Pada means the foot. Hasta means the hand. This posture is done bybending forward and standing on one’s hands. Technique Stand in Tadasana. Spread the legs a foot apart. Exhale, bend forward and without bending the legs at the kneesinsert the hands under the feet so that the palms touch the soles. Keep the head […]

Pada means the foot. Angustha is the big toe. This posture is done bystanding and catching the big toes. Technique Stand in Tadasana. Spread the legs a foot apart. Exhale, bend forward and hold the big toes between the thumbsand the first two fingers, so that the palms face each other. Hold themtight. Keep the

Utkata means powerful, fierce, uneven. This asana is like sitting on animaginary chair. Technique Stand in Tadasana (Plate I), stretch the arms straight over thehead and join the palms. (Plate 1 2) Exhale, bend the knees and lower the trunk till the thighs are parallelto the floor. (Plate 42) Do not stoop forward, but keep

Ustra means a camel Technique Kneel on the floor, keeping the thighs and feet together, toes pointing back and resting on the floor. Rest the palms on the hips. Stretch the thighs, curve the spineback and extend the ribs. (Plate 40) Exhale, place the right palm over the right heel and the left palmover the

Parigha means a beam or bar used for shutting a gate. In this posture,the body resembles a cross beam used for locking a gate, hence thename of the pose. Parigha means a beam or bar used for shutting a gate. In this posture,the body resembles a cross beam used for locking a gate, hence thename

This is an advanced movement of the earlier pose. Here the handsare placed on the waist instead of on the floor (Plate 35), or are foldedat the back as if one is doing ‘namaste’ behind the back (Plate 36) asdescribed in Parsvottanasana. (Plate 26.) In this movement the legstretch is intensified. Effects In this pose

Prasarita means expanded, spread, extended. Pada means a foot. Thepose is one where the expanded legs are stretched intensely. Technique Stand in Tadasana. Inhale, place the hands on the waist and spread the legs apart 4 and half to5 feet. Tighten the legs by drawing up the knee-caps. Exhale, and placethe palms on the floor

Parsva means side or flank. Uttana (ut =intense, and tan= to extend,stretch, lengthen) means an intense stretch. The name implies a posein which the side of the chest is stretched intensely. Technique Stand in Tadasana. Inhale deeply and stretch the bodyforward. Join the palms behind the back and draw the shoulders and elbowsback. Exhale, turn

Utthita means extended. Hasta means the hand. Padangustha is the bigtoe. This pose is done by standing on one leg, extending the other infront, holding the toe of the extended leg and resting the head on theleg. Technique Stand in Tadasana. Exhale, raise the right leg by bending the knee and hold the bigtoe of

Ardha means half. Chandra is the moon. The pose resembles thehalf moon, hence the name. Technique Stand in Tadasana and then do Utthita Trikonasana, following the technique described earlier. After attaining Trikonasana on the right side, exhale and place theright palm about a foot away from the right foot by bending the rightknee and at