Rabbit Pose: Sasangasana

Purposes and Benefits:

• Balances out spine and releases tension after doing previous pose–Camel pose (#22)
• Prepares body to do final 2 poses (#24 and #25) by rounding out body
• Improves digestion
• Regulates metabolism
• Alleviates common cold, chronic tonsillitis, and sinus problems
• Nourishes nervous system by maximally extending spine
• Compresses and nourishes parathyroid and thyroid glands
• Enhances mobility and elasticity of back muscles and spine
• Improves flexibility of scapula and trapezius

How to Do:

• Kneel on a towel that extends back past toes
• Reach back and fold edges of towel over heels
• Grab heels and towel together
• Maintain firm grip with thumbs outside feet and with fingers on soles
• Keep chin tucked into chest
• While exhaling, begin curling torso slowly and tightly forward and inward until forehead touches knees and top of head touches floor
• If you notice a gap between forehead and knees, walk knees forward to meet forehead
• As you curl inward, lift hips into air, firmly pull on heels, and roll body forward like wheel
• Push feet firmly into floor and pull on heels with all your power to maintain about 25% of body weight on head
• Tuck chin securely into chest, engage belly to lift hips, and stretch more deeply into lower back
• Work toward these goals: Completely straighten arms; Reach upward using hips so that thighs are perpendicular to floor
• Remember to breathe normally
• Hold pose for 20 seconds
• To reverse out of pose, lower hips back toward heel, uncurl slowly, and lift chin last