The most important pose

The term siddha has several meanings, as often the Sanskrit terms, but we will retain it is often translated as "an accomplished person" or "someone who reached the liberation", in particular of the fluctuations of the mind.

Siddhasana therefore means: the perfect posture or the posture of the adept or the accomplished.

It has a very important place in the sources of Hatha yoga, in particular in Hatha Yoga Pradipika, which mentions it as one of the 4 postures recommended for meditation.

Why one of the best poses for meditation?

Siddhasana is the best pose for meditating, because it harmonizes our two main energy channels (nadis), ida and pingala, our feminine and masculine energies.

This harmonization then allows our main energy channel - sushumna - which runs along our spine where our main chakras are also located, to open and let our vital energy rise up to the 3rd eye, above the center of our eyebrows, opening us to a more spiritual world.

This fluid flow of energy calms the mind and helps manage the bodily sensations that arise during deep meditation, making the posture perfect for this practice.

How to practice the adept’s pose?

First of all, it must be taken into account that the adept's pose exists in a man's version and in a woman's version, which is explained by the points on which we will put pressure during the pose.

So here are traditionally its two versions.

For men (siddhasana):

sitting on a heel placed between the testicles and the anus.
The toes and the outer edge of the other foot slide between the calf and thigh of the opposite leg, with the heel pressing against the pubis.
The genitals are between the 2 heels. The ankles and heels are on top of each other.
The spine is erected and the hands are resting on the knees, generally in jnana mudra (thumb and index finger touching, palms facing down) or in chin mudra (thumb and index finger touching, palms facing up).

For women (siddha yoni asana): the pose is practiced in the same way as for men, except that the heel you are sitting on presses against the opening of the vagina (yoni) and the top heel against the clitoris.

Either way, you can do the pose with either leg on top of it.

The benefits of the adept's pose

In the adept's pose, the heels put pressure on points that stimulate the first 2 chakras: the root chakra at the level of the perineum and the sacral chakra at the level of the pubis. In doing so, the energy is directed to the 3rd eye (6th chakra), located above the center of both eyebrows.

By stimulating the first 2 chakras, vital energy is awakened and our mind calms down while remaining alert.

In addition, the pose stimulates the meridians of the feet that are connected with our visceral organs, such as the stomach, faith, kidneys etc.

As our belly contains a lot of parasympathetic "ramifications", we understand that siddhasana is an important pose to activate our parasympathetic nervous system and allows us to stabilize our moods, our heart rate and all of our other systems, in particular the endocrine system.

Thus, the pose can have the following beneficial effects:

increase blood circulation in the abdomen and lower back
regulate cardiac function and blood pressure
increase fertility
reduce stress and anxiety
help to sleep better
soften the hips, knees and ankles

For more comfort

If it hurts to sit directly on the heel, you can place a blanket between the heel and the perineum.

If it's difficult for you to extend your spine or if your knees stay off the floor, you can sit on a support so that your hips are higher than your knees.

There is also a more accessible version of the pose where the foot that is on top is not wedged between the opposite calf and thigh (muktasana), but simply placed on top of the other or in front. In this version, it is also possible not to sit on a heel and simply place it just in front of the perineum.

Contraindications?

The pose should be avoided in case of hip, knee and ankle problems, but also in case of sciatica and lower back pain. The best alternative is to sit cross-legged.