Lolasana

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Lolasana (Sanskrit: लोलासन; IAST: Lolasana) or Pendant pose is a hand-balancing asana in modern yoga as exercise.

Etymology and origins[]

The name comes from the Sanskrit words Lol (लोल, Lola) meaning "fickle", "trembling", or "dangling" and Asana (आसन, Āsana) meaning "posture" or "seat".^[1]

The pose is unknown in hatha yoga until the 20th century Light on Yoga, but the pose appears in the 1896 Vyayama Dipika, a manual of gymnastics, as the balancing movement exercise called jhula. Norman Sjoman suggests that it is one of the poses adopted into modern yoga in Mysore by Krishnamacharya. The pose would then have been taken up by his pupils Pattabhi Jois and B. K. S. Iyengar.^[2]

Description[]

The practitioner kneels with ankles crossed over each other allowing the buttocks to rest in the cradle of the heels. Places hands besides folded legs and leans forward slowly to curve back and shoulder blades pressing the shoulders towards the floor. Raises legs off the ground holding in this pose for at least 20 seconds.^[3]^[4]

Variations[]

Advanced variations include:

Padma Lolasana, with the legs crossed in Padmasana
Utthita Lolasana

Beginners can start with Navasana (Boat Pose).

Follow-up asanas[]

Counter asanas are Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog Pose) and Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose).

References[]

^ Sinha, S. C. (1996). Dictionary of Philosophy. Anmol Publications. p. 18. ISBN 978-81-7041-293-9.
^ Sjoman, Norman E. (1999) [1996]. The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace. Abhinav Publications. pp. 55, 100–101. ISBN 81-7017-389-2.
^ Iyengar 1979, pp. 116–117.
^ Rosen, Richard (3 October 2007). "Want Cut Arms? Try Pendant Pose". Yoga Journal. Retrieved 16 February 2019.

Sources[]

Iyengar, B. K. S. (1979) [1966]. Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika. Thorsons. ISBN 978-1855381667.
Saraswati, Swami Satyananda (1 August 2003). Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha. Nesma Books India. ISBN 978-81-86336-14-4.

[Sinha1996-1] Sinha, S. C. (1996). Dictionary of Philosophy. Anmol Publications. p. 18. ISBN 978-81-7041-293-9.

[2] Sjoman, Norman E. (1999) [1996]. The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace. Abhinav Publications. pp. 55, 100–101. ISBN 81-7017-389-2.

[FOOTNOTEIyengar1979116–117-3] Iyengar 1979, pp. 116–117.

[Rosen_2007-4] Rosen, Richard (3 October 2007). "Want Cut Arms? Try Pendant Pose". Yoga Journal. Retrieved 16 February 2019.

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