Shift your weight to the left leg. Bend the right leg from the knee, lifting your heel towards your buttocks. Reach your right hand back and grab the outside of the right foot near the toes. Move your hand around the foot and grab the big toe with your thumb and index finger (thumb on outside of big toe, index finger between the big and first toe, and the palm of your hand facing up and/or forward). Exhale. Inhaling, arch you back farther, activating your right glute and hamstring muscles, and lift the right foot upward as high as comfortable (turning your right elbow first out to the side, then pointing it up). Hold for a few moments to allow the body to adjust. Inhale. Exhaling, arch and bring the foot higher up. Reach your left arm above and behind you, and grab the right foot (both hands holding the foot now). Hold for a few moments to allow the body to adjust. Inhale. Exhaling, arch farther, pulling the foot upward with your arms. Hold with normal breathing for as long as comfortable.

Coming out of position

Slightly relax the body. Inhale. Exhaling, carefully release the hands one at a time for balance (left hand first) and carefully allow the rear leg to come down to the floor under control (without jerking). Stand back into the starting position. Inhale, exhale, and relax. Repeat on the other side.

Tips

As an alternative; grip when reaching back to grab the foot of the bent leg, reach back and grab the foot with the thumb under the big toe and index finger wrapped on top of the big toe (palm facing upward).
For balance, place the first hand that you release from the foot on the thigh before releasing the second hand.
If there is difficulty or pain in the lower back, activate the glutes and tuck the tailbone to protect the lower back while arching.
Keep the hips square.
Focus on a fixed point for balance.

Awareness Spiritual:

Focus Cognitive Function

Precautions

Avoid

People with high or low blood pressure, herniated (slipped) disc, abdominal hernia, or chronic/serious back problems .

Be careful

If you have high blood pressure, get dizzy easily, or have neck, shoulder, back, hip, or knee issues.

Benefits

General

Opens chest, hips, and pelvis.
Stretches the arms and entire front of body (toes to throat).
Strengthens arms, shoulders, back, glutes, thighs, hamstrings, and calf muscles.
Improves body posture, rounded shoulders, flat feet, digestion, balance, and concentration.

Therapeutic

Halasana
Halasana
Merudandasana
Merudandasana
Koormasana
Koormasana

Purna Natarajasana

Muscle and Joints:

Spinal Movements:

Preparation

Getting into position