HOW TO MASTER EKA PADA RAJAKAPOTASANA
GETTING INTO THE POSITION:
1. Start on all fours, and be sure to place your knees directly beneath your hips, and then place the hands slightly ahead of your hips. Next slide the knee under your torso up and in front of your left knee, and then place your right shin on the floor, and after this, slide your left leg in the opposite direction, behind you, so the knee is faced down and the leg straight, so that your right buttock is lowered to the floor.
2. The bent right leg can be slightly angled to the right, but the left leg should be extended straight out of the hip. Taking a deep breath, extend the body to the floor for a nice stretch.
3. Then slide the hands back to the shin, and pushing the body up, lengthen the back by pressing the tailbone down, and also lift the pubis to the navel so as to lengthen the stretch in the groin.
4. If your pelvis is stable, lift the hands to the hips, pushing down heavily, and against this pressure lift the lower rim of the rib cage for a good stretch. And with out shortening the stretch in the neck, drop the head back and lift the chest, pushing your chest and the sternum to the ceiling.
5. Stay in the position for about a minute, then put the hands on the floor and slide the legs back together. Nice and limber, yes?!
ACTIONS INVOLVED:
The main actions involved are:
-lengthening
-breath control
-proper placement
-awareness and control of body
BENEFITS:
•Stretches the thighs, groins and psoas, abdomen, chest and shoulders, and neck
•Stimulates the abdominal organs
•Opens the shoulders and chest
AWARENESS:
When in the asana, I feel my body extending, and being stretched in multiple places. Not to mention, with the addition of alterations upon the pose, it really hits those inflexible spots and spots of tension. Yet, it's a good source of tension and stretching.
RECOMMENDED PLAYLIST:
Fleet Foxes
It just hits the spot!
