Enter
- Sit cross-legged and lengthen your spine.
- Place your right palm beside your hip.
- Inhale and lift your left arm alongside your ear.
- Exhale and bend right, keeping both sit bones grounded.
- Face your chest forward and direct your gaze upward.
Steps
Support
Both sit bones, crossed legs, and the lower hand's palm.
Hold
- Keep both sit bones grounded and your legs relaxed.
- Lengthen your lower side without sinking onto your supporting hand.
- Extend your upper arm, palm down; let your shoulder blade rotate.
- Breathe continuously and observe the movement of your ribs.
Exit
- Inhale and return to center, supported by your right hand.
- Lower your left arm.
- Repeat on the other side; then switch your leg crossing.
- Breathing
- Exhale to bend; inhale to return.
- Gaze
- Upward.
- Duration
- Five breaths per side.
Adapt
Adaptations
- Raised seatSit on a folded blanket, with hips higher than knees.
- Supported thighsPlace rolled blankets beneath any thighs that remain elevated.
- Lowered armRest the upper hand on your knee without lifting it.
- ChairSit with feet grounded; hold the chair and raise your opposite arm.
Variations
- Lower forearm on the floor, with a deeper bend.
- Lower hand on opposite knee; chest slightly rotated.
- Inhale to bend; exhale to return to center.
Signals of effort
- Some body weight rests on the lower wrist.
- One arm stays raised overhead.
- Your neck rotates to direct your gaze upward.
- Hips flexed and externally rotated; knees bent.