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Yoga Central - Head to Knee Pose |
By Mercedes Aspland
 This is the latest article in our yoga central series and today we will be looking at a pose known as head to knee Pose or Janu Sirsasana. We will look at how to properly carry out the pose, the benefits you can get from it and anything that you need to consider before beginning. Please read the entire article before trying the pose.
How to Carry Out the Pose
We have put together instructions on how to carry out the pose correctly however there are also a number of modifications that can be done to make the pose easier as well as deeper. These modifications will be found lower in the article.
1. Begin the pose by sitting on a folded blanket of firm pillow with legs straight out in front of you. Now bend your right leg and gently rest the sole of your right foot on the inside of your left leg. You should lay the outside of the right leg on the floor with the shin at a right angle to the left leg.
2. Now place
your right hand on the inner right groin and your left hand on the floor next to your left hip. As you exhale, push down with your hands and lift your torso to lengthen your back. At the same time slight turn your body to the left to line the belly button up with the left leg.
3. Now lean forward and take hold of your foot with both hands keeping the torso lifted. If you are unable to reach for foot then wrap a strap around your foot, holding it tight.
4. As you exhale lower the body towards the leg and in particular the head to the knee. Remember not to be aggressive with this pose and lower the body as low as is comfortable. Try to keep your back as straight as possible so that you do not hunch the back. Ensure you keep the left leg pressed against the floor.
5. Remain in this pose for anywhere from 1 -3 minutes. When you have finished inhale and life the body so that it is upright and straighten the right leg so that it is in front of you next to the left leg. Now repeat the exercise with the other leg.
Tips and Precautions
If you are very stiff in your hips you may have difficulty bending forward. In this case place a folding chair across your leg, lean forward holding the outside legs of the chair and rest your head on the edge of the chair. You can also make this pose more restful by placing a folded blanket or pillow across your leg and resting your head on the blanket.
You can deepen this pose by extending the body further and resting your head on your shin and your body on your leg. At the same time you should rest your hands beyond your legs and hold one hand in the other. This pose may not be suited to you if you have either asthma of diarrhoea. In addition if you have a knee injury you may want to support your bent knee on a blanket.
Benefits and Focus
This pose can help to stretch out the spine, shoulders, hamstrings and groin as well as stimulating the liver and kidneys and improving digestion. In terms of specific conditions, it can help to calm the mind and so can be beneficial for people suffering from minor depression. It can also help with anxiety, fatigue, headaches, menstrual pain, menopause symptoms, insomnia, high blood pressure, and sinusitis.
Article Source : Article King Pro - Free Reprints and Distribution
This article has been supplied by alternative therapies directory. You can also find more information on our Yoga page.
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