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 1.) DANDASANA - Sitting Staff /
Rod Pose
Dandasana is the Tadasana of
the Sitting Poses series. It is the
foundation, the beginning of awareness in
sitting poses. For beginners, or those with
tightness in the backs of the legs, use a
rolled up mat to sit on, lifting the sitting
bones slightly higher than the heels.
Stretch the legs straight forward with a slight inward rotation at the tops
of the inner thighs. Keep the kneecaps lifting and push out the heels,
pulling the toes back toward you. It is also helpful to bring a belt on the
tops of both feet and holding with both hands, pull the toes toward the
chest. Lift the spine up vertically using the strong muscles of the back.
Allow the inner shoulders to hang down from the ears. Relax the eyes
and gaze forward. Hold 5-10 deep breaths. |
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 2.) BADDHA KONASANA – Bound
Angle Pose
Sit on the edge of a folded mat,
bring the heels together as close to the perineum
as possible. Keep both heels actively pushing
into each other. The spine must be completely
vertical engaging the strong muscles of the back
to lift. Hold the big toes of both feet with both
hands and pull outward, at the same time
keeping the heels equally pushing in to each other - right and left.
Again there is a slight backbend at the top of the spine, but take great
care to lift the front and back of the waist evenly. Relax the eyes and
gaze forward. Hold 5-10 deep breaths. |
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 3.) UPAVISTHA
KONASANA Wide - Angle Pose
Sit on the edge of a folded mat this
time externally rotating the tops of
the thighs and bring the legs out as
wide as is comfortably challenging
for the adductors (inner thigh muscles). The kneecaps are still actively
lifting with the center of the knees and the center of the feet pointing
straight up to the sky. Push out the heels and pull the toes back toward
you. (A belt can be placed on the tops of both feet to help with this
action). Lift the spine as vertically as possible, and as in Baddha
Konasana, there is a slight backbend at the top of the spine, but take
great care to lift the front and back of the waist evenly. Relax the eyes
and gaze forward. Hold 5-10 deep breaths. |
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 4.) JANU SIRSASANA - Head to Knee Pose
This pose is named for the
forward bend of resting the head on the knee
of the extended leg. However, for Beginners,
it is more important that the spine is
lengthening as much as possible, (and not
rounding at the waist to reach the head
toward the knee); so it is better to extend the
head, and extend the knee. Sitting on the edge of the mat in
Dandasana, bend the right knee as in Baddha Konasana, pushing the
right heel into the inner thigh of the left leg. The left leg is extended
with all the action of the inward rotation of the inner left thigh, the left
kneecap lifting, the left heel pushing out farther than the toes. A belt
may be used to pull forward on the toes of the left foot. Lengthen the
Spine – from the base of the Spine and keep the back strong and
straight as you lengthen the upper body forward over the extended left leg. Relax the eyes and gaze forward. Hold 5-10 deep breaths.lifting
up out of the legs. Practice Determination. Hold for 10 – 20 deep
breaths / Straighten forward knee to come up on inhalation / Repeat
other side. |
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 5.) VIRASANA – Hero Pose
Begin kneeling with the torso vertical and the lower legs
behind with the feet pointing straight back behind
you. Sit down on the rolled mat (or use a block to
sit on if the quadriceps are especially tight.) The
weight should be placed evenly on the tops of
the shins and feet against the floor. The weight
of the torso and pelvis should be resting just
slightly forward of the sitting bones. To insure
that the knee joints are opened first, use the
hands and roll the flesh of the calves outward,
and the flesh of the thighs inward. The kneecaps should be pointing
straight forward. Lift the Spine up as vertically as possible. Relax the
inner shoulders, and relax the face. The hands can rest lightly on the
floor beside the feet, or on tops of the thighs. Relax the eyes and gaze
straight forward. Hold 5-10 deep breaths. |
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 6.) TRIANGA MUKA KAPADA PASCHIMOTTANASANA -
Three Limbs Facing Forward Bend
Begin in sitting in Dandasana. Bend the
right knee back to Virasana and extend the
left leg forward.
It is helpful to use the hands to roll the flesh
of the right calf outward and the flesh of the
right thigh inward to protect the bent right
knee. Keep the same inward rotation of the
inner left thigh as in the extended leg action
of Dandasana. Push out the heel of the left leg and attempt to hold the
left foot keeping the left knee straight. A belt can be used as an
extension of the arms to more easily lengthen the spine at the same
time holding the left foot. Giving priority to lengthening the spine and
not bending at the waist, lift the torso forward over the extended left
leg. A bolster can be used on top of the left leg to rest the forehead
over the left thigh to allow more relaxation to the brain. Let the head
release forward. Keep the inner shoulders softening down from the
ears and allow the eyes to rest. Hold 5-10 deep breaths and repeat on
other side. |
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 7.) MARICHYASANA I -
Asana
dedicated to the sage, Marichi –Sitting Twist –
From Dandasana, bend the right knee and bring
the right foot up close to the perineum. Press
the sole and heel of the right foot down to the
floor. The left leg should remain grounded and
extended forward in one straight line. The shin
of the right leg should be perpendicular to the floor with the calf
touching the thigh. Stretch the right side of the chest forward bringing
the right shoulder as far forward of the right shin. Turn the right arm
around the right shin. Bend the right elbow and swing the left arm
around the back at the level of the waist to clasp the right hand at the
wrist. A belt can be used as an extension of the arms to catch the ends
of the belt if not yet ready to interlock the hands. Turn the spine to the
left keeping the whole spine lifting up. Look back over the left shoulder.
Keep the eyes soft. Exhale to move deeply into the twist. Hold 5-10
deep breaths. Repeat on other side. |
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8.) MARICHYASANA II
Sitting
twist over bent leg heel. – Begin in
Marichyasana I, but before extending
the right arm around the right shin,
lift the torso up, bend the left knee and
sit directly over the left heel. Extend the
right side of the chest and bring the right
shoulder beyond the right knee. Swing
the left arm around to catch the right wrist (or use belt so that the
hands can work toward each other).
Keep the Spine lengthening up vertically
as much as possible. Look back over
the left shoulder and deepen the twist as
the exhale deepens. Hold 5-10 deep
breaths. Repeat on other side. |
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 9.) ARDHA MATSYENDRASANA
Pose dedicated to Lord of
the Fish – Sit in Dandasana with a rolled
mat to elevate the sitting bones. Extend
the right leg forward. Remember to
maintain the inward rotation at the top of
the inner right thigh.. Bend the left knee
until the left shin is perpendicular to the
floor. Bring the right side of the chest
around to the left so that the right
shoulder reaches beyond the left knee. Bend the right elbow and swing
the left arm around the back to interlock the hands behind you at the level of the waist. Again, a belt is a very good tool to use to help bring
the arms around left shin. Keep the Spine lengthening up vertically as
much as possible. Look back over the left shoulder and deepen the
twist as the exhalation breath deepens. Hold 5-10 deep breaths.
Repeat on other side. |
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10.) PASCHIMOTTANASNA
Full Forward Bend.(Back of the body
fully extended Pose) Begin sitting in Dandasana
with both legs extended forward. Sit on the rolled
mat to elevate the sitting bones up and shift the
weight slightly forward of the sitting bones.
Remember to maintain the inward rotation to
both legs and keep the kneecaps lifting. Push out
the heels and pull the toes forward toward the
chest. A belt should be used around the toes to
help keep the back lengthening and not rounding
to reach the feet. Lengthen the Spine again from the base of the spine.
On exhalation breath, extend the torso forward to rest over the legs
keeping the back lengthening as much as possible. Let the belly drop,
the chest to drop and the head to drop over the
extended legs. The most beneficial place for the
brain to relax completely is when the forehead is
supported. So if the forehead is not yet resting
over the legs, use a bolster on the tops of the
thighs so that when lengthening forward, the
forehead can rest on the bolster. Move deeply
into this forward bend as the exhalation breath
deepens. Relax the eyes and the muscles of
speech. Hold 5-10 deep breaths. |
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Ann Barros is a senior Iyengar yoga instructor with over 29
years teaching experience, including 5 years at UCSC, and over
40 successful Yoga In Bali tours. She has led workshops both
domestically in California and Colorado, and internationally in
Singapore, Jamaica, Greece, Mexico, Jakarta, as well as her
beloved Bali, which has become her second home. Ann first
studied with BKS Iyengar in India in 1976 who personally guided
her into curing her own scoliosis. She is certified by the Iyengar
Yoga Institute of S.F.since 1980, and later that year after
studying again in India, first came to Bali. She continues her
advanced practice inspired by long-term study with Ramanand
Patel since 1977. Ann's teaching approach is compassionate, yet challenging, with emphasis
on precise and careful alignment of the joints for the greatest freedom: strength and flexibility,
balance in the body, quieting of the mind, and a soaring of the spirit.
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