Bakasana

Preparation

Sit in Vajrasana. Come into tabletop position – palms on the floor with wrists under shoulders, knees together, feet together flat on the floor. Inhale, exhale, and relax.

Getting into position

Lean forward, place hands on the floor, and come into a squat position with the feet about hip-distance apart. Place the palms on the floor in line with the feet, with the fingers pointing forward (or turned slightly inward). Spread the fingers as wide as possible, and actively press your fingers into the floor. Lift heels and hips and come up on your tiptoes. Bring feet closer together. Keep the elbows slightly bent, pointing slightly outward. Bring the knees against the outside of the upper arms as close to the armpit as possible. Keep knees and upper arms pressed firmly against each other. Lean forward, move your body weight onto the arms, with just the toes touching the floor. Then, lift one foot off the floor at a time (without jerking/jumping). Straighten your arms, keeping a slight bend. Focus on a fixed point ahead of your hands.Hold with normal breathing for around 30 seconds.

Coming out of position

Slightly relax the body. Slowly bring one foot at a time back to the floor. Return to a squatting position. Then sit into Vajrasan. Inhale, exhale, and relax.