Paschimottanasa

Forward Fold

Asana: Paschimottanasa–Forward Fold.  Sitting with legs straight in front. On the exhale lift the belly, extend forward from the hips, grab the big toes, if possible, or side of feet, or legs. Don’t hunch the shoulders, or round the back, simply extend as far as possible, release and breathe.

Paschima means the west, referring to the back of the body, as the east is the front or anterior,  North is the crown of the head, and south the soles of the feet.

Health Notes: This pose lengthens the hamstrings, tones the abdominals, and kidneys, helps with digestion, and keeps the spine elongated and lively.  Placing the heart below the spine massages and refreshes it, as well as resting the brain.  It is a great pose for starting over, for offering the body a resting place to re-charge and re-glue its pieces.