Unwrapping Bound Lotus with Harnam Singh

Many look upon Bound Lotus as a completely impossible thing to do. “There is no way I can get into that position,” some say and walkaway from the practice before they have even begun to try it. But avoiding Bound Lotus because it is a physical challenge prevents you from having one of the most profoundly healing experiences in Kundalini Yoga.

Harnam Singh, a practitioner and teacher of Bound Lotus and Kundalini Yoga in NYC and Connecticut who has done 31 minutes of Bound Lotus every day for well over 1,000 days, sat down for an interview recently to help demystify this difficult and intense kriya.

RK: “What is Bound Lotus and how does one practice it?”

Harnam Singh: “Bound Lotus is a crucible for consciousness. It’s many things, but most of all and most profoundly, it is a space for deep healing which you are able to enter by putting yourself into an asana. You begin by coming into full lotus pose and then one at a time you cross your arms behind your back and grab a hold of your big toes. Then you bow and stay there for up to 31 minutes. Very few people can just get into the full pose when they begin because there is an extraordinary level of physical flexibility required. Most people have to work up to it. Bound Lotus begins once you get there and stay there, but the physical is only one aspect of it. Both your arms and legs are making the shape of infinity, and by bowing, by putting your head beneath your heart, you are allowing your heart to rule. You are balancing your intellect with your compassion.”