SQUAT: HEELS UP—KNEES WIDE, FORWARD BEND—FOREARMS & ELBOWS ON THE FLOOR

Garland Pose

Malasana

(mah-LAHS-uh-nuh)
Pose Type: standing, forward bend
Drishti Point: 1 & 2. Angusthamadhye or Angustha Ma Dyai (thumbs) 3 & 4. Nasagrai or Nasagre (nose)

How to Perform the Pose:

1. Begin by standing in Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Engage your mula bandha, uddhiyana bandha,

and ujjayi breathing.

2. Exhale as you bend your knees, lift your heels, and drop your sitting bones to your heels.


3. Inhale as you open your knees out to the sides. Exhale as you drop your chest between your knees
   and lower your forearms to the floor. Your knees should end up on the outsides of your shoulders.


4. You can experiment with various arm positions. Start with your palms flat on the floor (Pose #1),
   then bring either one hand to your face (Pose #2) or both hands to your face (Pose #3) and then
   spread your fingers out (Pose #4).


5. Hold the pose for at least 30, and up to 90, seconds in order to receive the full benefits of the

stretch.

6. To come out of the pose, inhale as you lift your chest and bring your knees together. Exhale as you

press into your feet, straighten your legs, and come back to Mountain Pose (Tadasana).

Modification:

1. forearms and palms to the floor


2. one forearm and palm to the floor, other elbow to the floor hand to the face


3. both hands to the face, elbows on the floor


4. both hands to the face, fingers spread open in a Padma Mudra - Lotus Hand Seal elbows, on the
   floor