Garudasana

Preparation

Stand upright with a straight spine, relaxed shoulders, arms at your sides, feet together. Inhale, exhale, and relax.

Getting into position

Bend your knees and cross your left thigh over the right (overlapping the knees), and hook the left foot behind the right calf (bend knees slightly farther if needed). Point the toes of the left foot down. Straighten your spine. Bring your arms forward, keeping them parallel to the floor. Cross the left arm over the right one and bend your elbows so that your forearms are vertical. Face the palms toward each other (left hand facing in, right hand facing out). Press the palms toward each other. Inhaling, straighten your spine, slightly raise your elbows to shoulder height. Exhaling, lower your hips down farther, focusing on a fixed point. Hold with normal breathing for around 30 seconds.

Coming out of position

Slightly relax the body. Release the hands and bring them to your sides. Unhook the left foot, and raise the leg. Place the left foot back on the floor and return to starting position. Inhale, exhale, and relax. Repeat on the other side.