Simhasana

Simhasana is the pose where you sit down, open your mouth, stick your tongue out, and roar a little. It is genuinely one of the more fun postures in the classical repertoire, and also one of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika's four essential asanas, right up there with Siddhasana and Padmasana.

Simha means lion, and the name is not subtle about what you're supposed to look like while doing it.

Unlike most seated poses, Simhasana has a built in release valve of expression and breath, which makes it a nice change of pace from the usual quiet stillness of seated practice.

It's safe and approachable for most people, and it's one of the rare yoga poses where looking a little silly is actually part of the instructions.

Simhasana is a seated posture with the ankles crossed beneath the perineum, hands placed on the knees with the fingers spread wide, mouth open, tongue extended toward the chin, and the gaze directed upward or toward the brow, traditionally with a strong exhale.

It's distinct from the quiet, inward seated postures like Siddhasana or Padmasana because of its expressive, almost theatrical quality.

It's used as a practice in its own right rather than as a long meditation seat, often for releasing tension in the face and jaw.

गुल्फौ च वृषणस्याधः सीवन्याः पार्श्वयोः क्षिपेत्

दक्षिणे सव्यगुल्फं तु दक्षगुल्फं तु सव्यके

Transliteration:

ghulphau cha vrshanasyadhah sivantyah parsvayoh kshipet

dakshine savyaghulpham tu dakshaghulpham tu savyake

Hatha Yoga Pradipika, chapter 1, verse 52 (in Pancham Sinh's 1914 translation, English edition).

Pancham Sinh's 1914 translation reads: "Press the heels on both sides of the seam of Perineum, in such a way that the left heel touches the right side and the right heel touches the left side of it."

A later verse adds the rest of the shape and its traditional claim: hands on the thighs with fingers spread, mouth open, gazing at the tip of the nose. "This is Simhasana, held sacred by the best of Yogis. This excellent Asana effects the completion of the three Bandhas."

• Releases tension in the jaw and face that builds up from, well, being a person with a face
• Encourages a full, strong exhale, which can feel surprisingly satisfying
• Traditionally associated with the completion of the three bandhas in combination with other practices
• Doubles as a quick energizing reset in the middle of a seated practice
• Approachable for nearly everyone, with no serious flexibility demands

• Sit with your ankles crossed beneath you, heels close to the perineum, or kneel comfortably if that's easier.
• Place your hands on your knees and spread your fingers wide, like you're really committing to the bit.
• Inhale through the nose.
• Open your mouth wide, stick your tongue out and down toward the chin, and exhale forcefully, with a breathy "ha" sound if you like.
• Let your gaze go up toward the brow, or softly toward the tip of the nose.
• Hold the expression for a moment, then release and breathe normally.
• Repeat three to five times.

• Kneel instead of crossing the ankles if that position isn't comfortable yet
• Keep the exhale softer and quieter if a full roar feels like too much in your current setting
• Practice in front of a mirror the first couple times. It helps, and also it's funny

• Holding back and barely opening the mouth, which kind of defeats the point
• Straining the neck instead of keeping it relatively relaxed during the exhale
• Taking it too seriously. This pose works better with a sense of humor about it

• Jaw conditions such as TMJ, where wide opening should be approached gently or avoided
• Recent dental work
• Knee or ankle sensitivity, in which case kneel instead of crossing the ankles

A deep jaw stretch is expected. Sharp jaw or knee pain is not, and means ease off or modify.

• Simhasana. Expressive seated pose with an open mouth and strong exhale. Difficulty: beginner.
• Bhadrasana. A quiet, stable seated pose with the feet held together. Difficulty: beginner to intermediate.
• Siddhasana. Precise heel placement, the text's top seat for pranayama. Difficulty: intermediate.
• Padmasana. Full lotus, feet on top of the opposite thighs. Difficulty: advanced.

Simhasana is proof that yoga doesn't have to be all hushed stillness. Sometimes the most useful thing you can do for a tense jaw and a stuffy practice is stick your tongue out and roar a little. The old texts agreed, and they were not generally known for joking around.

1. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika — Svatmarama; trans. Pancham Sinh, The Panini Office (Sacred Books of the Hindus, vol. XV) (1914) · Link

   Public domain. Classical c. 15th-century Sanskrit hatha yoga text; this early-20th-century English translation is the standard public-domain edition consulted for these entries.