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

•    Place  each    hand    on  a   brick,  gripping    the front

part of the bricks with the fingers and thumbs

(Figure 7.82).

•    Hold   a   chair   with    your    hands.  Make    sure    the

chair is against the wall or on a sticky mat

(Figure 7.83).

Variations

•    Go into    the posture from    Adho    Mukha

Śvānāsana.

•    Combine    Adho    Mukha   Śvānāsana and rdhva

Mukha   Śvānāsana several times to form a

sequence in motion, keeping the legs firm.

25. Śalabhāsana (Figure 7.84)

Meaning of the āsana and its name

Śalabha means locust. The posture is reminiscent

of a resting locust. The back-bending action only

extends as far as the posterior muscles can hold it;

there is no force applied from outside.

Getting into the posture

1. Prepare two folded blankets.


2. Lie on your front; your abdomen and groin are
   resting on the blanket so that the lumbar area
   is relaxed; the forehead is resting on the other
   blanket so that your nose is free and the neck is
   relaxed.


3. The arms are lying beside the trunk, with the
   palms facing the ceiling.


4. Move one leg after the other away from the hip
   as if the legs are being slightly pulled backwards.
   5. With an inhalation lift your head, chest, arms,
   and straight legs; let the groin sink towards
   the floor. Lift as far as you can, slightly pull
   the lower abdomen inwards, and maintain
   the length between your lower lumbar spine
   and sacrum. As long as you are comfortable
   between your neck and the back of your head,
   look forwards.

Being in the posture: basic work

1. Contract the buttocks.


2. Keep the legs straight and together.


3. Pull your lower abdomen inwards and upwards
   to lengthen between your lower lumbar spine
   and your sacrum.


4. Moving your shoulders back, lift your arms
   
   further.


5. Adjust the position of your head for an optimum
   comfort of the neck and throat.


6. Breathe naturally.

Being in the posture: refined work

1. Inner thighs, calves, inner ankles, and big toes
   are together.


2. First, pull the toes towards your knees, then
   stretch the toes backwards; feel the difference
   for the stretch of your legs and your hips.


3. Pull your lower abdomen towards your lumbar
   area and the diaphragm; feel the lengthening of
   your lumbar spine.


4. Turn your arms so that the palms are facing
   each other, then lift them slightly more; move
   the shoulders backwards; feel the effect on
   the shoulder blades, upper sternum, and
   upper ribs.


5. Turn your arms so that the palms are facing the
   floor; feel the effect on the upper sternum and
   upper ribs.


6. Finely adjust your head on your upper cervical
   spine to lengthen your upper spine and widen
   your upper thorax and the area of your clavicles
   even further.

Figure 7.84