Type : Sitting
Justification : Hip Opener, Shoulder Opener
Complimentary posture : Yoga Mudrasana in Vajrasana
Physical Benefits : Opens and tones the hips, shoulders and knees. Increases mobility in the shoulder joints. Stretches and strengthens the hips, thighs, shoulders, triceps, armpits, ankles and feet. Relieves back-ache and rheumatism. Stimulates digestion.
Therapeutic Benefits : Prevents sciatica. Relieves kidney related problems, diabetes and hyper-tension as well as depression. Relieves arthritus in the shoulders, elbows, wrists and fingers. Boosts confidence. Reduces anxiety, tension and stress.
Limitations : To be avoided if you have serious knee, neck or shoulder injuries or recent hip or knee inflammation. Avoid if you have a cardiac condition, stress-related headache or migrane, insomnia or low-blood pressure.
How To Practice :
Come on to all fours. Now cross your right leg over your left keeping the knees stacked on top of one another as much as possible as you let the pelvis roll back onto the floor. Let the buttocks pose directly between the two tibia bones keeping the weight evenly distributed on both sitting bones. One side will want to be lighter but keep them both firmly grounded. Let the outside edges of the feet rest on the ground. Lengthen the sides of the waist and the spinal colomn keeping the stomach soft. Now, on the inhale trace a grand arch with your right arm and take it behind your back and with the help of your left hand push the right hand through the middle back towards the cervical spine as far as possible. Raise the left arm towards the ceiling and from the shoulder joint, rotate your arm inward and from there and on the exhale let the forearm drop down behind the ear and catch the fingers of the right hand. If this is not possible, use a belt and grasp it with the right hand. Now roll the right shoulder back as much as possible and make sure the left elbow is pointing towards the ceiling. Try to roll the left shoulder back slightly and equalize the two shoulders so they are on the same level. Observe that the two buttocks are firmly anchored into the ground equally. Using the pressure of the hands in your middle back to help lift your chest. Keep the left forearm behind the ear and the right armrolled back. Breathe into the pose for 5-6 breaths and come back to change sides. Come back on to all fours and this time swing your left leg over the right and then sit between the two tibias. Trace a grand arch this time with the left arm and slide it between the shoulder blades as high as you can. Raise the right arm turning it inwards so the palm of your hand faces backwards and you pivot arm into the shoulder joint and then on the exhale drop the forearm down behind the ear and catch the fingers of the left hand.
Tip : If you aren’t able to clasp the two hands together, absolutely no worries ! Then hold a belt in the hand dropping down behind the ear and find it with the other threaded through the shoulder blades.
