Paschimottanasana
Full Forward Bend Pose
Benefits:
> Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression.
> Stretches the spine, shoulders, hamstrings.
> Stimulates the liver, kidneys, ovaries, and uterus.
> Improves digestion.
> Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause and menstrual discomfort.
> Soothes headache and anxiety and reduces fatigue.
> Therapeutic for high blood pressure, infertility, insomnia, and sinusitis.
> Traditional texts say that Paschimottanasana increases appetite, reduces obesity, and cures diseases.
Cautions:
> Asthma.
> Diarrhea.
> Back injury: Only perform this pose under the supervision of an experienced teacher.
Technic:
> Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. Rock slightly onto your left buttock, and pull your right sitting bone away from the heel with your right hand. Repeat on the other side. Press through your palms or finger tips on the floor and lift the top of the sternum toward the ceiling as the top thighs descend.
> Inhale, and keeping the front torso long, lean forward from the hip joints, not the waist. Lengthen the tailbone away from the back of your pelvis. If possible take the sides of the feet with your hands, thumbs on the soles, elbows fully extended; if this isn't possible, loop a strap around the foot soles, and hold the strap firmly. Be sure your elbows are straight, not bent.
> Always lengthen the front torso into the pose, keeping your head raised. If you are holding the feet, bend the elbows out to the sides and lift them away from the floor; if holding the strap, lighten your grip and walk the hands forward, keeping the arms long. The lower belly should touch the thighs first, then the upper belly, then the ribs, and the head last.
> With each inhalation, lift and lengthen the front torso just slightly; with each exhalation release a bit more into the forward bend. Eventually you may be able to stretch the arms out beyond the feet on the floor.
> Stay in the pose anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes. To come up, first lift the torso away from the thighs and straighten the elbows again if they are bent. Then inhale and lift the torso up by pulling the tailbone down and into the pelvis.