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

6. Lift your sternum further, lengthen your head
   away from your neck and bend it backwards as
   long as it its comfortable for your neck and throat.

Being in the posture: basic work

1. The arches of the feet are active, the heels
   slightly outwards.


2. Push your shin bones into the blanket.


3. Move your upper thighs slightly forwards;
   contract your buttocks, move your middle
   buttocks in and down, your sacrum and tailbone
   forwards and down; lift from your lower
   abdomen upwards.


4. Lift and move your middle and upper thoracic
   spine inwards; lift your sternum.


5. Move your middle back ribs inwards and up.


6. Move your shoulders back.


7. Keep your arms straight.


8. Adjust the position of the head so that the neck
   and throat are comfortable.


9. Breathe naturally.

Being in the posture: refined work

1. Push your lower shin bones into the blanket to
   lift yourself further.


2. Press your hands on your heels to lift your chest
   further.


3. Coordinate the forwards movement of
   your middle buttocks and the lifting of the
   lower abdomen, widening the chest and the
   adjustment of the head to get a continuous arch
   for your spine.


4. Lengthen between your pelvis and diaphragm.


5. Move your shoulder blades, particularly the
   medial aspect, inwards and upwards.


6. Coordinate the back-bending of your head with
   lifting your sternum.

Finishing the posture

Stay for 3–5 breaths. Slightly move your upper

thighs and buttocks forwards; with an inhalation lift

from your pelvis to your lower chest, then upwards;

the arms and head come up easily. Sit on your heels

for a few breaths.

Suggestions for modifications using

props

•    Rest   your    hands   on  a   chair   (Figure 7.87).

•    Face   a   wall,   keeping the front   of  your    thighs  

against the wall.

27. Naarājāsana (Figure 7.88)

Meaning of the āsana and its name

Naa means dance, and Rāja is a king. Naarāja is the

king of dance, to whom this beautiful āsana is dedi-

cated. The arch from the foot through the spine, head,

and arms is balanced on one leg. We have chosen an

easy variation, an approach that can be practiced by

most people and developed further with increasing

practice. For the full āsana see Iyengar (2001).

Figure 7.87