Vajrasana: The Yoga Pose to Use During Breathing Exercises

Level of Difficulty: Beginner

Vajrasana (VAA-draa-SUN-aa) pose gets its name from the Sanskrit words Vajra, meaning diamond-shaped or thunderbolt, and Asana, meaning pose. Used to keep the spine straight, Vajrasana is an ideal posture to sit in when doing breathing exercises.

In addition to being called diamond pose and thunderbolt pose, Vajrasana is also known as adamantine pose. Adamantine means unbreakable. Practicing Vajrasana can make you as strong as a diamond (and as sparkly)!

Basic Vajrasana: Step-by-step instructions

Until you are accustomed to performing Vajrasana, you may experience temporary minor knee pain. Follow these instructions, and with regular practice you’ll find Vajrasana easier to perform in no time.

1. From a sitting position on your yoga mat, fold your right leg and your left leg underneath you
2. Gently sit your hips down onto your heels, with you toes pointing behind you, and your big toes to touching
3. Sit with your spine erect and your buttocks resting in the pit formed by your parted heels
4. Keep your chin parallel to the floor  
5. With the arms relaxed, place your palms face-up on your thighs 
6. Hold the pose and take long, deep breaths while keeping your gaze forward
7. Breathe out, and come out of the pose by gently straightening your legs one at a time

Health benefits of Vajrasana pose

Sitting in Vajrasana regularly can lead to many health benefits including:

• Increasing blood circulation in the lower abdomen
• Improving digestion
• Relieving excessive gas
• Strengthening the thighs, calves, and other leg muscles
• Increasing knee and ankle joint flexibility
• Improving posture
• Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles
• Enhancing the effectiveness of breathing exercises by keeping your spine straight

Vajrasana precautions

Avoid performing Vajrasana if you are experiencing any of the following medical conditions:

• Slipped disc conditions
• Issues with the knees
• Recent knee surgery
• Pain in the calf muscles, pelvic muscles, or any joint pain

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Vajrasana modifications and variations

To modify: If sitting directly on your heels is too difficult, place a pillow or cushion in between your thighs and heels. You can also place a pillow under your legs when performing Vajrasana.

Release the legs early if the pose starts to cut off blood flow to the lower extremities.

Intense version: Flex your toes when sitting on your heels in this yoga posture. Doing so creates a deep toe stretch.

Preparatory and follow-up poses

• Easy Pose (Preparatory)
• Wind-Relieving Pose (Preparatory) 
• Child’s Pose (Preparatory)
• Seated Forward Bend (Follow-up)
• Butterfly Pose (Follow-up)

Take your yoga asana practice to the next level

When you follow up your yoga practice with powerful breathwork and meditation, you will bring a lot of depth to your practice. Join a free online session with a live instructor, and experience guided breathwork and meditation now. You will also learn about SKY Breath Meditation, our pillar program, which has helped millions of people worldwide to reap the deeper benefits of yoga.