Ah, the squat! Like, the deep squat, the make-you-fall-on-your-butt, can’t-keep-my-heels-on-the-floor kind of squat. Somehow in the Western world we’ve largely lost the ability to sink into this position and carry on with our daily business. Populations around the rest of the world work, eat, rest, and even use the toilet in this position, yet for those of us accustomed to sitting in chairs, the deep squat can be a difficult space to embody. Yes, the modern convenience of the chair, couch, car seat, and raised toilet (we sit everywhere!) has led to generally tight hips, backs, pelvic floors, knees, ankles and feet. Not only does this impact our balance and ability to get up and down from the floor (a predictor of longevity), it affects our digestion, and can influence neck and shoulder pain as well.
So if you haven’t picked up on it yet, yes, you probably should be squatting, and yes, yoga has a juicy deep squat pose to practice: malasana! Later in this post we’ll cover the benefits of the squat (if you’re not yet convinced) and some supportive variations to help make the pose accessible for your body.
When translated from Sanskrit, Malasana means ‘garland pose’ - an unlikely descriptor for this squat, if you don’t know the origins.
Why the Garland?
Garlands play an important role in both ancient and present-day India. Deities, saints, and elders are regularly honoured and decorated with colourful garlands of flowers, while rosaires (wooden beaded garlands) are commonly used to facilitate mantra meditation (i.e. reciting an impactful word or prayer over and over).
One such rosary in the yogic tradition is called a mala. The mala is held between the thumb and middle finger of the right hand so that the meditator can slide along one bead after another to mark or count each time they recite a mantra. Because the mala is circular, it represents infinity, helping the meditator focus on the idea that our souls never begin, nor end. There is no linear thinking or the time constraints that so often cause us suffering in daily life. Instead, one connects to a greater sense of purpose and being, beyond the day-to-day.
The full expression of malasana which is seldom found in yoga classes in the West, involves wrapping the arms around the legs while in a deep squat. The circle one’s arms makes mimics the circular shape of a garland or mala, harkening back to yoga’s roots in ancient India and the importance and recognition of infinity and the divine.
Even too, in the deep squat with our arms in anjali mudra (prayer hands) at our hearts, we can imagine the shape of a garland hanging from our necks. The similarity is there!
So, when we come to the pose of malasana in our yoga practices, we can relax into it, meditating on the importance of and the wisdom in the infinite.
Let’s talk physical benefits
As mentioned above, malasana is an ideal pose to help open up space in the body, particularly related to our posture, the health of our hips and low back, and the knees and ankles. Truly, the intensity of this pose can challenge the mechanics of the entire body.
Physically, malasana helps to strengthen the feet, ankles and legs. It also stretches the calves and achilles. Taking one of the many variations of malasana also helps create space in the spinal column and the pelvic girdle (hips and groin). This translates through the entire system, often helping people to relieve neck pain and find more efficient alignment - thus combatting lives spent seated in chairs.
Because of the upright nature of this pose and the opening created around the hips and the pelvic floor, malasana also aids in digestion and the downward movement of our elimination system. Some people find it helps to relieve gas, while others find it useful during menstruation. Energetically, garland pose emphasizes the downward motion of our energies, known as apana.
Many people also find malasana to be a grounding, calming pose. In this space we are close to the earth, our feet connected and our sit bones near by. It’s a particularly primal kind of shape to be in, one that our ancestors would have used regularly and can thus help to remind us of our connection to the earth.
Because malasana helps to open the hips, many people experience a release of energy and emotions, ones that can be stuck in this region when we spend much of our time sitting in chairs and in sedentary positions. As a result it can have the wonderful effect of a stress relieving pose.
Practicing malasana
To enjoy the benefits of malasana you don’t have to squat all the way to the floor, or resemble a pretzel with your arms encircling your body. For some people, the deep squat is completely out of the question, and that’s ok!
Generally, malasana is most accessible when the toes are turned at least slightly outward, externally rotating from the hips. This allows your knees to move to the side, rather than straight forward—helping you find a centre and balance. Some people can keep their heels on the floor, and bring their hips all the way down to rest on the back of their calves. Others need to stay higher up, in more of a high squat position, heels on or off the floor.
If your heels lift, a way to support yourself is to slide something underneath them so that you can find your balance and settle in. Some people use blocks, while others use rolled up blankets or even a yoga mat. Try different elevations to see what works best for you!
Heel/ankle support alone may not be what your body needs. Others find support by sitting on a block (again, varying heights!) or a small stool. Being able to settle into this pose for longer periods of time allows your body to adapt and open up space. So make yourself comfortable!
For the garland - the arms - there are many options:
- If you’re higher up, you might rest your elbows on your thighs for support.
- If you’ve settled in more deeply, press your elbows into the inside of your legs below the knees, and bring your hands together in anjali mudra (prayer position).
- For a twisted variation, try snuggling one elbow and shoulder to the inside of that same side’s leg. Lift your other hand to the sky and follow it with your gaze. Your bottom hand might reach down to the floor, or even wrap behind you to create a bind. Repeat on the other side after for balance!
- For the traditional malasana pose, bow between your legs and wrap your arms around behind you. Some people interlace their hands at the low back, while others do so at the heels, completing the infinite loop of the garland shape.
Another option still, is to do this pose lying on your back - particularly if you cannot keep your balance or if you have pain in the ankles, feet, or knees. When lying supine, hug your knees as close as you can to the outsides of your ribs, mimicking the deep squat leg position. Breathe deeply and let your body settle with gravity.
Malasana on DYWM
Because malasana is such a versatile and linchpin type pose for yoga sequences, you’ll find it in many yoga classes. Not only is it great for transition between other poses, but it’s great for your posture too!
Try Sarada Jagannath’s classical hatha practice, WholesOMe Hatha Yoga, where you’ll explore the breath in relation to a variety of poses including malasana.
Join Melissa in this 50-minute playful and relaxed class, Gentle Slow Flow, that will leave you feeling completely mellow and refreshed, complete with an exploration of hip mobility, opening, and malasana.
Josh Chen’s beginner class Practice for Grounding includes several hip openers, including malasana.
For a challenging but quick tutorial on the balance pose, one-legged garland pose, try Fiji’s class titled the same here.
To learn more about the pelvic floor, read our blog post on the topic here or check out David’s tutorials on core activation here.
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