Parsvakonasana - Side Angle

SPINAL HEALTH
Parsvakonasana/Side Angle is one of the foundational poses of yoga that you will find in many yoga classes and sequences. It partners up well with Virabhadrasana II in a standing flow and is very invigorating for the spinal connective tissue. It creates space for the abdominal organs and work to reverse the effect of gravity on our spine. You might also notice after practising this sequence that you are able to breathe more freely through your day. It stretches the intercostal muscles between the ribs and helps deepen the breath and increases intervertebral space. The more lengthened our spine feels the better we are able to take a deep breath and more more fluidly.

The spinal cord runs down the centre of the spine. The nerves branch out between each vertebra and travel around the whole peripheral body to gather sensory information for the brain to process and send back motor information to cause voluntary and involuntary actions. For this signaling system to work well there needs to be healthy lubrication and space for the nerves to travel. Adding Parsvakonasana/Side Angle to your practice will help to maintain this information highway.

THE BENEFITS OF PARSVAKONASANA/SIDE ANGLE
Parsvakonasana/Side Angle stretches the shoulders, spine, inner groins, and glutes; and strengthens the glutes, quads, core hamstrings and shoulders. It has many benefits including aiding digestion, reducing menstrual cramps, stimulates abdominal organs, strengthens lungs and boosts circulation.

This pose is a very good pose to build awareness of the core being a 360 degree wrapping muscle rather than just the front of the body. The upper body is surprisingly heavy to hold at an angle. The full 360 core is working hard in this pose to carry the weight of the upper body. When you are in the pose sinch in at the full 360 waist like a strong corset. This is the transverse abdominis muscle whose main job is to contain the organs of the abdominal region and protect the spine against gravity. You will also feel the internal and external obliques working hard on the upper side of the body to stop your spine from collapsing sideways.

EXPLORING PARSVAKONASANA/SIDE ANGLE IN YOUR PRACTICE
The mini flow in the first row of the sequence targets all the areas you will need for Parsvakonasana/Side Angle – strengthening the glutes, core and shoulders; and stretching the shoulders, spine, groin and side body. On your first round take your time, scan down through your body and check your alignment in each pose. Then run through the flow two or three times with the breath.

Although strictly speaking Parsvakonasana/Side Angle is not a side bend there is certainly plenty of stretch in the upper side body and a lovely opening in the chest. This sequence has lots of side bends built into it to make sure your side body is ready to stretch open in the peak pose. Extension through the spine and lifting up out of the pelvic bowl will help you find space to hinge over the front leg.

For your first Parsvakonasana/Side Angle you will take your elbow to your knee. Press gently into the knee to help you open the chest and spin the bottom waist forward and the top waist back. To make sure your spine and core are working to hold the weight of your upper body try reaching the arm on the knee forward for a breath. For your second Parsvakonasana/Side Angle place your upper hand on the back of your head, press gently into your supporting elbow and circle your elbow and chest open.

ALIGNMENT CUES
This sequence prepares you for Parsvakonasana/Side Angle. There are two standing flows with your peak pose. If you want to extend your practice run through these two main flows twice. If you want to try a few different versions of Parsvakonasana/Side Angle have a look at my Instagram post.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• From Adho Mukha Svanasana, ground your left foot at a 45 degree angle. Inhale, step your right foot between your hands, check for front heel to back arch alignment, exhale here.

• Inhale, press into your feet to come up, open your hips to the side of the mat, front knee bent. Exhale hinge to your right from your hip joint. Place your right elbow on your right thigh, or place your right hand on a brick, or to the ground inside/outside your right foot.

• Extend your left arm up palm facing the front of your mat, reach your arm over your ear. Press into your nig toe and squeeze into the back of the hips. Lift the arches of your back food and lift the inner seams of your thighs.

• Draw your navel towards your spine. Bottom waist rolls forward, top waist rolls back, gaze under your upper arm.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

What nourishes you?

This sequence is also available on YouTube.

YOUR NOURISHMENT LIST
Self care and nourishment go hand in hand. Taking time to look after ourselves nourishes us physically and mentally. Nourishment can be found in lots of different ways. My nourishment list includes yoga, meditation, fresh air, long walks, short walks, mountain walks, sea swims, reading for knowledge, reading for pleasure, being creative, connecting with others and best of all a good night's sleep after a restorative yoga session! Sitting down and writing your nourishment list is time well spent. Sometimes when you’re in a bit of a spin or feeling low it is hard to believe that there is a way out of it. Just take out your list and pick one of your guaranteed nourishment ‘pick me ups’.

WHAT YOGA POSES NOURISH YOU?
You can do the same with your yoga practice by building a list of poses that feel just right for you and nourish every part of your body and mind. They don’t need to be big statement poses. They are the poses that feel like you have arrived to a familiar place. Favourite poses are very personal and highlight how amazingly different we all are physically and mentally. Some days my nourishing pose might be Bakasana/Crow to help boost my energy and other days I will come back to Tadasana/Mountain throughout my practice to help me focus and notice how my practice is sitting me that day.

Most of us have poses that are our favourite, and similarly poses that challenge us. Some days meeting yourself on your mat with one of your challenging poses can help you overcome everyday challenges in life and give you the lift you need. Alternatively it can teach you to sit with discomfort and that not everything in life is to be conquered.

One of the benefits of a personal practice is that you are addressing your needs and tailoring your practice to meet them. Investing a little bit of time to work out which poses nourish you, and how they help you, will make your time on your mat more productive. Keep your list beside you as you practice and add some of your favourite poses into your practice regardless of what sequence you are following. Below are some of the poses that nourish me and how they help me. Some of the poses tick more than one box, but to give a variety examples I have picked all different poses for each list.

EXPLORING WHAT NOURISHES YOU IN YOUR PRACTICE
This sequence is a collection of some of my nourishing poses which I regularly add to my practice. You can add your nourishing poses into the mini flows in the sequence or add them as stand alone poses. If your pose is a standing pose add it into the standing section, if your pose is a seated pose add it into the end of the sequence etc. As you are running through the sequence notice how the poses are sitting with you. See what effect the poses I have picked have on you.

ALIGNMENT CUES
The peak pose of this sequence is Ardha Chandrasana/Half Moon, one of my favourite poses that helps me feel strong, focused and energised.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• From Trikonasana with your right leg forward, bend your front knee. Place your right hand a foot forward to the little toe side of your right foot, on a brick, or the ground, left hand on your hip.

• Step your left foot forward a little, press down through the three points of your right foot.

• Inhale, float your left leg up to hip height or slightly above, toes facing forward. Flex your foot parallel to the ground, press out through the heel, firm your lifted leg.

• Hips and shoulders stacked, reach your left arm up high, palm facing left, gaze down or to your left fingertips.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Baddha Konasana - Bound Angle

SIT WITH WHATEVER COMES
Baddha Konasana/Bound Angle is also known as cobbler's pose, named after traditional Indian cobblers who sat in this pose when they worked. In Ayurveda traditions this pose is touted to be a pose that ‘destroys all disease’. Similar to Malasana it stimulates a healthy gut which has a strong link to our moods and emotional well-being. Stress leads to gut issues and similarly gut issues lead to stress. Baddha Konasana/Bound Angle stimulates the gut and releases happy hormones which relieves stress, tension and anxiety. When we are relaxed and stress free the body functions more efficiently and can concentrate on strengthening the immune system. So unbeknownst to them these cobblers were happily boosting their immune systems as they worked!

Baddha Konasana/Bound Angle is a pose that is accessible for all but requires patience and for the ego checked at the door. Although most pose illustrations will show the knees on or close to the ground, in reality most practitioners will have their knees much further away from the ground. The pose starts the minute to move into it and finishes when you reach the point where you feel sensations. If you find you are getting frustrated by how high up your knees are, concentrate on a different element of the pose like what parts of your body are strengthening. This is not a pose to use strength to push the knees down. In my experience these muscles don’t appreciate undue force and can quite easily be overstretched. Most importantly be patient and appreciate what you can do in the pose.

THE BENEFITS OF BADDHA KONASANA/BOUND ANGLE
Baddha Konasana/Bound Angle is a strong inner thigh and groin stretch. These adductor muscles can often be very tight, particularly if you are a runner, and are often tighter in men. Baddha Konasana/Bound Angle is the perfect pose for gently softening this inner thigh tension. While the inner thighs are stretching the glutes at the back of the hips are strengthening in order to open the hips out. The muscles of the core and the spine are also working hard in tandem to keep your spine upright in this seated position.

In the category of health and wellness benefits Baddha Konasana/Bound Angle increases blood supply and tones the organs of the lower abdominals including the digestive system, reproductive organs and pelvic floor. It stimulates digestion, relieves constipation, menstrual cramps and sciatica.

EXPLORING BADDHA KONASANA/BOUND ANGLE IN YOUR PRACTICE
Journeying into Baddha Konasana/Bound Angle with awareness of the different areas that need to be prepared makes it easier to give it your best shot. As you run through the prep poses, notice if there are particular ones that you find more difficult, spend a bit more time on these poses and breathe deeply in them.

When in the pose use your arms, which are extended and holding onto your feet, as splints to rotate your pelvis into a stacked position and look for a lovely neutral spine with all its natural curves. If you find the pose bothers your knees, try pressing into the outer edge of your feet to prevent your feet from sickling and release some tension from the knee joint.

ALIGNMENT CUES
You will start to prepare yourself for Baddha Konasana/Bound Angle with some gentle inner groin stretching in your warm up. Lengthening up through the spine and lateral bends will help you to find a good strong spine in your peak pose. There will also be some variations of Baddha Konasana/Bound Angle for you to try.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• From Dandasana, bend your knees out to the sides, bring the soles of the feet together and place your feet close to your sit bones.

• Hold onto the outer edge of your feet, release your legs out to the sides, press the soles of your feet together.

• Stretch your knees away and down towards the ground, hug your outer hips to the midline.

• Soften your shoulders away from your ears, broaden and expand the chest.

• Inhale, press down into your sit bones to lengthen up through your spine.

• Use your thumbs to open the soles of your feet out like a book, lengthen your inner thighs out to your knee creases, gaze forward.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru