Sitting cross-legged
You bend one knee and put your foot on the other leg's thigh, roll your pelvis, arch your back, and lower your knee to the floor. This is done in sitting and lying supine, with either knee or both knees. You will move with several areas in relation instead of focusing on isolated movements.
You will improve how you sit cross-legged on the floor. Sitting on the ground with crossed legs can be challenging for some of us, but does it have to be that way? Furthermore, when you get up you don't have to limp around for 10 minutes straight, but instead you could feel a whole lot better and more flexible! Moving gently can feel marvellous. Give yourself enough patience, repetitions and care, and with the help of this lesson you might just sit a whole lot better in a cross-legged meditation position.
hip-jointspelvic-clockkneesproximal-distalUP6sittingsupine sitting_cross_legged_1
Sit with your left leg extended, place your right foot on your left thigh, lean on your right hand
Lower right knee in sitting
Lower your right knee to the floor and lift it up again.
- Arch your lower back and roll your pelvis to help your right knee to go down even further.
Pull your left foot closer to your left groin as it becomes easier to do so.
Lower right knee in sitting
Lower your right knee to the floor and lift it up again.
Sit like before, but change over your legs: your right leg is extended and your left foot is on your right thigh
Lower left knee in sitting
Lower your left knee to the floor and lift it up again.
- Roll your pelvis to help your left knee to lower to the floor.
Keep adjusting the position of your left foot.
Lower left knee in sitting
Lower your left knee to the floor and lift it up again.
Supine
Take rests as needed
This lesson can be very demanding. Acknowledge your need for rests.
- Rest quietly and still in lying on your back in supine position, or in sitting with casual easy movements, such as rolling your legs or making pelvic circles etc.
Take rests as needed
This lesson can be very demanding. Acknowledge your need for rests.
Lie on your back, place your right foot on your left thigh
Lower right knee in supine position
Lift your right knee towards the ceiling, then lower it to the floor. Arch your back and roll your pelvis.
- With your left hand pull your right foot closer to your groin.
Arch your lower back and roll your pelvis to bring your right knee closer to the floor.
Don't lift your head, instead lift your lower back, roll your pelvis forwards to help your knee to lower to the floor.
Lower right knee in supine position
Lift your right knee towards the ceiling, then lower it to the floor. Arch your back and roll your pelvis.
Lie on your back, place your left foot on your right thigh
Lower left knee in supine position
Lift your left knee towards the ceiling, then lower it to the floor. Arch your back and roll your pelvis.
- Don't force your knee down to the floor, but arch your back more, roll your pelvis.
Make a bridge with your back, lean on the back of your head, to lower your knee, then lie back down supine again and see if you can keep your knee at the floor.
Move often and lightly, instead of just a few times and forcefully.
Lower left knee in supine position
Lift your left knee towards the ceiling, then lower it to the floor. Arch your back and roll your pelvis.
Sit with your legs spread long, bend your right knee, place your right foot against your left inner thigh, lean your right hand against right knee, lean with your left hand to the left behind you
Press down your right knee
Press down on your right knee, at the same time arch and round your back.
- Don't let your right foot slip under your left thigh.
Contract your abs to roll your pelvis backwards (posterior), then contract your back and left side to roll your pelvis forwards (anterior) and to the right, toward your right knee
Press down your right knee
Press down on your right knee, at the same time arch and round your back.
Sit like before, change over your legs and hands
Press down your left knee
Press down on your left knee, at the same time arch and round your back.
- Allow your head to get up high while arching.
Press on both hands.
Press down your left knee
Press down on your left knee, at the same time arch and round your back.
Sit with your legs spread, bend your right knee, place your right foot against your left inner thigh on the floor, bend your left knee and place your left foot on your right lower leg close to your right knee, your left small toe up in the fold of your right knee. Stand your hands behind you and lean on your arms.
Roll pelvis cross-legged
Roll your pelvis—round and arch your back—to bring your knees closer and further away from the floor.
- When you round your back your knees tend to lift off the floor. When you arch your back let your knees come closer the floor.
Contract your abs and back muscles to roll your pelvis.
Lean on your hands and lift your entire pelvis off the floor, if you find that necessary to touch your knees to the floor.
Roll pelvis cross-legged
Roll your pelvis—round and arch your back—to bring your knees closer and further away from the floor.
Sit cross legged like before, with your left leg in the crease of your right knee. Lean on your left hand behind you, touch your right hand on the floor in front of you.
Push with left hand, slide right hand
Lower your head to the floor, contract your abs, round your back, slide your right hand forwards on the floor.
- Push the floor with your left hand to help your head to lower towards the floor.
Eventually you might be able to touch your head to the floor.
After rounding forwards, arch backwards, contract your back. It's a movement like in a cat-camel on all fours.
Push with left hand, slide right hand
Lower your head to the floor, contract your abs, round your back, slide your right hand forwards on the floor.
Sit cross legged like before, with your left leg in the crease of your right knee. Lean on your right hand behind you, touch your left hand on the floor in front of you.
Push with right hand, slide left hand
Switch hands, then again: lower your head to the floor, slide your left hand forwards.
- Push the floor with your right hand to help your head to lower towards the floor.
Push with right hand, slide left hand
Switch hands, then again: lower your head to the floor, slide your left hand forwards.
Sit cross legged like before, with your left foot in the crease of your right knee. Lean on both hands behind you on the floor.
Push with both hands
Lower your head to the floor, push with both hands behind you.
- Tilt your pelvis backwards, a posterior pelvic tilt, round your back, contract your abs.
Eventually you might be able to touch your head to the floor.
Don't push yourself, do only what's easy.
Push with both hands
Lower your head to the floor, push with both hands behind you.
Sit cross legged like before, with your left foot in the crease of your right knee. Touch both hands to the floor in front of you.
Slide both hands forwards
Round your back, lower your head to the floor, slide your hands forwards on the floor.
- Tilt your pelvis, round your back, contract your abs.
Eventually you might be able to touch your head to the floor.
Don't push yourself, do only what's easy.
Slide both hands forwards
Round your back, lower your head to the floor, slide your hands forwards on the floor.
In sitting with legs spread out long
Take rests as needed
This lesson can be very demanding. Acknowledge your need for rests.
- Rest quietly and still in lying on your back in supine position, or in sitting with casual easy movements, such as rolling your legs or making pelvic circles etc.
Take rests as needed
This lesson can be very demanding. Acknowledge your need for rests.
Sit with your right foot in the crease of your left knee. Lean on your left hand behind you, touch your right hand on the floor in front of you.
Push with left hand, slide right hand
Switch legs, slide your right hand forward on the floor, push with your left hand behind you, lower your head toward the floor.
- Roll your pelvis.
Push with left hand, slide right hand
Switch legs, slide your right hand forward on the floor, push with your left hand behind you, lower your head toward the floor.
Sit with your right foot in the crease of your left knee.
Push with right hand, slide left hand
Slide your left hand forward on the floor, push with your right hand behind you, round your back.
- Roll your pelvis.
Push with right hand, slide left hand
Slide your left hand forward on the floor, push with your right hand behind you, round your back.
Sit cross legged like before, with your right foot in the crease of your left knee. Lean on both hands behind you on the floor.
Push with both hands
Round your back, lower your head to the floor, push with both hands to help you.
- Tilt your pelvis, round your back, contract your abs.
Eventually might be able to touch your head to the floor.
Don't push yourself, do only what's easy.
Push with both hands
Round your back, lower your head to the floor, push with both hands to help you.
Lie on your back, place your right foot on your left thigh
Reference movement
Lower right knee in supine position
Lower your right knee to the floor. Arch your back and roll your pelvis.
- With your left hand pull your right foot closer to your groin. See how far you can pull up your right foot.
See how easy it is now compared to before.
Reference movement
Lower right knee in supine position
Lower your right knee to the floor. Arch your back and roll your pelvis.
Lie on your back, place your left foot on your right thigh
Reference movement
Lower left knee in supine position
Lower your left knee to the floor. Arch your back and roll your pelvis.
- With your right hand pull your left foot closer to your groin. See how far you can pull up your left foot.
See how easy it is now compared to before.
Reference movement
Lower left knee in supine position
Lower your left knee to the floor. Arch your back and roll your pelvis.
