Trikonasana

In This Lesson:
- Trikonasana - the triangle pose - Yoga Sadhana - Conditions for the physical practices of yoga - Asana - the yoga postures - The evolution of asanas - The benefits of asanas	Video Clips: 1 Pages: 11 PDF File Size: 592 kb Avr. Download Time: 56k: 1 min 26 secs ISDN: 37 secs DSL: 9 secs Cable: < 1 sec

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In the Sanskrit language, kona means ‘angle’ and tri stands for ‘three’. Therefore, trikonasana is also referred to as ‘the triangle pose’.

Technique

Note: The posture is performed first to the right side and then repeated in mirror fashion to the left.

Begin, as in all of the standing postures, from a relaxed sama sthiti asana.
Jump or step your feet wide apart and raise your arms to the level of the shoulders with the palms facing down. Depending on your height, the feet should be between 2.5 to 3.5 feet apart.
Inhale and simultaneously turn your head to the right (with your gaze directed over your right hand) and turn your right foot outward to 90 degrees.
Exhale and slowly bend sideways, dropping your right hand down toward the right ankle while at the same time extending your left arm and hand straight upwards.

Note: Your left hand/palm should be open and facing forward, and both the right and left arms should be in-line, forming a straight line from the tips of your left fingers to the tips of your right fingers.

Note: Allow your head to turn and look either straight forward or upward toward the left hand, making sure to keep the head and neck in line with the spine.

Note: Only allow yourself to reach as far down to the right with your right hand as you can. Some may reach only down to the lateral lower legs, some to the ankle, and some may well be able to place their palm flat on the floor along their instep. As your flexibility improves, you will be able to stretch farther into this position.

Note: Do not to lean down with your weight upon your hand, but merely use it for balance and stability within the pose.
trikona-asana

Take long and slow breaths and try to maintain this trikonasana position for 15 to 20 seconds in the beginning, increasing the duration with practice.
Come out of the posture in the reverse manner, exhaling and slowly turning your neck and head to look down at the right hand again.
Inhale and slowly come back up, bringing the arms back into a position parallel to the ground at the level of the shoulders.
Turn the neck and head, along with the right foot again to face forward.
Repeat the entire sequence in mirror fashion to the left side.
When completed on both sides, jump or step back into sama sthiti asana, relax your arms and hands to the sides and take a few relaxing breaths with your your eyes closed.

Effects and Benefits of Trikonasana

The benefits from the practice of this posture are many. Trikona asana provides a great ‘long stretch’ to many of the muscles of the body, stimulates circulation to the spinal area and excites reflex nerve activity, benefiting the cranial nerves associated with the sensory organs of the head, especially the eyes. Some other notable benefits for the beginner include:

Aiding in increasing the lateral flexibility of the spine.
Developing the muscles along the spine, strengthening the abdominal region and neck, removing backaches and neck pain.
Removing stiffness in the legs and hips, rebalancing and re-aligning the hips and pelvic area.
Aiding in the remedy of ailments of the lungs.
Stimulating the abdominal organs, thereby helping to relieve constipation and indigestion, restoring the digestive fire and stimulating the appetite.
Helping to dispel fat from the waist and thighs.

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