Yoga as Therapeutic Exercise: A Practical Guide for Manual Therapists

Selected aSelected asanas̄̄sanas Selected aSelected āsanas̄sanas

2. Sit in front of the bolster in Sukhāsana with your
   left shin in front.


3. Place your hands behind you, next to the front
   of the bolster; tilt your pelvis backwards so that
   you are relaxed in your groin, abdomen, and
   lower back.
   4. Maintaining a subtle lengthening of the back of
   
   your spine, lower your back and your head onto
   the bolster.
   5. Adjust the blanket so that the head and neck
   are well supported and the neck and throat
   are relaxed.
   6. Adjust the pelvis, maybe sliding slightly away
   from the bolster so that you are relaxed in your
   abdomen and lower back.
   7. If your lumbar spine is curved too much or the
   bolster is irritating your back, start anew further
   away from the bolster or resting your buttocks
   on a folded blanket.
   8. Rest your arms at your sides; feel the widening
   from your sternum into your upper ribs
   (Figure 7.57).
   9. Stay there for 5–10 breaths.
   10. Hold your elbows; keeping the pelvis neutral and
   the abdomen relaxed, move your arms over your
   head; feel the lengthening through the side ribs
   (Figure 7.58).
   11. Stay there for 5–10 breaths; in the middle,
   change the hold on your elbows.
   12. Release your arms, place them on your sides on
   the floor, swap the crossing of your legs, and
   repeat points 8–11.

Figure 7.56

Figure 7.57

Figure 7.58