Yoga as Therapeutic Exercise: A Practical Guide for Manual Therapists

Selected aSelected asanas̄̄sanas Selected aSelected āsanas̄sanas

4. Keeping the back of the pelvis long, slightly lift
   the left hip.


5. Move the left ribs backwards.


6. Slightly turn your left arm from the shoulder
   joint so that the little finger is getting closer to
   the floor.


7. Keep the hand in line with the lower arm and
   the fingers together.


8. Feel the continuous stretch from the left outer
   heel to the left fingertips.


9. Keep your head in line with your spine; shift it
   slightly backwards.


10. Slightly move the back of your head away from
    the neck and be aware of the line between the
    back of the head and the sacrum.


11. Breathe naturally.

Being in the posture: refined work

1. Keeping the outer edge of the left foot on the
   floor, slightly lift the inner and outer ankle.


2. Lift your left inner knee towards the outer
   knee.


3. Keep more weight in the right heel than in the
   forefoot.


4. Feel how the position of the right knee is
   stabilized when you shift the weight more to the
   outer edge of the foot, also keeping the right big
   toe on the floor.


5. Keeping the right big toe on the floor, lengthen
   from the inner ankle to the big toe.


6. Slightly move your lower abdomen inwards; feel
   the length in your lumbar spine.


7. Keep your abdomen soft.


8. Move your right upper thigh slightly down
   and forwards, and the right buttock forwards;
   maintain this when you lift your left hip.


9. The right inner thigh moves towards the knee,
   and the outer thigh towards the hip.


10. Move your right sitting bone forwards so that
    you can feel the lengthening of the back of your
    pelvis away from the lumbar area.
    11. Feel the length of your spine.
    12. Move your shoulder blades as if sucking them
    into your upper back.
    13. Move your upper thoracic spine inwards; feel
    how this combines with lifting and widening in
    your upper sternum and upper front ribs.
    14. Keep your left arm slightly rotated so that the
    little finger is getting closer to the floor and
    move it backwards more behind the ear; feel
    the lengthening of your armpit, particularly the
    posterior edge.
    15. Fully stretch your left elbow; lengthen the wrist,
    the palm and the palmar side of your fingers.
    16. Slightly shift your head backwards; starting from
    your upper thoracic vertebrae turn it to the left
    as long as the throat and neck are comfortable.
    17. Look upwards in front of the left arm.

Finishing the posture

Stay    in   the    posture for 5–10    breaths.    Make    your

left leg very firm; press the outer edge of your

left foot on the floor. With an inhalation stretch

your right knee, and come up until your trunk is

upright and your arms are horizontal. If necessary

relax your arms for a moment. Turn your feet paral-

lel and repeat on the left side. After finishing both

sides come back to T sana and stay calm for a few

breaths.

Suggestions for modifications

using props

•    Be with    your    back    against a   wall.   The buttock 

of the bent leg and the shoulder and arm of this

side are touching the wall. The other areas are

slightly away from the wall; the wall helps the

correct alignment.

•    As shown   for Utthita Triko āsana (see Figure

7.6) you can put the ball of the foot and the

toes on a brick or rolled mat, and the lower

hand on a support such as a brick or chair.

Variation (Figure 7.12)

Instead of resting the lower hand on the floor or on

a support you can rest your lower arm on the thigh