Yoga as Therapeutic Exercise: A Practical Guide for Manual Therapists

7

Chapter

Selected āsanas for integrating the aims and principles

Selected asanas̄ Selected āsanas

Selected asanas̄ Selected āsanas

3. Raise your arms to the sides; stretch them in line
   with your shoulder girdle


4. Fully extend your wrists so that the palms
   are at right angles to the lower arms, and the
   fingers and thumbs are pointing towards the
   ceiling (Figure 7.8).


5. Extend through your wrists first.


6. Maintain the extension of the arms; bring the
   hands in line with the arms; lengthen the backs
   of the wrists; keep the fingers together.
   7. Keeping your trunk upright and in line, turn your
   left foot on its heel 15° inwards, and your right
   leg 90° outwards: lifting the front foot, turn it 45°
   on its heel; lifting the heel, turn it 45° on the ball
   of the foot; in this way the line of the right foot is
   crossing the center of the arch of the left foot.
   8. Keeping your left leg firm, the outer edge
   of the left foot pressed to the floor, and the
   trunk vertical, and moving the right upper
   outer thigh into the hip joint, bend your right
   knee as you exhale until your right shin bone is
   perpendicular to the floor and the knee is in line
   with the heel.
   9. Lift your right hip away from the right upper
   thigh; bring your left hip down so that it “sits”
   on the head of the left thigh bone.
   10. Keep your trunk upright, and the pelvis, thorax,
   shoulders, and arms in line.
   11. Lift from your lower abdomen to your upper sternum.
   12. Stretch your arms more to the sides, particularly
   the left one.
   13. Keeping your head in line with your spine,
   gently turn it to the right and look towards your
   right hand.

Being in the posture: basic work

1. To keep your left leg strong, press the outer
   edge of your left foot to the floor; keep your left
   knee firm, the upper outer thigh slightly down.


2. To keep your right knee correctly aligned, bring
   more weight onto the outer edge of your right foot
   and your right heel; the big toe stays on the floor.


3. Move the upper thighs slightly downwards, the
   right buttock forwards, and the left hip away
   from the middle lower abdomen.


4. Move the right side of your chest forwards, and
   the left ribs backwards.


5. Lift from your lower abdomen to your upper
   sternum; feel the length of your spine.


6. Slightly move your shoulders down; keep your
   arms horizontal and well extended, particularly
   the left arm.


7. Breathe naturally.

Figure 7.7

Figure 7.8