 |
|
 |
Pose of the Month Archives
JULY 2009: HEAD-TO-KNEE FORWARD BEND (JANU SIRSASANA)
Instructions:
- Begin in dandasana (staff pose) and bring the sole of your right foot to your inner left thigh.
- Twist your torso to the left to square it over the extended leg.
- Inhale to stretch your arms up to the sky, shoulders relaxed, and torso squared over the left leg.
- Keep the heart center lifted as long as possible as you exhale to reach the hands forward and down. When you reach your limit, bring the torso and head down to bend over the leg.
- You may hold on to the extended leg, place the hands on the floor wherever they reach, or grab ahold of the left foot.
- Keep the left foot flexed, while pressing the back of the right thigh down toward the floor.
- On each inhale, extend the spine long, and on each exhale, deepen the forward bend.
- Be sure not to pull yourself forcefully into the forward bend, hunching the back and shortening the front torso.
- Stay in the pose anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes.
- Come up with an inhalation and repeat the pose on the other side.
Modifications:
- You may sit up on a blanket if the hips are tight.
- If you can't comfortably reach the extended-leg foot, place a strap around the extended foot. Walk your hands lightly along the strap while you keep your arms and the front of your torso lengthened.
Benefits:
- Calms the brain and helps relieve mild depression
- Stretches the spine, shoulders, hamstrings, and groins
- Stimulates the liver and kidneys
- Improves digestion
- Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
- Relieves anxiety, fatigue, headache, menstrual discomfort
- Therapeutic for high blood pressure, insomnia, and sinusitis
- Strengthens the back muscles during pregnancy (up to second trimester), done without coming forward, keeping your back spine concave and front torso long.
|
