Padmasana

(“lotus posture”) Well-known sitting
position (asana) used in yoga and in
meditation; the lotus posture is also one
of the sitting positions in which deities
are portrayed in Hindu iconography. In
this position the person sits crosslegged, with each foot placed on the
thigh of the opposite leg. One of its benefits is that it is extremely stable and well
suited for meditation, since the angle of
the lower legs keeps the upper part of
the legs flat on the ground, making a
wide base to support the body. Done
properly, it also keeps the spine quite
straight, which is thought essential to
keep from constricting the channels in
the subtle body. In Indian iconography,
the lotus position is sometimes represented at the base of a statue by the
sculpture of a lotus, which forms the
base on which the image is placed.