Janu Sirasana : Head to Knee Pose

To Begin: Sitting in Dandasana (Staff Pose) with legs extended and sit bones grounded, draw your right foot up to rest firmly in the left inner thigh, with heel to perineum. Right hip and knees should be resting on the ground, thus you may need a blanket or cushion to support the underside of knee. Draw your right hip back to square your pelvis to the front edge of your mat, and make whatever adjustments are necessary to firmly ground the sit bones.

The Pose: Inhale and lift up through the waist, walking the hands towards the right foot, then exhale to find a comfortable binding point (either place hands on sides of calf, clasp hands on bottom of foot, or bind right wrist with left hand), and then relax your head towards your knee.

To Intensify: Extend through your right heel and right buttock to lengthen the back of the thigh, and think of bringing the left kidney in front of the left hip bone to lengthen both sides of the waist.

To Modify: Prop the hips up on a folded blanket if sit bones don’t ground or hamstrings/lower back feel strained. Place a cushion under bent knee to support if knee doesn’t touch the ground. Use a belt or strap around the foot of the straight leg to increase the stretch without strain or tension.

Breathing: Breath into sides and back of ribs for 5 deep breaths, then switch sides and repeat.

Focus: Your physical gaze should be rest on the knee. Should you prefer to close your eyes, your internal gaze may focus on the third eye (point between the eyebrows).

Cautions: Take care not to strain the lower back. If your hamstrings are tight, or your sit bones do not rest on the ground, be sure to use a prop. As well, be sure to make your adjustments from the core of the body, pelvis and abdomen, rather than reaching with arms, shoulders and head. Allow the right side of the rib cage to align with the right inner thigh for good alignment.

Benefits: Improves flexibility of spine and hips, elongates hamstrings and relieves sciatic tension. Massages internal organs and supports good digestion. All forward bends help to bring the self into harmony by moving past resistance into surrender. Tune out distractions and tune into your inner self in order to work with the body rather than struggling against the body.

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