Light on Yoga: The Bible of Modern Yoga

410 Light on Yoga

Te chnique

r. Spread a blanket on the floor, kneel on it and perform Salamba

S1r�asana I. (Plate 190)

2. Bend the knees and lower the legs behind the back. (Plates 517 and
   518.) Exhale, stretch the spine, contract the buttocks, pull back and
   lower the thighs (Plate 568) and feet until the toes touch the back of
   the head. (Plate 569.) Without moving the elbows, lift the wrists slightly
   off the ground and catch the big toes with the hands without loosening
   the finger grip. (Plate 570.) Push the chest forward and stay in the
   pose as long as you can, for a few seconds.

568

3· In other back-bending postures, one is able to get some help to

stretch the spine. Here, however, the spine has to move independently

in order to get the requisite curvature.

4· As the spine, chest, shoulders and neck are fu lly stretched, and the

abdomen is contracted, it is difficult to breathe normally. Return to

�frsasana I (Plate 190), slide the legs to the floor and relax or do

Urdhva Dhanurasana (Plate 486) and stand up in Ta<;iasana (Plate 1),

or follow on with Vipar1ta Chakrasana. (Plates 488 to 499)