Simple Reclined Twist
by Jennifer Arnold
jathara= stomach, belly
parivartana= revolving
asana = pose or posture
instructions:
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your thighs together. Stretch your arms out to the sides so that your shoulders are at a 90 degree angle and your palms are on the ground.
2. Walk your hands back about six inches, keeping your palms grounded and your fingers facing forward, toward your toes.
3. Press your feet firmly into the ground and lift your hips up an inch or two moving them off to the left slightly. Lower the hips back down. With an exhalation, lower your knees to the right.
4. Keep both shoulders firmly grounded and feel broadness across your chest. Lift your head just slightly and turn your gaze to the left, placing the left side of your head back down. Stay for 3 – 5 breaths.
5. Inhale and bring your gaze, then knees back to center. Bring your hips to a neutral place. Pause for a breath or two before taking the twist in the opposite direction.
tips:
1. Sometimes the shoulder on the opposite side of the body will lift when we twist. That is an indication that we have gone too far into the pose. Ease out a bit and be sure that both shoulders stay equally grounded.
2. If needed, bring some support under your knees, either a blanket or block. As you progress, you may find that over time you no longer need the support and are able to release the knees all the way down while keeping the chest open and shoulders down.
benefits:
Massages and stimulates abdominal organs; stretches and releases lower back muscles; stretches muscles along the sides of the body, the rib cage, and across the chest; helps facilitate easier breathing and brings movement into the spine.