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Scale Pose

Tolasana

(toe-LAHS-anna)
tola = literally "poising one's self"; usually rendered as "balance" or "scale"

Step by Step

Perform Padmasana (Lotus Pose). Place the palms on the floor beside the hips.

Exhale, push the hands against the floor, contract the abdominal muscles, and lift the legs and buttocks away from the floor.

Hold suspended for 10 to 15 seconds. Then lower your legs and buttocks on an exhalation, change the cross of the legs, and repeat for the same length of time.

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Anatomical Focus

Spine
Ankles
Knees
Abdomen
Shoulders
Wrists
Intestines

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Benefits

Strengthens the wrists, arms, and abdomen

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Contraindications and Cautions

Avoid this pose with any shoulder or wrist injuries.
Tolasana also has many contraindications in common with Padmasana:
Ankle injury
Knee injury
Tight hips or thighs

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Beginner's Tip

If you're not yet able to accomplish full Padmasana, it's possible to get a feel for Tolasana using Ardha Padmasana (Half-Lotus Pose). In Half-Lotus, perform the pose as described in Steps 2 and 3 above. With this leg position, the buttocks will lift off the floor, but the outer calf and foot of the bottom leg won't.

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Variations

Tolasana isn't recommended for students who aren't able to perform Padmasana comfortably. Instead try a similar pose, Lolasana. Kneel on the floor and cross the front of your right ankle over the back of the left, as if you were in Simhasana (Lion Pose). Then sit back on the right heel and nestle it into your perineum. Place the hands on the floor (or on blocks) as if for Tolasana, and carry out the instructions given above. In Tolasana, the lifted torso is kept fairly upright; but in Lolasana, the back torso is completely rounded and the shoulders widened (which domes the back toward the ceiling). Release with an exhale, change the cross of the ankles, and repeat for the same length of time.

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Modifications and Props

With the hands on the floor, it's often difficult to lift the legs away from the floor. Use a block under each hand to increase the length of the arms and assist the lift of the legs.

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Preparatory Poses

Ardha Matsyendrasana
Baddha Konasana
Garudasana (arm position)
Janu Sirsasana
Padmasana
Virasana

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Follow-Up Poses

Tolasana is usually performed as part of a Padmasana sequence. One common follow-up asana is called Kukkutasana (kukkuta = cock). Here the arms are slipped into the creases between the thighs and calves and, as in Tolasana, the torso and legs are then lifted away from the floor.

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Deepen The Pose

To assist with the lift of the torso and legs, draw your inner groins up into the core of your torso, along the front of the spine.

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Reader Comments

TanteJeanne	Thank you for this pose. My yoga instructor called it The Pendulum, but scale pose is also good. I will practice tomorrow with the blocks. For some reason I can do crane and not this one well. To me crane is more of a balance pose where this is more muscular arms must have pose.
Shayama	this is first time I am visiting this web site. After seeing Tolasana pose I am thinking that how easy it is to misguide people about something that they do not know? So those of you who really want to learn this pose, please do some research before practicing this pose. One thing I can tell you that THIS IS NOT TOLASANA FOR SURE!!!!
Jay	I've just seen Nicholas Cage Perform this pose in the movie Con Air.Greatly tones the abdominal muscles.

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