EKA PADA RAJAKAPOTASANA

How To Perform

• Start from all fours (or Downward Dog), bring your right knee forward and place it more or less behind your right wrist with the outside of your leg on the mat.

• Place your ankle somewhere in front of your left hip.

• The more your lower leg is parallel with the front of the mat, the more intense the hip opener.
• Slide your left leg back, straighten the knee and point the toes. Make sure your leg is behind your body and not drawing outwards and your heel is pointing up to the ceiling.

• Gently pull back through the right hip to help keep your hips square. Then, mindfully lower yourself down and use some support under your right buttock if needed, to keep your hips level.

• On an inhale lift your upper body, come on your ngertips, hands shoulder-width apart, draw your navel in, tailbone down and open your chest. On an exhale walk your hands forward on the ngertips and lower your upper body to the oor. You can rest your forearms and forehead on the mat.

Stay here for 5 breaths or longer and on an exhale try to release the tension in your right hip.
Come out of the pose by pushing back through the hands and lifting the hips, move the legs back into all fours.

Benefits

• Increases external range of motion of femur in hip socket.
• Lengthens hip exors.
• Prepares body for backbends and body for seated postures such as Padmasana (Lotus pose).
• Releases pressure in the lower two chakras.

Modifications

• Place block under glute of front leg, forearms or forehead for support.
• Place bolster under torso.
• Opt for the reclined variation.

• Come into a ‘z-sit’. Sitting comfortably, bring the front knee as close to 90-degrees as your body allows. Find the amount of external rotation you’re comfortable with. If your foot inches closer to the groin, that’s ok too.

• Open the right leg to 90-degrees behind you.

Contradictions

• Knee injuries.
• Sacroiliac Issues.

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How To Perform

Begin by coming onto your shins in a kneeling position.

• With your thighs perpendicular to the oor, touch your inner knees together.

• Open your feet slightly wider than your hips, keeping the tops of your feet at on the oor, pressing down evenly across the tops of both feet.

• As you exhale, sit back halfway and make any adjusts to your calves before gently sit fully back on your calf muscles.

• Sit down between your feet, resting your weight equally across both sit bones, allow your thighs to turn inward slightly.

• Sit up straight and draw your should blades rmly against your back ribs. Lay your hands on your thighs, as you lengthen through your spine to sit tall and breathe.

Benefits

• Increases exibility in the knees, ankles, and thighs.
• Teaches internal thigh rotation and helps to reduce tightness in the legs.
• Strengthens the arches of the feet.
• Improves posture and helps to relieve asthma.
• Brings a greater awareness of the entire body and how the breath moves through the torso, creating calmness and ease of mind.

Modifications

• If the pose places too much pressure on your knees, you can use a yoga block to help you, just set it down and sit on the edge of it.

• If your ankles need extra padding in the pose, place a blanket or rolled towel beneath each one before coming fully into the pose.

• You have the option to place your hands in a variety of positions and mudras while in Hero pose.

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• Make a comfortable seat, where your hips are above your knees (you can do this by folding a blanket and placing your sitting bones on the edge) with your legs out in front of you in Staff Pose (Dandasana)
• Lengthen your spine from your tailbone up through the crown of your head.
• Fold your legs in towards your body, crossing your shins and placing each foot beneath the opposite knee. Allow a Comfortable gap between your feet and your pelvis. You will make a triangle space with your shins and inner thighs.
• Relax your feet.
• Place your left hand over your heart and your right hand onto the ground beside you.
• Feel the connection bet ween you and the earth.
• Take long deep breaths starting your inhale from the core of the earth and bringing it all the way up through your Spine and out of the top of your head Exhale, bringing your breath ‘back down into the earth.
• You can do this breath for just one minute or turn it into a full meditation.

BENEFITS

• Sukhasana is often called the Pose of Happiness.
• Bhumisparsha mudra is also called Earth Witness Mudra.
• Grounding. Focuses the mind.
• Reduces stress Bring mental clarity.
• Opens the connection between your heart and the earth.

Creates a state of serenity and harmony.

MODIFICATIONS

Make yourself comfortable with the planet prep or a meditation cushier If you are outside and don’t have a prop available you can do it without. When doing this pose regularly alternate the cross of your legs so every other day the left shin is in front, or you can change your legs around half way through (and this also gives you a little break in he middle.

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