In short: in embryo in the womb you sit in full lotus, slide both arms through the gaps between thighs and calves and bring the hands to the face or ears, lifting the thighs and balancing at the base of the spine in a tight ball. Light on Yoga holds this balance for 15 to 30 seconds and then changes the crossing of the legs. In the Ashtanga primary series you then roll on the back nine times, turning in a circle, before rolling up into rooster pose. It depends entirely on a deep, easy lotus and needs a teacher’s guidance, so it is an advanced pose.
Its image is the curled-up child in the womb, and the rolling is often described as playful. The knees, though, are under real load, so patience matters more than flexibility here.
The name
Garbha means womb or embryo and piṇḍa a rounded mass or ball, so Garbha Piṇḍāsana is the embryo-in-the-womb pose. The Iyengar Yoga (UK) syllabus lists it at plate 116 of B.K.S. Iyengar’s Light on Yoga, directly after rooster (Kukkuṭāsana, plate 115). Iyengar describes it as a variation of lotus whose shape resembles a foetus in the womb, with the difference that a foetus is head-down and its legs are not in lotus. In the Ashtanga primary series it comes after reclining tortoise and before rooster. The nine rolls belong to the Ashtanga version only; Light on Yoga describes a still balance with no rolling. AshtangaYoga.info notes that the nine rolls are said to stand for the nine months in the womb, a symbolic reading rather than a rule of anatomy.
Making the pose work
The arm threading is the hard part. AshtangaYoga.info’s tips: fold the right leg and then the left into lotus; slide one hand a little into the gap behind the knee, then hold that shin and draw it in so the heel presses against the belly, which widens the gap for the other arm. Push the arm through as far as the upper arm, bending the elbow and moving the hand toward the chin for the last part. Slightly damp skin slides more easily than dry skin or clothing, which is why many people practise this pose in shorts. Once both arms are through, hold the ears, round the back and balance.
For the rolling, hold the forehead, round the back and roll back on an exhalation and up on an inhalation, travelling a little each time so that nine rolls make a full clockwise circle. AshtangaYoga.info suggests rolling back along the muscle on one side of the spine and up on the other, which spares the spine. Use a padded mat.
Precautions in plain words
This pose combines full lotus with arms pressed between thighs and calves. If lotus is not completely comfortable, the extra pressure can strain the knees: knee pain is a stop sign. Avoid the pose with knee, ankle or hip injuries, with lower back or neck problems that rolling aggravates, and in pregnancy. Do not force the arms through. AshtangaYoga.info reports that the arm position can make the knee joint feel more open than in plain lotus; that is one teacher’s observation, not a reason to push. Learn this pose with a teacher. This page is general information, not individual advice.
Easier versions
Many Ashtanga teachers let students who cannot yet thread the arms hold the shins or the outside of the lotus instead, and roll in that shape, or roll with the legs simply crossed. Half lotus with the knees hugged in is another step. Ask your teacher which version suits you; none of these is wrong while lotus is developing.
Preparation and what comes next
Prepare with lotus and half lotus, bound angle, fire log pose and gentle rocking on the back with the knees hugged in, as in happy baby. In Ashtanga, embryo in the womb follows reclining tortoise and rolls straight up into rooster; afterwards, release the legs slowly.
A simple way to practise it. Treat the pose as a long-term project. Work on lotus first, holding it comfortably for several minutes on each side, then practise threading just one arm and returning. Rock gently on the back in a simpler shape before trying the full rolls.
You will meet this pose mainly in Ashtanga (primary series) and in Iyengar practice.
