August Pose of The Month
Pārśva Upaviṣṭa Koṇāsana
SIDE SEATED ANGLE POSTURE
I think it’s safe to say that we all need a little calming and cooling down right now, so this month we’re lightening things up with a cooling side bending posture called Seated Side Angle pose. The Sanskrit name is Pārśva Upaviṣṭa Koṇāsana- parsva, meaning "side," upavistha, meaning "seated," kona meaning "angle," and asana, meaning "pose."
We are used to mainly moving our spinal column between flexion (forward bending) and extension (back bending), and even rotation - as in twisting postures or off the yoga mat when we turn. All of those spinal movements are much more common than sideways bending or lateral flexion. Side bending yoga postures are often the least practiced type of postures which is a huge missed opportunity in ones’ practice. There are so many benefits to incorporating side bending postures into your practice, so let’s explore some!
Side bending & Ayurveda
In Ayurveda side bending postures are considered to be cooling postures, because they disperse heat from around the internal organs. The season of warm weather (i.e. summer) increases pitta- one of the doshas that help maintain the systems of the body. Thus in the pitta season, a practice that is cooling is best. The pitta dosha resides in the the small intestines, liver, and navel area. Therefore yoga postures that are focused on the navel and solar plexus region, and place pressure on them should be practiced… like our pose of the month, seated side angle pose.
“According to the principles of ayurveda, asanas that open these areas will release heat and tension there and help to decrease pitta.” (Yoga International)
additional mind-body benefits
Side bends also help to increase elasticity and range of motion to the spine, which in turn makes you feel lighter. Furthermore, they aid in creating interior space for the abdominal organs and diaphragm, which as a result helps to deepen the breath and bring a sense of expansiveness within. This expansion creates space for prana to flow and helps the practitioner to prepare for prāṇāyāma practice.
Prāṇāyāma is the fourth limb of the eightfold path of yoga. It means ‘restraint or expansion of the breath’. In Sanskrit, Prāṇa means ‘life force’ or refers to the breath. It’s responsible for all the movement in our body, so it’s said that when our prana flows smoothly we can focus easier and connect to a calm heart-mind. Prāṇāyāma practices (breathing exercises) help to calm the nervous system by helping us to balance and slow down the breath.
Pārśva Upaviṣṭa Koṇāsana is also known for its calming effects on the mind. It promotes relaxation and introspection, thus is said to be a good posture to help you prepare for meditation.
Try practicing Pārśva Upaviṣṭa Koṇāsana with us this month and give your mind & body the opportunity cool and calm down, and to experience some of the other amazing benefits of this posture.
Additional benefits of this posture are:
Relieves insomnia
Works to calm and soothe the mind
Balances prana in the body
Stretches the hips and back of the body
Lengthens the backs of the legs
Stretches the muscles between the ribs (the intercostal muscles)
Improves flexibility in the spine
Lengthens and deepens respiratory rhythm
side seated angle pose alignment
Begin seated with legs open wide.
Reach through heels and engage quadriceps muscles to activate legs.
With hands behind hips create an anterior tilt of the pelvis.
Reach the right arm down the right leg with the palm facing up and catch the foot with the fingertips in the arch of the foot, thumb on top.
Ground the left sitting bone and lift the left arm beside the ear.
Side bend to the right, using leverage between the right elbow and inner leg to keep chest aligned toward the long edge of the mat.
Rotate gaze toward ceiling, keep feet and legs active.
Repeat on second side.
*Don’t forget to breath mindfully - inhale to extend the spine and reach the top arm up, then exhale to hinge and side bend from the hip joint.
