standing head to knee crane pose
Steps
These are the steps for the Head to Knee pose.
• Place a yoga mat or a blanket on the floor.
• Sit on the yoga mat or blanket with your legs straight out in front of you.
• Your feet should be together, pointed straight up towards the ceiling.
• Your back should be straight.
• Move the flesh from under your buttock to the side so that you are sitting directly on your sitting bone. This will ensure that your spine is straight.
• Stretch your arm up over your head and take a deep breath at the same time. As your arms rise up, stretch your entire spine upwards.
• Slowly bend forward from the hips while exhaling at the same time. Keep your spine as stretched as possible and as your hands descend, reach towards your feet.Do not bend your knees.
• Ideally, if you can reach your feet, your index fingers should be wrapped around your big toes and your thumbs should rest on top of them.
• If you are unable to reach your feet, let your hands come to rest on your shins or thighs. You may also let them rest alongside your legs if that is more comfortable.
• Try to keep your spine as straight as possible while bending forward from the hip.
• Make sure that your feet remain together and pointed up at the ceiling.
• Once you have attained the position, you can gently pull with your arms so as to bring your head closer to your feet and stretch your spine and the back of your legs some more.
• Hold the pose for 30 seconds initially, gradually working up to 5 minutes.
• As you hold the pose, try to relax your shoulders and hips.
• Continue to breathe as you hold the pose.
• As you breathe, your abdomen should fall close to your thighs, your chest towards the knees and your head towards your feet.
• When you are ready to exit this pose, inhale and stretch your hands beyond your feet. Then slowly raise your torso, stretching your arms and spine as you come up. Make sure you keep your back straight while coming back up. Exhale and bring your arms down and relax.
Benefit
to the body
Paschimottanasana can help the body in many ways.
Benefits to the body include:
• It stretches the muscles of the back from head to toe
• It contracts the muscles on the anterior part of the body
• It improves flexibility of the spine, hips and thighs.
• Pressure exerted on the thorax and abdomen help to improve respiration and functioning of the abdominal glands.
• It massages and tones all the organs in the abdominal and pelvic regions including the liver, pancreas, kidneys, spleen and intestines, thereby improving their functioning.
• It improves blood circulation in the spinal region and helps to tone the nerves of the spine.
• It helps to improve the alignment of the vertebral column.
• It helps to burn off fat deposits from the abdomen, hip and thighs.
• It helps to activate the kundalini energy.
• Mentally, it helps to calm the mind, removing negative emotions such as anger, irritability and anxiety.