Last updated: December 21, 2023
What Does
One-Legged Prayer Pose Mean?
One-legged prayer pose is a basic balancing posture that merges tree pose with prayer pose.
To practice, the yogi stands in tree pose, balancing on one leg with the sole of the other foot resting on the inner thigh of the balancing leg. The yogi then places the hands at heart center in prayer position with the fingers pointing to the sky.
This posture is known in Sanskrit as eka pada pranamasana. In English, it is also sometimes called one-legged salutation pose.
Yogapedia Explains One-Legged Prayer Pose
As with most balancing poses, one-legged prayer pose enhances awareness, focus and concentration. It also has these benefits:
- Supports mental and spiritual balance
- Strengthens the legs
- Improves posture
- Develops self-confidence
- Calms the mind and body
- Improves physical coordination
- Stimulates the nervous system
- Tones the back and abdominal muscles
Yogis with leg, ankle, knee or foot injuries should skip this pose. Beginners may practice one-legged prayer pose without the hands in prayer position until they are comfortable with their balance, then add the prayer hands.
During These Times of Stress and Uncertainty Your Doshas May Be Unbalanced.
To help you bring attention to your doshas and to identify what your predominant dosha is, we created the following quiz.
Try not to stress over every question, but simply answer based off your intuition. After all, you know yourself better than anyone else.
Synonyms
One-Legged Salutation Pose