June - Pose of the Month - Prasarita Padottanasana

Prasarita Padottanasana - Wide-Legged Forward Bend

There are quite a few variations of Prasarita Padottanasana. I have given a few below.  Please be mindful of your own body and only go as far as you are able.  Do not strain. Despite the intense stretch to the back of the legs, this pose is meant to be restful to the body, breath and mind.  Because it has such recuperative benefits this pose is good for depression, anxiety, menopause and menstruation.

1. Restorative Prasarita Padottanasana
Props - 1-2 mats, chair, bolster

If you are practicing on a slippery floor, place one mat lengthwise and the other width wise near the wall,to the end of the first mat centering to make a T.  Place the chair on the mat in front so that it won't slip on you.
Step your feet about 4-5 feet apart and about 1 foot from the wall.  Keep the feet parallel.
Press firmly into the feet and engage the quadriceps by lifting the kneecaps up towards the hips.  Lengthen through the backs of the legs and allow the sitt bones to rest into the wall.
Lengthen the torso, keeping the spine concave and rest the head on the chair or a bolster.
Extend the arms so that the elbows can be clasped above the head.
Keep the abdomen, face, eyes and throat soft.

Using the same information as above this pose can also be done resting the forehead but without the sitt bones resting at the wall.  Keep the tailbone in line with the back of the heels and keep pressing evenly into the feet.

2. Prasarita Padottanasana I
Begin in Tadasana - Mountain pose

With hands on hips, step or jump the feet 4 1/2 - 5 feet apart.

Keep the spine concave and the tailbone in line with the heels by either placing the hands on blocks

or if you can on the floor.  Keep the hands underneath the shoulders.  Press firmly into the hands and feet.  Draw the muscle to the bone and lift up by pressing into the feet and lengthening the back of the legs and keeping the shoulders moving down the back and away from the ears.  The side body and center body lengths evenly with strain on the abdomen, throat or eyes.
It is important to gain ease in the concave back stage and can stop at this point if your legs are feeling alot of strain or you back is starting to round.

Next, keeping the hands shoulder width apart walk then in so that the fingers and toes are in line.

Press firmly into the hands and feet and back remains concave.  The knees continue to lift up, outer thighs roll in slightly, tailbone lifts up, shoulders move down the back and the sternum bone lifts up as in all forward bends.  Don't crunch the back of the neck.

Exhaling, allow the abdomen to soften towards the spine and release down bringing the crown of the head to the floor.  The shoulder, elbow and wrist stay in the same plane and the shoulders still move down the back, not fall toward the floor.

If the head does not easily reach the floor place the crown of the head on a block or bolster.

3. Prasarita Padottanasana II
Following the same general instructions as above first bring hands to reverse Anjali mudra ( hands in namaste behind the back) before releasing down to the floor.  Don't let the chest cave in, keep the shoulders moving back and away from the ears.

The hands can also be kept on the hips.

4. Quick Prasarita Padottanasana
Sometimes, when one feels dull the pose can be done a bit quicker to invigorate the body, mind and breath and then come into the more classical variation of the pose.
Here stepping the feet 4 1/2 - 5 feet apart, pressing the feet and engaging the quadriceps lengthen the arms up inhaling..

Then quickly exhaling bend forward with legs straight reaching between the legs.
Repeat 4-5 times, then come into classical variation.


Benefits:
Helps reduce depression, boost confidence, soothes the brain and sympathetic nervous system.
Also, energizes the heart and lungs, reduces blood pressure and can relieve stress related headaches, migraines and fatigue.
Tones the abdominal organs and can relieve stomach problems by neutralizing stomach acid.
Relieves the lower back and strengthens the knee joint and opens the hip joint.
Helps regulate menstrual flow.

Cautions:
For beginners, don't hold this pose longer then 1 minutes. 
For low blood pressure come up slowly to reduce feeling of dizziness.
Do not compress the neck.


Namaste.
Pamela Nelson
http://www.plnyoga.vpweb.com/