Forward Bend Pose – Paschimottanasana
In the Forward Bend Pose, the body is folded in half, like a book, giving a wonderful stretch to the entire back of the body from the head to the toes. It is simple posture to practice, yet is powerful. It looks easier than it is, to be done correctly, and offers an opportunity to reconnect deeply within.
In the Hatha Yoga Pradipika it says “This is the most excellent of asanas makes the breath flow through the Sushumna, rouses the gastric fire, makes the loins lean and removes all diseases”
Wow makes you want to perform it right?
Benefits of Forward Bend Pose include:
• Powerfully massages the abdominal organs
• Stimulates and massages digestive system
• Relieves constipation
• Reduces obesity
• Mobilises the joints and increases elasticity of the spine
• Strengthens and stretches the hamstring muscles
• Enhances concentration
• Invigorates the mind and nervous system
How to do Forward bend Pose
1.Sit in a seated position with the legs together and straight in front of you and the back nice and tall. Now take your hands to your buttocks and remove the flesh from your buttocks so that the sitting bones are open and on the floor. This tilts your pelvis and sitting bones forward slightly so that you pelvis and lower back are in correct alignment. Then draw in your core (your abdomen) so that you are sitting tall from the waist, open the chest, the heart area lifted, and the shoulders roll them back and downwards towards your tailbone, then elongate your neck. If you wish to sit on a Yoga block or folded blanket, this helps to tilt your pelvis slightly to help with the extension of the upper body.
2.From this position inhale raising your arms above your head, keeping the spine lengthened and the heart lifted and as you exhale gently fold the body forward, staying long through the spine with the abdomen draw in, extending the arms along the legs. As soon as you feel the stretch in the hamstrings lower the arms, either to the toes if you can reach or to the shins or knees. In the beginning your hands may be by your thighs, this is fine, work with the posture and keep the back straight, rather than round your shoulders.
3.Keep the chest open rather than round the upper back. On your next inhalation look forward, lift the heart centre and exhale move the floating ribs away from the hips and towards the knees. This movement lengthens the abdomen and lumbar spine rather than rounds the shoulders, which you try to keep relaxed.
4.If your chest is not close to your thighs, even if you are sitting upright, this is absolutely fine, work with the breath to keep the heart lifted, the head in line with the spine and the shoulders away from the ears. As you practice more and more you will be able to go deeper into the stretch.
5.With each inhalation, lift and lengthen the front of the body just slightly; with each exhalation release a little more fully into the forward bend. In this way the your body lengthens with the breath. If your hands touch your feet, hold the tops of the feet and flex the feet, or hold your fingers around the big toe, or have the hands on the sides of the feet, but do pull your feet outward, keep the feet pointing upward in a flexed position. If you want to go further keep the hands on the feet and bend your elbows and exhale further into the pose.
6.When you reach your maximum extension in the pose, rest there breathing deeply for as long as you continue to enjoy the posture, keeping the legs in contact with the floor.
7.To release, inhale stretch forwards and upwards raising the arms and chest and lower the arms by the hips on an exhalation.
Forward Bend Pose allows you to let go, surrender and observe the mind and breath. The breath will take you further, if you find this posture difficult, release it slightly so you are not forcing the pose and listen to the resistance from within. the objective is to relax and let go so you can go further and you will, have patience.
Om Shanti
Michelle
http://www.yogarelax.co.uk
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