7
Chapter
Selected āsanas for integrating the aims and principles
Selected asanas̄ Selected āsanas
Selected asanas̄ Selected āsanas
- Pārśvottānāsana (Figures 7.20 and 7.21)
Meaning of the āsana and its name
Pārśva is side, uttāna means extending intensively.
Pārśvottānāsana is an intensive stretch, particularly
of the sides of the thorax, but also of the whole
body, while being firmly on the feet.
Getting into the posture
- Stand in Tā āsana.
- Turn your arms inwards and move them
backwards; join your palms behind your back,
with the fingers pointing towards the floor first.
- Turn your hands, with the fingers towards the
back first, then pointing upwards.
- Maintaining a neutral lumbopelvic position,
move your shoulders and elbows back and the
little fingers upwards along the spine to the level
of the shoulder blades as high as you can.
- Feel the stretch from your sternum to your
upper ribs, clavicles, and upper arms.
- Walk your feet one leg length apart.
- Turn the right foot and leg 90° outwards, the left
foot and leg 75° inwards; the left heel is in line
with the right foot; turn your pelvis and trunk
90° to the right; in both legs the center of the
thighs, the kneecaps, and the toes are pointing in
the same direction.
- Maintaining the neutral lumbopelvic position lift
from your lower abdomen and lift your chest,
the upper thoracic vertebrae inwards and the
upper sternum upwards and slightly forwards.
- Lengthen gently from your upper neck to
the back of your head; extend your head
backwards as far as comfortable and look
upwards (Figure 7.20).
- Stay there for 2–3 breaths.
- Bring your head in line with your spine.
- Be firm in your left leg; the outer edge of the
foot is pressing on the floor.
- Keeping your right big toe on the floor and
moving the right outer thigh towards the right
inner thigh, bend over the right knee as you
exhale (Figure 7.21).
Figure 7.20
Figure 7.19
