Yoga as Therapeutic Exercise: A Practical Guide for Manual Therapists

Selected aSelected asanas̄̄sanas Selected aSelected āsanas̄sanas

7. If you cannot balance, turn your head to look
   towards the floor; you can also rest your left arm
   on the left side of your trunk.


8. Breathe naturally.

Being in the posture: refined work

1. Lift from your inner and outer ankle when you
   turn your pelvis to the left.


2. Coordinate the external rotation of your right
   thigh and the rotation of the lower abdomen.


3. Coordinate the stretching of the right and left
   leg.


4. Keep your trunk long between the pelvis and the
   shoulder girdle.


5. Lift your shoulder girdle away from your right arm.


6. Lengthen from your upper sternum through your
   left clavicle into your left arm, wrist, palm, and
   fingers; keep the fingers together.


7. Adjust your head in line with your spine, and
   slightly shift it backwards, keeping the neck and
   throat comfortable.


8. Maintain awareness of your legs and arms and
   the line of your spine when you turn your head
   to look upwards towards the thumb.


9. Breathe naturally.

Finishing the posture

In the beginning staying for 2–3 breaths may be

enough; with practice you may increase up to 10

breaths. Exhale, bend your right knee exactly in line

with the right foot, come back to Utthita Trikoāsana,

and then to a standing position with the legs apart

and the feet parallel. Repeat on the other side. After

finishing both sides stay calmly in Tā āsana for a few

breaths.

Suggestions for modifications

using props

•    Perform    with    your    back    against a   wall.

•    Support    your    lower   hand    on  a   brick   or  on  a   

chair depending on your flexibility (Figures

7.13 and 7.14).

7. Parghāsana (Figure 7.18)

Meaning of the āsana and its name

Pargha is an oblique beam closing a gate. This pos-

ture resembles a gate with an oblique beam. The

Figure 7.13

Figure 7.14