21-Day Yoga Challenge to Release, Restore & Rebalance
Day 19: Upavistha Konasana ~ Supported Wide Angle Forward Fold
The Pose:
Our version of this seated wide-legged forward fold is meant to help you draw inward and therefore your must be comfortable to do so. Just as in uttanasana, tight hamstrings can make comfort a far-away goal. To relax and release into this pose, try the alternatives with a chair, bolster or cushion and blankets.
How To:
Turn your folding chair so that the legs are facing you. The chair seat needs to be open closer to you so it will not fold in on itself. Place a bolster or cushion so the rungs between the chair legs supports the cushion. Place another blanket on the bolster where your forehead will come to rest.
From the support of two or three blankets, sit with your legs wide. Be close enough to the bolster so that when you fold forward, your torso is supported by the bolster.
As you inhale, lengthen your spine and take your arms up, and with an exhale draw your torso forward as you take your arms to the chair legs or the bolster. Your forehead comes to rest on the blanket or a block and blanket so you can breathe easily.
Practice the 1:2 breath practice. Breathe in for a count of 3 to 4, pause your breath and exhale to a count of 6 to 8. As you breathe, imagine the breath bathing the back side of your body and releasing tension which is often held in the trapezius. Stay in the pose for three to five minutes.
Tips:
Remember to start with cat and cow pose to flex and extend your spine. Note the anterior (forward) tilt of the pelvis in cow and posterior (backward) tilt of the pelvis in cat. It is through cow pose that you access the anterior tilt which takes the hip points toward the thighs and provides the folding action in forward fold.
Be sure to give yourself enough height to sit upon. A higher seat increases your capacity to fold forward because it softens the grip of the hip flexors.
If the chair version, even with a bolster or blankets, is too far for you to release comfortably, try a forward fold with a bolster under your knees and a blanket or block on the bolster for you to place your forehead.
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Tina shows us an alternative to the forward fold with use of a bolster under her knees and a soft block for her forehead.
Note: if you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, it is not appropriate to fold forward because of the propensity to round the spine and possibly cause fractures. An elevated forward fold where the spine does not round can be an alternative as long as you do not round your spine.
Benefits:
During the busy holiday time, take time out to turn in. Forward folds are prescribed to do just that. Turn in and turn down the glare of stress and strain by activating the dimmer switch of your mind
