This past week, Jill (check out her site here!) and I were emailing back and forth about this posture, also called – “Pose Dedicated to Lord Vishnu.” It is not one that I have practiced very much. So I decided to play around and give it a try. Not as easy as it looks … a few rather ungraceful endings to my pose 🙂
Have a look at the video below to see how it’s done.
Benefits of Sleeping Lord Vishnu (Anantasana in Sanskrit)
- Stretches the hamstrings, hips, calves and groin muscles
- Tones the abdomen and increases hip mobility
- May help reduce low back pain
- Improves balance and coordination
- Develops focus and concentration, quiets the mind
How To
- Lie on the floor on your right side. Straighten your legs so they lineup with your torso.
- Bend your left knee so the foot is flat on the floor.
- Bend your right elbow to gently rest the right side of your head in your palm. Find a sense of balance.
- When you feel ready, bring the knee towards your torso. Clasp the big toe of your left foot. On an exhale, extend your left leg towards the ceiling.
- Softly fix your gaze on an unmoving object in front of you. Continue to breathe softly and smoothly.
- Think of extending the pose actively through both of your heels heels. Try to keep your balance as much as possible without rolling forward or backward.
- Hold for about one minute.
- Release the top leg down and roll to your other side.
Tips
- If your hips are tight, use a strap around the ball of your foot on the upper leg
- To help with balance, press the soles of your feet against a wall. Keep the lower foot pressed against the wall throughout the pose.
- Another helpful balancing tip – use a bolster or block between your back and the wall.