Upavistha Konasana (Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend)

Upavistha Konasana (Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend) OR the crying pose 🙂 

 Steps

Sit in Dandasana, and lift legs to a split. You can widen your split by pressing your hands against the floor in back of you and slide the buttocks forward. But only go as far as you are comfortable!

Engage Feet and Rotate thighs outwardly, kneecaps should point up. You should keep this alignment as you bend forward.

Walk your hands forward between your legs. Keep arms long and back straight. Inhale lengthen and exhale bend deeper. Stay in pose for at least 5 breaths.

Use your inner thighs to lift you out of the pose safely.

 

Pose Benefits

-Can relieve sciatic pain

-Calms nervous system

-Lengthens hamstrings

-Since it is a hip opener it can also make you quite emotional, which you can take as either good or bad J

-I would be gentile at the end of pregnancy

 

Contradictions

-If you have lower back issues such as herniated disk

 

Modification

Students who cannot reach floor can use a prop, such as a block to support their head. As long as neck and spine are lengthened.

 

PS In video I make a mistake by saying knees raised when I mean knees lifted towards thighs. This does not mean bend knees. Sorry J

 

4-up on 1-10-14 at 5.14 pm (compiled)

Mariana W