Featured Yoga Pose

This pose is an excellent hip opener and is the prep pose for the more difficult Lotus or Padmasana pose.

Begin by lying on the floor on your back on a rug or solid blanket. Bend your knees, placing both feet on the floor hip distance apart. Begin to deepen your breath, inhaling and exhaling through the nose.

Place your right ankle on your left knee and extend through the right heel. Maintain the extension through the right heel throughout the pose. Begin to press the right knee away from you or toward your left foot.

If you can really feel this in your right hip, stay here and work on pressing the right knee gently away. If you would like to go deeper, reach between your legs and grasp the back of your left thigh gently drawing the right lower leg in toward your chest. The right knee should be moving away as you draw the ankle in. Keep the shin parallel to the chest as much as possible.

This pose will cause a stretch in the connective tissue in the right hip joint and can usually be felt in the right buttock. For those who are a bit more flexible, you may be able to reach through and grasp the right shin. This should only be done if you can reach without picking up the shoulders.

Once you have hold, relax the shoulders back down, soften your face and throat and begin to deepen the breath. Direct the breath into the sensation found in the right hip area. Hold for one to three minutes breathing deeply and slowly. Release gently and take a breath before proceeding on the other side.

This pose is an excellent hip opener and can help to relieve low back pain. Contraindications include those with hip replacements. If the pose causes any discomfort in the knee increase the extension through the heel or back off until the discomfort is gone.

Kathy Navis is the owner of Junction Center Yoga Studio, located at 3435 Junction Road just off of County Highway A north of Jacksonport. For more information call 920.823.2763, email [email protected] or visit http://www.junctioncenteryoga.com.