Janu Sirsasana aka ‘forward bending head to knee pose’. If practiced early in the morning, it works as a great boost to fire you up for the rest of the day.
How to get into the position
From ‘Staff Pose’ i.e. sitting on the floor with both of your legs stretched out in front of you: fold your right leg in by bending your right knee and taking the heal to your perineum. Then inhale and raise your arms above your head to elongate your spine and turn your torso to the left slightly. Then exhale and fold forward (sitting back on your sitting bones) grasping your left foot with your hands and fixing your vision on your big toe.
Hold the position for five full breaths. On the inhalation, extend your spine and square your chest over the forward leg. On the exhalation, move your right shoulder towards your left big toe.
Do not be tempted to pull your foot to increase the forward fold position and do not look down; always look forward when forward bending to avoid arching your back.
Benefits
Janu Sirsasana:
Stimulates and tones the abdominal organs
Stretches the shoulder joints, spine, hamstrings, and groins.
Improves digestion.
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause and menstrual discomfort
Helps open the Root Chakra (Muladhara Chakra)
Contraindications and Cautions
Avoid this posture if you have any issues with your lower back.
Damian Cadman-Jones is an authorised teacher of Prana Vashya Yoga™