far as possible
• Make sure that while separating the knees your toes should be in contact with the floor.
• Separate the feet just enough to allow the buttocks and perineum to rest flat on the floor between the feet while practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose
• Try to separate the knees further or as far as you can while practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose.
• Make sure that you do not strain while separating your knees while you are trying to get into Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose
• Place the hands on the knees with your palms downward while practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose.
• When the body is comfortable you can practice nasikagra drishti and concentrate on the nose tip.
• As the eyes become tired, close them for a short time and then resume and fix your gaze on the nose tip while practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose
• This is the final Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose
• Beginners should try to stay in this position for 5-10 minutes or until your legs and feet start feeling discomfort.
• Advanced practitioners should stay in this pose for 15-20 minutes or for as long as you can.

• Inhale deeply while separating the knees of both legs from each other while getting in Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose.
• Maintain a constant breath while you are in Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose Keep inhaling and exhaling deeply while being in Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose.
• Exhale deeply once or twice after releasing the pose.

• Preparatory Poses.The various preparatory poses to be practiced before Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose are Dandasana or The Staff Pose.
• Follow Up Poses. The various follow up poses or Pranayamas to be practiced after Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose are Anulom Vilom or The Alternate Nostril Breathing,
• Kapalbhati Pranayama, Vajrasana or The Diamond pose, Uttanasana or The Standing Forward Bend Pose, Balasana or The Child Pose and Dhanurasana or The Bow Pose.

• Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose is the easiest and most comfortable of the meditation postures.
• Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose facilitates mental and physical balance without causing strain or pain.
• This yoga pose is good for practice of meditation and pranayama.
• Bhadrasana is the easiest alternative for those who have tight hips and cannot sit in advanced postures like Padmasana.
• The Gracious Pose brings a sense of calm and peace through your mind and body.
• Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose can be utilized without ill effect by persons who are unable to sit in the more difficult meditation postures
• Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose is beneficial in relaxing your brain.
• Your back becomes stronger and steadier with regular practice of Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose.
• Bhadrasana is a beneficial yoga pose to stretch your knee and ankles.
• Your body alignment is improved with regular practice of Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose.
• Practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose helps elongate your spine.
• While practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose, you will feel the stress, tension and anxiety melting from your body.
• One of the benefits of Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose is that it helps in balancing the mind, increases the power of concentration, and induces physical and mental relaxation quickly. The thinking process becomes very clear and precise with regular practice of Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose.
• This asana refreshes and rejuvenates you and also relieves you of stress and mild depression.
• Helps in increasing flexibility during difficult situations. Brings and maintains a state of perfect health of the kidneys, prostate, and urinary tract.
• Regular practice of Bhadrasana prevents hernia.
• Promotes flexibility in the body.
• This asana is generally practiced in combination with sarvangasana and shalabasana.

• Avoid practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose if you have hip or knee injuries, or if they are both inflamed.
• People with slipped disc problem should practice Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose very carefully.
• You can use cushioning to make yourself comfortable while practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose.
• Do not practice Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose if you do not feel comfortable during the practice.
• Do not over do Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose if you feel pain in your body.
• Start the practice mildly and then increase the repetitions as per your capacity.
• If you have any doubts about your condition, consult a physician before practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose and always practice asana under the supervision of a trained yoga expert.
• Do not over exert yourself while practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose. Do not push yourself beyond the limits. Go only as far as your body allows.
• It is most beneficial when you stay aware of the stretches while practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose.
• Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose is forbidden for people suffering from Sciatica but people say that if it is practiced moderately by people suffering from Sciatica, it helps in relieving the sciatic pain.

• Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose is a relaxing posture which may be practiced after extended periods of sitting in siddhasana or padmasana.
• Make sure that you hold the spine upright while practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose.
• Concentrate on the eye center and try to equalize the weight on the right and left side of the body while practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose.
• While holding Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose, place the hands on the knees in Chin or Jnana mudra to derive maximum benefits from the asana.
• You can experiment with various heights of support to find the most appropriate position for you to hold Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose for a longer duration.
• Beginners or aged people or people with very tight hips can practice the pose seated in a chair. Leaving one foot flat on the floor, cross the opposite ankle over the knee
• of the grounded foot. Hold the pose for up to one minute and then repeat on the opposite side.
• You can also sit with your back against a wall for the back support initially while practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose.
• You can also place a yoga block between the wall and your shoulder blades to support you back and to hold the pose in the right posture while practicing Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose.
• Whenever you feel tense and frustrated, just get into Bhadrasana or The Gracious Pose to find peace. Get on to the ground and sit quietly. As you slow and deepen your breath, you will feel the frustration leaving your body slowly.
• You can also keep a folded blanket under the buttocks. Whether a blanket is used or not, it is important that the buttocks rest firmly on the ground in order to stimulate muladhara chakra.