seated head to knee
janu sirsasana
Seated head to knee stretches the back and deeply
stretches the back of the legs.
This posture calms the mind and emotions, stimulates
the nervous, reproductive, endocrine and urinary systems.
From bound angle or easy pose, extend the right leg
straight out in front of you, place the bottom of the left foot against the
right thigh.
Pull the right leg in to square the hips to the
front wall. Inhale the arms up and reach out of the waist lengthening the spine.
Exhale forward, bending the right knee enough to
interlace the fingers around the foot and to place the head against the knee.
Work the posture by pressing the head down into the
knee, sliding the right heel away from you, lengthening the right leg.
Keep the head pressed to the knee while
straightening the leg as much as you can.
For a deeper stretch in the leg, press the heel away
and pull the toes towards your head.
Relax the shoulders, neck and face.
Make sure the shoulders are parallel to the floor.
Use the arms only enough to keep the head in contact
with the knee.
Breathe and hold for 3-6 breaths.
To release: inhale the arms up over your head,
exhale them to the floor.
Repeat other side.
Use a yoga strap around foot and hold with both
hands.
