Tolasana
(Lotus Balance Pose)

(toe-LAHS-anna)
tola = literally "poising one's self"; usually rendered as "balance" or "scale"

This yoga pose is an elevated Lotus Yoga Pose utilizing balance and strength. Creating awareness of you core strength, this pose builds abdominal and arm strength and muscular endurance and stamina. It also practices the uddiyana banda, or inward contraction of the lower belly, while opening the upper chest for respiration.

Benefits

Strengthens the wrists, arms, and abdomen

Contraindications/Cautions

Shoulder/Wrist Injury

Ankle injury

Knee injury

Tight hips or thighs

Performing the Asana

Perform Lotus Pose. Place the palms on the floor beside the hips. Exhale, push the hands against the floor, contract the abdominal muscles, and lift the legs and buttocks away from the floor.

Hold suspended for 10 to 15 seconds. Then lower your legs and buttocks on an exhalation, change the cross of the legs, and repeat for the same length of time.

Anatomical Focus

Spine

Ankles

Knees

Abdomen

Shoulders

Wrists

Intestines

Modify Your Practice

With the hands on the floor, it's often difficult to lift the legs away from the floor. Use a block under each hand to increase the length of the arms and assist the lift of the legs.

Variation Tolasana isn't recommended for students who aren't able to perform Padmasana comfortably. Instead try a similar pose, Lolasana. Kneel on the floor and cross the front of your right ankle over the back of the left, as if you were in Simhasana (Lion Pose). Then sit back on the right heel and nestle it into your perineum. Place the hands on the floor (or on blocks) as if for Tolasana, and carry out the instructions given above. In Tolasana, the lifted torso is kept fairly upright; but in Lolasana, the back torso is completely rounded and the shoulders widened (which domes the back toward the ceiling). Release with an exhale, change the cross of the ankles, and repeat for the same length of time.

Preparatory Poses

Matsyendrasana - Fish Pose
Baddha Konasana - Bound Angle Posture
Garudasana - Eagle Balance
Janu Sirsasana - Half Lotus Forward Bend
Padmasana - Lotus Pose
Virasana - Hero Pose

Complimentary Yoga Poses

If you're not yet able to accomplish full Padmasana, it's possible to get a feel for Tolasana using Ardha Padmasana (Half-Lotus Pose). In Half-Lotus, perform the pose as described in Steps 2 and 3 above. With this leg position, the buttocks will lift off the floor, but the outer calf and foot of the bottom leg won't.

Deepening the Pose

To assist with the lift of the torso and legs, draw your inner groins up into the core of your torso, along the front of the spine.