Vinyala

Pose sheet

Compass Pose (Sundial Pose)

Parivṛtta Sūrya Yantrāsanaपरिवृत्त सूर्य यन्त्रासन

Seated, extend one leg over your shoulder with a cross-body grip and twist.

Open this pose in the 3D body

Steps

Support

Sitting bones and one hand's fingertips; lower leg rests on floor.

Enter

  1. Sit; bend your left leg, bringing your heel toward your groin.
  2. Hug your right knee and lift your foot with both hands.
  3. Bring your right thigh over your right shoulder.
  4. Hold your right foot's outer edge with your left hand.
  5. Ground right fingertips; straighten your leg and twist to the left.

Hold

  1. Keep your left arm overhead with your elbow bent.
  2. Press your raised leg against your arm to keep it positioned.
  3. Keep your chest lifted and your sitting bones grounded.
  4. Keep your right arm straight and your raised foot flexed.

Exit

  1. Exhale, bend your raised knee, and untwist.
  2. Release your grip and lower your leg slowly.
  3. Repeat on the other side, switching arms and legs.
Breathing
Inhale to lengthen your spine; exhale to twist. Keep breathing continuously.
Gaze
Upward under your raised arm; alternative: toward your grounded fingertips.
Duration
3–4 breaths per side.

Adapt

Adaptations

  • StrapLoop it around your raised foot; hold with your opposite hand.
  • Raised knee bentKeep your knee bent while maintaining a long torso.
  • Without leg over shoulderPractice the Heron preparation with both hands holding your foot.

Variations

  • Hold the raised big toe.

Signals of effort

  • Deep flexion and lateral opening of the raised hip.
  • Knee extension with the leg above the shoulder.
  • Partial weight on one hand's fingertips.
  • Arm overhead and torso twisting.