In This Lesson:
- Padahastasana - Yoga in the modern world, Part B - Modern trends in yoga in the West - Styles of yoga - Modern yoga - Traditional yoga - Main Branches of yoga - Tala Asana	Video Clips: 2 Pages: 11 PDF File Size: 511 kmb Avr. Download Time: 56k:      1 min 14 secs ISDN:    32 secs DSL:      8 secs Cable:  < 1 sec

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In the Sanskrit language pada means ‘foot’ and hasta refers to the ‘hand’. Therefore padahasta asana means the ‘hand to foot pose’.

Technique

From the tala asana position, exhale and bend forward at the hips, keeping your arms extended throughout the movement, finishing with your upper torso and arms hanging straight downward.

• Inhale slowly, draw the head and neck forward (look up) and lengthen the spine.
• Exhale again and relax the head, neck and spine downwards, fixing your fingers and palms firmly under your toes and the balls of your feet into the complete padahastasana.

Note: Also try to hold this position for 15 to 20 seconds in the beginning, increasing the duration over time.

• To come out of the posture, release your hands from beneath the feet, straighten your arms, inhale and slowly come back up into tala asana, with the arms again extended high overhead.
• Exhale, slowly lower the hands back down and relax in sama sthiti asana.

Note: It is imperative that the legs (knees) remain straight within this posture. As many suffer from a great deal of inflexibility in the legs, back and hips, this can be a very difficult posture in the beginning. You may rest your hands gently upon your ankles or thighs, or as far as you are able to stretch downwards without bending your knees, and gradually with practice attain the full pose.

Effects and Benefits

The benefits of this padahastasana are numerous. In this posture, there is great emphasis on the flow of blood to the head without the difficulties presented in other postures which also do so such as the headstand. Some key benefits are:

• The toning of the abdominal organs
• Conditions of bloating of the abdomen, constipation, indigestion and other gastric troubles can be greatly alleviated
• Helps to relieve sciatica
• The spine is made resilient, straight and flexible
• Circulation of the blood throughout the body is improved
• The muscles of the back are stretched and energized, making one feel invigorated afterwards...

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