Lotus position or Padmasana is a cross-legged sitting meditation pose from ancient India, in which each foot is placed on the opposite thigh. It is an ancient asana in yoga, predating hatha yoga, and is widely used for meditation in Hindu, Tantra, Jain, and Buddhist traditions.
Demonstrating lotus position
The flower of the sacred lotus, Nelumbo nucifera, grows out of mud, thus symbolising enlightenment.
The sage Bharadvaja meditating in half lotus. 19th century
Baddha Padmasana
Meditative postures or meditation seats are the body positions or asanas, usually sitting but also sometimes standing or reclining, used to facilitate meditation. Best known in the Buddhist and Hindu traditions are the lotus and kneeling positions; other options include sitting on a chair, with the spine upright.
Siddhasana is an ancient meditation seat.
Padmasana or Lotus pose is among the twelve meditation asanas named in the Bhasya commentary accompanying the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
A zafu meditation cushion, often used in Buddhist practice
Buddhist monk seated in Seiza. Hōkō-ji temple, Japan