The second 21-day yoga challenge program concluded successfully on Saturday, June 26. It is quite remarkable that all the 15 participants kept their commitment to come in every morning at 6 AM for the entire 21 days. A few students who missed a day or two had to do that due to circumstances beyond their control – a sudden emergency at work/home, health problems etc.

On the last day we had a session where we shared our individual experience during the program. Here is a summary of what the participants shared:

• Most found it difficult to  wake up early during the first few days of the program. However, gradually, getting up early became more natural as time went by.
• Many of them enjoyed the gentle pace of the routine each day.
• Even though we maintained the same basic routine (based on the Integral Yoga program) every day, we practiced several variations of the poses or some new poses every day. The participants really enjoyed the variety and the structure of the program.
• Most expressed improvement in flexibility, strength etc which are usually associated with a regular yoga program.
• Most of them bought my video DVD of a typical session. They are planning to use it to keep the commitment to continue their individual practice for at least 21 more days.
• There was one suggestion that I need to spend more time on meditation. In particular, while going through the guided meditation related to ‘sense withdrawal (pratyahara)’ , it would be helpful if I could spend more time focusing on individual senses.
• Many enjoyed the introduction of the Five Tibetan Rites which we practiced on a couple of occasions.
• Many found the discussion of yoga philosophy very helpful

I was personally delighted to see the enthusiasm and energy of all the participants throughout the program. Their appreciation and joy of attending the program was obvious at the two breakfast sessions that we had following the class. During these breakfast sessions, we truly enjoyed the variety of healthy, vegetarian food that everyone brought to share with all.

Given the very positive and encouraging response from the students, I plan to continue to offer these programs on a periodic basis. If you are interested in attending a future program, or would like more information, please do contact me.

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As many of you are aware, the next 21-day yoga challenge program will begin on June 6. Based on the very positive and encouraging response from those who participated in the 21-day program n April, I plan to hold similar programs approximately every two months in the near future. At the present time, all fifteen spots for the June program have been filled. However, if you would like to join one of the future programs, or would like more information, please contact me.

It is really heartening to see that the participants are making such a deep commitment to attend the yoga class for 21 days at a stretch. Many of the participants have told me that to wake up that early to start the class at 6 AM is in itself a big challenge for them. In addition to attending for these 21 days, I am also recommending that they continue to practice on their own for 21 additional days after this session is over. According to many experts, it takes 21 days of regular practice to start realizing the benefits of any new change in your life and further 21 days to finally convert the practice into a habit. Once it becomes a habit, it is easy to see how this can become a lifestyle instead of an effort or a chore. To see some of the anticipated benefits, please visit my original blog post on the first 21-day program here.

I would truly welcome your feedback and comments. The program participants may like to use the comments section below to discuss any questions, thoughts or experiences that they have before, during or after the session.

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Gomukhasana – गोमुखासन (Cow-face Pose) is one of the popular sitting postures. It is called "cow-face" because in this pose the lower limbs resemble the face of the cow. The two knees with the gap in between look like the mouth and, the shin, the side of the face. The feet look like the ears of the cow.

Step-by-Step

(click on the blue arrow for audio instructions)

1. Start in a cross-legged sitting posture
2. Bring the right foot on the outside of the left thing and slide the foot close to the left hip
3. Bring the left ankle by the side of the right hip. Try to make sure that both the knees are one over the other.
4. Make the effort to slide both the feet as far back as comfortable
5. Try to keep the spine straight and vertical and the head facing forward
6. Raise the right arm and bring the hand over the shoulder
7. Wrap the left arm behind the back. Try to grasp the left hand with the right hand behind the back, joining the fingers of the two hands together.
8. In the beginning you may find it difficult to hold the two hands together; however, with practice, you should gradually be able to do so. In case you are unable to hold the hands, you may like to use a strap holding it with the two hands and trying to close the gap between the two hands.




9. Stay in the final pose for about 10-12 breaths.
10. Release the hands and stretch the legs straight, bounce the knees a few times.
11. Repeat the asana in the other direction, this time folding the left leg and placing the left foot on the outside of the right thigh.
12. Bring the right ankle by the side of the left hip. Make sure that the knees are above each other. Try to slide the feet as far back as comfortable.
13. Raise the left arm and place the hand over the left shoulder
14. Wrap the right arm behind the back. Try to grasp the left hand with the right hand behind the back, joining the fingers of the two hands together.
15. Straighten the back and hold the head upright and facing the front
16. Remain in the final pose for about 10-12 breaths
17. Finally release the post and relax in a comfortable cross-legged sitting posture

Variations

1. In the final pose, you may bend forward and try to bring the chest close to the knees
2. In a slightly different variation, you may keep the position of the knees the same, stretch the arms overhead and then bend forward bringing the forearms on the floor and chest close to the knees
3. Stay in the forward bend for about 4-5 breaths

Benefits

• Gomukhasana helps induce relaxation.When you feel tired, tense or worried, practicing this asana can help release the tension.
• Stimulates the kidneys
• Helpful in relieving ailments like diabetes, high blood pressure, and sexual malfunction
• Helps remove stiffness in the spine, neck and shoulders.
• Develops the chest and improves breathing
• Stretches the muscles of the lower back, buttocks and the knees and helps with backache, sciatica and rheumatism

Contraindications

Avoid the pose if you have serious back or shoulder problems. Also, if there is pain in the knees or hips, try not to extend the feet too far back.

Related posts:

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In this post, I would like to get back to the practice of asana and discuss one of the very commonly practiced asanas called Veerabhadrasana  (वीरभद्रासन) or the Warrior Pose and its three variations. This is a powerful and energizing pose, especially useful for strengthening the leg and thigh muscles.

Veerabhadra was a mythical warrior, created by Lord Shiva from the strand of his hair to fight against King Daksha. Shiva was married to Daksha’s daughter, Sati who had married Shiva against the wishes of her father. Daksha, in order to take revenge against Shiva, organized a grand yajna (a sacrificial ceremony) in which he invited all the important and not-so-important gods except Shiva. Humiliated at this insult, Sati burned herself in the sacrificial fire. On hearing about it, Shiva was enraged and created Veerabhadra who eventually fought against and destroyed Daksha and his armies.

Warrior 1 Step-by-Step

1. Come to a standing position at the top of the mat.
2. Step the right foot back, spreading the feet about 3 to 3.5 feet apart.
3. Keep the inside edge of the front foot parallel to the side edge of the mat. Turn the back foot about 45 degrees toward the front foot.
4. Press the back heel firmly against the mat so the back leg is not sagging at the knee.
5. Make sure that the shoulders and hips are parallel to the front wall.
6. Make the effort to bend the front knee so that the knee is directly above the ankle and try to keep the shin vertical. Also, try to lower the pelvis so the left thigh becomes parallel to the floor.
7. Now, begin to raise the arms and bring them up overhead. Keep the palms facing each other, shoulder width apart with the elbows straight. Make the effort to lift the shoulders and rib cage upward. You can continue to look straight ahead or optionally look up at your hands.
8. If it doesn’t bother your back, you may try to create a gentle arch in the spine by pushing the shoulders slightly backward.
9. Try to hold the final pose for about 10-12 breaths. Maintain gentle, relaxed breathing while in the pose. Your awareness should stay with the stretch in different parts of the body making sure that you don’t over-stretch at any time. Also, keep observing the quality and depth of your breath.
10. To come out of the pose, slowly bring the hands down by the side of the body and relax the knees.
11. Switch the position of the feet and repeat the above steps.
12. Finally come back to the comfortable standing position.

Warrior 2 Step-by-Step

1. Come to a standing position at the top of the mat.
2. Step the right foot back, spreading the feet about 3 to 3.5 feet apart. After some practice, you will be able to make adjustments to the distance between the feet to get into the optimum position.
3. Keep the inside edge of the front foot parallel to the side edge of the mat. Turn the back foot about 45 degrees toward the front foot.
4. Keep the back heel firmly pressed against the mat so the back leg is not sagging at the knee.
5. Turn the body to face the side wall. In the final position, the heels, buttocks and the shoulders are all parallel to the side wall and aligned vertically.
6. Make the effort to bend the front knee so that the knee is directly above the ankle and try to keep the shin vertical. Also, try to lower the pelvis so the left thigh becomes parallel to the floor.
7. Stretch the arms and bring them into a horizontal position (parallel to the floor, at the shoulder level) with the fingertips pointing away from you, palms facing down.
8. Look over the left shoulder.  Maintain the torso in a vertical upright position. Avoid the tendency to lean the torso over the bend leg.
9. Try to hold the final pose for about 10-12 breaths. Maintain gentle, relaxed breathing while in the pose. Your awareness should stay with the stretch in different parts of the body making sure that you don’t over-stretch at any time. Also, keep observing the quality and depth of your breath.
10. To come out of the pose, bring the arms down, straighten the bent knee and slowly switch to the other side.
11. Repeat the above on the other side.
12. Finally come back to the comfortable standing position.

Warrior 3 Step-by-Step

1. Warrior 3 is a variation of the Warrior 1 pose wherein the back leg is lifted and the body is balanced on one leg.
2. Start by bringing the legs in the same position as Warrior 1. Keep the inside edge of the front foot parallel to the side edge of the mat.
3. Gradually, begin to shift the body weight to the front foot. Stretch the arms out in front, parallel to the floor  and fingers pointing away. Throughout the pose, try to maintain the arms in this horizontal position. Keep the hands shoulder width apart, palms facing each other.
4. Slowly start lifting the back leg off the floor. As you are lifting the back leg, begin to straighten both the legs. While you are raising the back leg, continue to bend forward.
5. In the final position, your body assumes the shape of the letter “T” with the torso and the back leg horizontal and thet front leg vertical.
6. The key point of awareness is the position of the hips with respect to each other. There is always the tendency to misalign the hips with one hip higher than the other. Our effort is to keep both the hips at the same level.
7. Maintain the final position for about 10-12 breaths or as long as comfortable. Maintain gentle, relaxed breathing while in the pose. Your awareness should stay with the stretch in different parts of the body making sure that you don’t over-stretch at any time. Also, keep observing the quality and depth of your breath.
8. To come out of the pose, gradually lower the back leg down and finally comes up to a comfortable standing position.
9. Repeat the above steps for the other side.

Benefits

The following benefits are generally associated with all the three variations of the Warrior pose.

• Improves overall strength, balance and concentration
• Warrior poses are some of the best for stretching and strengthening the legs, arches of the feet, ankles, calf muscles, knees, hamstring and thighs.
• Improves blood circulation in the lower limbs
• Stretches the shoulders, rib cage, chest and the arms
• As you raise the shoulders up and back, the abdominal muscles and the back muscles are getting stretched.
• Therapeutic benefits for sciatica and osteoporosis

Contraindications/Cautions

• Avoid this pose if you have high blood pressure or heart problem
• If your shoulder hurts, then avoid pulling the shoulders too far out or up
• If you have neck problems, keep the neck in line with the spine rather than trying to look up at the hands in Warrior 1.
• If you have knee problems, try not to bend the knee to full 90 degrees in Warrior 1 and 2.

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Nataraja (nata means a dancer and raja means the king or the lord), king-dancer, is the name of Lord Shiva (one of the trinity of Hindu gods – Shiva, Vishnu, and Brhma). In addition to being the dissolver of the universe, Shiva was also the Lord of dance and created over a hundred dances. Natarajasana – नटराजासन - is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Step by Step

(click on the blue arrow for audio instructions)

1. Come to a comfortable standing position with the feet together and arms alongside the body. Inhale, shift your weight onto your right foot, and, bending the left knee, lift your left foot toward your left buttock. Pull the right knee cap up to keep the standing leg straight and strong.
2. Reach back with your left hand and grasp the inside of the left foot.
3. Stretch the right arm in front and keep it parallel to the floor throughout the pose
4. Begin to lift your left foot up, and back by pressing into the hand with the foot, away from your torso. Try to extend the left thigh behind you and bring it parallel to the floor.
5. Raise the left foot up behind you as high as you comfortably can and keep bending forward slightly at the same time.
6. While in the final pose, make the effort to keep both the buttocks at the same level. Stay in the pose for about six to eight breaths
7. To come out of the pose, slowly release the left foot and the right arm down and come back to the original standing position.
8. Repeat the above steps on the other side

Nataraja Variation (with strap)

1. In order to provide additional stretch for the shoulders, you can use a strap.
2. Use the strap to hook the left ankle behind you and hold the strap from above your head.
3. Begin to lift your left foot up, and back by pressing into the strap with the foot, away from your torso. Try to extend the left thigh behind you and bring it parallel to the floor.
4. Stretch the shoulders up and back and keep bending forward slightly at the same time.
5. While in the final pose, make the effort to keep both the buttocks at the same level. Try to maintain the final pose for about six to eight breaths
6. To come out of the pose, slowly release the left foot and the arms down, release the strap, and come back to the original standing position.
7. Repeat the above steps on the other side

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Several months ago I received an email from the programs coordinator at Yogaville that they were looking for volunteers to staff many of their upcoming workshops. I thought this would be a great opportunity to spend a weekend at my yoga "alma mater" and also attend the workshop. So, I sent in my preference for a couple of them and ended up staffing the "Mindfulness Yoga" workshop during the Oct 23-25 weekend. The workshop was taught by Rev. Frank Jude Boccio who is a certified yoga teacher as well as a fully ordained interfaith minister; he is also ordained as a Dharmacharya, a dharma teacher in the Buddhist tradition.

The main focus of the workshop was to discuss the Four Brahmaviharas (divine abodes or abodes of Brahma) of the Buddhist tradition and how to apply them in life in general and to the yoga-asana practice in particular. The Brahmaviharas, also known as the four immeasurables, are: friendliness (maitri), compassion (karuna), joy (mudita) and equanimity (upeksha). Students of the yoga philosophy of Patanjali will immediately recognize these as the four attitudes, mentioned in Sutra 1.33 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, which can be applied in different situations to achieve tranquility of the mind (chitta prasadanam).

During the workshop, we studied each of these four attitudes in some detail and applied these to our asana and meditation practice. During the meditation practice we became mindful of the meaning and significance of each of these four values. With that mindfulness, we repeated in our mind statements like, "may I be peaceful", "may I be happy", "may I be free from suffering" etc and applied them to the following categories of people:

• ourselves – e.g., "may I be happy" etc
• to a benefactor; someone who has been very good/kind to us
• a beloved friend – including family members as well
• a neutral person – someone we have no strong feelings for one way or the other
• a difficult person – someone with whom we have experienced conflict and have feelings of anger, hatred etc
• groups of beings like animals, those in prison or hospitals etc
• all beings everywhere

We also went through several sessions of asana practice. During this practice, we became mindful of the chnages taking place at the body, breath and mind levles. At the physical level, one becomes aware of the part(s) of the body impacted with the stretch. In fact, the deeper the sense of such awareness, one minimizes the chance of injury from the yoga practice. At the level of the breath one becomes fully aware of the changes in the quality of breathing during asanas- whether it is shallow, deep, hurried or disturbed. At the level of the mind one becomes aware of the thoughts, feelings or emotions that come up during the practice.

In one of the asana sessions, we practiced "Yin Yoga" wherein we held each pose for more than three minutes. When you hold the pose for that long with total mindfulness, the connective tissues begin to loosen up and your natural levels of flexibility and ease in each pose are improved over time.

I would like to point the differences in the interpretation of these four values between the one presented above (based on Buddha’s teachings) and the one by Patanajali in his Yoga Sutras. The sutra (Chapter 1, Sutra 33 ) reads, "By cultivating attitudes of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and disregard toward the wicked, the mind-stuff retains its undisturbed calmness" (translation by Swami Satchidananda). As you can see here, Patanjali has divided people that one interacts with into four different categories depending upon their primay nature – happy, unhappy, virtuous and wicked. For each of these groups of people, Patanjali has prescribed one of the four attitudes mentioned in the sutra. In the Buddhist tradition, these four Brahma Viharas are mentioned as universal values that should be applied toward all beings to achieve supreme happiness.

On a Google search, I found this very nice article titled, “Four Sublime States”, which discusses the four Brahma Viharas in some detail.

Overall, I really enjoyed the workshop and just being at Yogaville was a source of joy. If you have never been to Yogaville, I strongly recommend making a weekend trip there to enjoy the weekend programs they offer, excellent vegetarian food and just the superb natural setting of the ashram.

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Garudasana (गरुडासन) is so called because in the final pose it resembles the shape of an eagle, the hands representing the beak of the eagle. In Indian mythology, Garuda was the vehicle that carried Lord Vishnu through the celestial realms.

Step-by-Step

(click on the blue arrow for audio instructions)

1. Start in the standing position with feet about hip-width apart.
2. Bend the knees and lift your left foot up and, balancing on the right foot, cross your left thigh over the right thigh. Press the left foot backwards and try to hook the top of the foot behind the lower part of the right calf. Maintain balance on the right leg.
3. Stretch the arms straight ahead, horizontal. Cross the arms in front so that the right arm is above the left, then bend your elbows. Twist the forearms around each other with the right elbow on top. Start with the backs of your hands facing each other.
4. Now make an effort to bring the palms facing each other and press them together (as much as is possible for you). Lift your elbows up, and stretch the fingers toward the ceiling.
5. If you have difficulty maintaining balance in the final position, you may like to support your back lightly against a wall.
6. In the final position, you may try to bend the knees even further.
7. Stay in this position for 6-8 breaths (longer if comfortable), then unwind the legs and arms and come back to the standing pose.
8. Repeat the above on the other side..

Benefits

In addition to all the benefits associated with one-leg standing balancing poses, Garudasana offers these additional benefits:

• Eagle Pose strengthens the muscles of the legs, tones the nerves and loosens the joints
• Stretches the thighs, ankles, shoulders, elbows, calves and the upper back
• Alleviate sciatica and rheumatism in the legs and arms
• Develops poise and grace in the body

Contraindications

People with knee injury/pain or injury of elbows and shoulders should avoid this pose.

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With this post, we will begin discussion of some of the balancing poses that are commonly practiced. We will start with the Tree Pose (Vrikshasana) (????????) which is one of the most commonly practiced one-leg balancing poses. Here are some of the benefits that are common to all one-leg balancing poses.

1. Develop better coordination and harmony between different parts of the body
2. Develop a sense of calm, mental stability and patience
3. Remove stress and nervousness and bring about a state of mental equanimity
4. Since one of the legs is doing the work of two legs in supporting the weight of the body, this supporting leg gets strengthened.
5. They help develop not just physical balance, but also a deep sense of mental focus and concentration

The Tree Pose (Vrikshasana) is a relatively simple pose to practice and yet provides all the benefits of the one-leg balancing poses.

Step-by-Step

(click on the blue arrow for audio instructions)

1. From the standing pose, lift the right foot up, shifting all the weight into the left leg. Turn the right knee all the way to the right resting the sole of the foot against the left thigh.
2. Fix your gaze at some point in front of you, on the floor or the wall in front. Slowly slide the right foot up the left leg, only as high up as you can maintain your balance. When you feel that you are balanced here, slowly bring the palms together in the prayer position in front of the heart.
3. Keep gazing at your focal point in front. Keep the left leg strong pressing the foot flat into the floor. Try to maintain the right knee bent at 90 degrees towards the right side. The shoulders are relaxed and rolled back and the chest is pressing forward.
4. If you feel very balanced here, try the next stage by inhaling the arms over the head. Join the palms together with the thumbs crossed, stretch the elbows straight and pull the arms upward..
5. Hold the position for 6-8 breaths, if comfortable.
6. To come out of the pose, slowly exhale the arms down and then release the legs back into a standing position.
7. Repeat on the other side.

Half-lotus Variation

1. In this variation, instead of placing the sole of the foot against the thigh, place the foot on top of the opposite thigh in the half-lotus position. Try to keep the foot as high up the thigh as comfortable.
2. Try to lower the bent knee as far as you can.
3. Follow the rest of the instructions as above for the regular tree pose.

Modifications

1. If you have trouble maintaining balance, you may take the support of the wall.
2. When balancing on the left leg, turn sideways alongside the wall, with the right knee gently touching the wall. It is the knee that will provide you support for balance.
3. When balancing on the right leg, turn around and use the left knee against the wall for support.
4. As you become more comfortable in the position, you may attempt to move the knee away from the wall and try to maintain balance.

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This is a continuation of the discussion of the simple stretches that can help relieve back pain.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Downward Facing Dog (Adhomukha-shvanasana

1. Start in the child pose with the arms stretched out in front
2. Inhale in place. With the next exhalation, curl the toes under, pressing down with the toes, lift the buttocks up coming up into the downward-facing dog position. In this position, make an effort to press the heels to the ground while keeping the tailbone lifted up.





3. While inhaling go back to the extended child pose
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for three more breaths
5. Next time when you come up into the downward-facing dog, stay in the pose for five deep breaths. Every time you inhale, try to lift the tailbone up, and every time you exhale, try to press the heels down.
6. Finally, lower the buttocks on the heels and rest in child pose

Half Camel Pose (Ushtrasana)

1. From the child pose, come up into a kneeling position with the tops of the feet and shins on the ground, thighs vertical, and knees hip-width apart. If needed, fold a blanket under the knees for support.
2. Place the hands on the waist with the thumbs joined together at the soft spot at the lower spine, just above the tailbone
3. As you inhale, pressing against the back with the thumbs, tilt your head back as far as comfortable. Make sure that the thighs stay in the vertical position, only the spine is arched.
4. As you exhale, come back up straight
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for five more breaths, keeping the movement synchronized with the breath
6. Finally rest in the child pose

Leg Lift

1. Lie down on your back in shavasana




2. Bring the feet together and put a strap around the right foot. As you inhale, using the strap, lift the right leg up and try to bring it to a vertical position. Try to keep the left thigh pressed to the floor.
3. As you exhale, slowly bring the leg down to the floor
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for two more breaths keeping the movement synchronized with breathing
5. Next time you raise the leg up, hold it up there for four deep breaths. Then, while exhaling, slowly release the leg down.
6. Repeat the above sequence with the other leg

Lying Spinal Twist

1. Lie down on your back. Using a strap, while inhaling raise the right leg up to a vertical position. Try to keep the leg straight, without bending the knee.




2. Shift the strap to the left hand and stretch the right hand in line with the shoulders with the palm facing down. Look over the right shoulder.
3. While exhaling, start lowering the right leg to your left side. Maintain a constant gentle pull on the leg with the strap while attempting to lower the right foot onto the floor. Try to keep the right shoulder firmly on the ground and try to keep the knee straight.
4. Hold the final position for five deep breaths
5. Very gently, while inhaling, raise the leg back up to a vertical position
6. While exhaling, lower the leg down to the floor
7. Repeat the above sequence with the other leg

Lying Spinal Twist – Variation

1. Lie down on your back. Fold the right knee and place the sole of the right foot on top of the left knee.
2. Stretch the arms into a T-shape (in line with the shoulders)




3. Use the left hand to hold the raised right knee and start gently pulling the right knee to the floor on the left side. Make sure that the right shoulder stays firmly on the ground and keep looking over the right side. You may roll the right hip over the left while trying the bring the foot closer to the floor on the left side.
4. Stay in the final position for five deep breaths
5. While inhaling, slowly begin to come up and when the knee is vertical, stretch the leg straight.
6. Repeat the above sequence on the other side

Pavana-muktasana Sequence

1. Lie down on your back. Fold the right knee. Lifting the right foot up, hold the right shin with the two hands.




2. While exhaling, gently begin to pull the knee while at the same time lifting the head up. In a conscious effort to round the spine, try to close the gap between the raised knee and the forehead




3. Inhaling, lower the head down
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for three more deep breaths
5. Repeat the above sequence with the other leg
6. Now fold both the knees. Lift the feet up and wrap the arms around the knees gently pulling the knees to the chest




7. Exhaling, begin to lift the head up. Again, in a conscious effort to round the spine, try to close the gap between the knees and the forehead
8. Inhaling, lower the head down
9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 for three more deep breaths
10. Finally rest in shavasana

Setu-bandhasana (Half Bridge Pose)

1. Lie on your back. Fold the knees and place the feet flat on the floor with the heels close to the buttocks. Keep the feet hip distance apart. Keep the arms alongside the body with the palms facing down.




2. As you inhale, pressing with the heels, raise the buttocks as high as comfortable. Also, try to roll the shoulder blades back in an effort to lift the chest higher.
3. As you exhale, gently lower the buttocks down to the floor
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for three more deep breaths
5. Next time you inhale, raise the buttocks up and hold the position for four deep breaths. In this position, you may try to clasp the hands together under the back, stretch the elbows straight and maintain the effort to lift the buttocks and chest higher
6. When you are ready to come out of the pose, exhale and gently lower the buttocks down
7. Relax for three breaths. Now spread the feet slightly wider, just enough so you can hold the ankles with the two hands




8. As you inhale, press down with the heels and begin to raise the buttocks up. Also, try to roll the shoulder blades back in an effort to lift the chest higher.Hold the final position for about ten breaths or as much as is comfortable. Keep a gentle pressure with the heels on the floor.
9. When you are ready to come out of the pose, lower the buttocks with an exhalation; relax in shavasana.

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