How to Do Sukhasana in Yoga: Correct Form, Tips, Technique, Variations, Benefits and Common Mistakes

If you're new to yoga or just want to try out some new poses, Sukhasana yoga is a great place to start. Yoga is a practice that focuses on the mind, body, and spirit. It's also a practice that can be modified to fit your needs. It's simple, easy to learn, and will help you feel more grounded in your body and mind.

Sukhasana is often referred to as "Easy Pose" or simply "Seated Forward Bend." It's one of the most basic poses used in yoga practice and meditation.

In this case, however, easy doesn't mean the opposite of difficult. It means "with ease." So sitting in Sukhasana is actually sitting any way you can with ease—and that could mean using props like blankets or towels if it makes it easier for you.

What is Sukhasana Pose?

How to do sukhasana? (Image via Freepik)

The Sukhasana pose is an easy asana, typically performed during yoga practice as a warm-up or cool-down, that helps practitioners develop balance and flexibility.

Yoga teachers often open and close classes with Sukhasana, a simple, calming pose. At the beginning of a class, a teacher may encourage students to focus on an intention for the day. At the end of class, a teacher often concludes with a guided yoga meditation to promote deep relaxation.

How To Do Sukhasana in Yoga Using Correct Form

Sukhasana can be easily performed by following these steps:

Sit on the floor, leaning against a wall if necessary. If you're new to yoga, this might be the only way to get into Sukhasana comfortably.
Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, with your knees touching each other but not overlapping.
Put a blanket under each knee if you need more support, or use blocks under each thigh if you can't keep your legs straight without straining them.

Sukhasana Pose: Tips and Techniques

Here are a few things you must keep in mind when practicing Sukhasana:

The knees should be as close to the ground as possible, if not touching it.
When the knees are raised off the ground, the buttocks bear the brunt of the body weight, resulting in back pain. Alternative meditation asanas, which provide a bigger and thus more stable region of support, may be preferable in these circumstances.
Alternatively, practice Suskhasana while sitting on a block or bolster, which will allow gravity to pull the knees towards the floor while maintaining a safe, neutral pelvic position.
For those with back problems, using numerous blocks to allow for greater elevation from the floor will bring even more relief.
Another approach is to sit against a wall in an upright position, with the spine supported from top to bottom.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Now that we have focused on the do's, here's a quick list of don'ts:

To avoid rounding your lower back while sitting in the pose, try sitting on an elevated surface. This will help you maintain a straight spine and keep your hips higher than your knees.
It's also important to sit up straight and maintain a natural curve in your lower back throughout the pose.
Practicing with only one cross leg is not advised, as it can cause hip displacement due to uneven weight distribution next time you practice it. It's best to alternate legs each time you practice the pose.
In a kneeling position, your ankles can be somewhat uncomfortable if they're turned sideways. Or you may find that your ankles are uncomfortable because they're touching the ground.

Benefits of Sukhasana Yoga Pose

It's amazing how a yoga pose as simple as Sukhasana can offer these benefits:

Sukhasana is a great hip-opening pose that can help you relax, stretch your back, and even improve digestion.
Easy Pose is a common yoga pose that stretches the knees and ankles while strengthening the back. It's also calming, which makes it great for meditation and breathing exercises.
Sukhasana offers a variety of benefits for pregnant women. In addition to opening up their hips, it helps stretch their spines, increases energy levels, uplifts moods, improves digestion, and betters breathing.

Variations

It's important to feel secure, safe, and supported when it comes to sukhasana position in yoga. Make whatever adjustments are necessary to feel stable, safe, and supported. Here are a couple of variations:

1) Sukhasana on chair

Practice the position while seated in a chair if your hips are particularly tight. Cross the opposite ankle across the knee of the grounded foot, leaving one foot flat on the floor. Hold the stance for one minute, then switch sides and repeat.

2) With Mudras

If you're doing a mudra as part of your meditation, instead of resting your hands on your thighs, you can bring them into the proper position.

While this pose may seem very simple and perhaps not as challenging as some of the other asanas in yoga, Sukhasana is one of the best yoga poses that are bound to wake you up in the morning.

Sukha means ease or comfort, which is also representative of this position's function. Having proper Asana, or posture, that is comfortable and stable will lead to a deeper physical and mental focus during your practice.

Remember to always breathe, focus on your breathing and concentration, and you will proceed deeper into your practice.