Australian Yoga Journal — November 2017

83

november/december 2017

yogajournal.com.au

Stay safe

Viparita Dandasana (with one or both feet down) demands open shoulders and upper-back muscles. You must

be able to keep both forearms rooted with your elbows shoulder-distance apart, and your shoulders lifted away

from the floor, or you risk not only compressing your low back but your neck as well (read: not worth it!). Move

slowly as you place one forearm down and then the other; your shoulders will quickly tell you if this pose is

appropriate.

eka = one · pada = foot · viparita = inverted

danda = staff · asana = pose

One-Legged Inverted Staff Pose

Eka Pada

Viparita Dandasana

4 Keeping the two sides of your pelvis level, strongly root
down through your inner left heel as you press your right heel
and ball of the foot straight up toward the ceiling, curling
deeper in your upper back and propelling your chest gently
forward. Take a few rounds of breath, and then lower your
lifted foot to the earth, and switch to the other side. To release,
make sure both feet are back on the floor, and then unlace
your fingers and place your palms flat in preparation for
Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel Pose). Press all the way back up
into full Wheel Pose for a breath before tucking your chin and
lowering back down to the floor for a rest.