7
Chapter
Selected āsanas for integrating the aims and principles
Selected asanas̄ Selected āsanas
Selected asanas̄ Selected āsanas
Being in the posture: basic work
- Keep your wrists and lower arms firm.
- Move your upper arms upwards as if starting to
stretch your elbows.
- Keep your shoulders lifted, to relax your neck
and throat.
4. Combine the lifting of your shoulders with
slightly moving your costal arches backwards.
5. Slightly pull your lower abdomen inwards; feel
how this lengthens your lumbar spine.
6. Maintain the neutral lumbopelvic position while
stretching and straightening your legs more.
7. Keep your legs together.
8. Breathe naturally.
Being in the posture: refined work
- Slightly press the thumb side of your hands on
the back of your head.
- Slightly move your elbows together to lift your
shoulders more.
- Move your shoulder blades away from the floor
and slightly inwards.
- Feel the inner lifting from the crown of your
head to your tailbone, so that your head feels
light and calm.
- Slightly move your groin backwards, your
sacrum and tailbone forwards.
- Lengthen your inner legs through your inner
heels.
- Lengthen the back of your legs through your heels.
- Lengthen the front legs through the back of the
feet, slightly moving the feet away from the shins.
- Keep the feet in between dorsiflexion and
plantar flexion.
- Constantly adjust the details so that you have
not much weight on your head and a subtle,
relaxed length in your throat and neck.
- Keeping your wrists perpendicular, your middle
lower arms firmly on the floor, the crown of your
head calm, lift your shoulders away from the floor.
Finishing the posture
In the beginning hold for 5–10 breaths; with prac-
tice increase up to 5 minutes, or even longer.
Keep your wrists perpendicular, your middle
lower arms firmly on the floor, the crown of your
head light and still, and your shoulders lifted away
from the floor. Keep your trunk straight.
Figure 7.95
