Parighasana
Manipura min 1 - YogPlan

Sacral Chakra (Swadhisthana)

Intermidate

Standing Asanas

Parighasana

Gate Pose

(pa-ri-ga-sun)

Meaning: parigha = the bar used for shutting a gate

Table of content

Preparation

Sit in Vajrasana. Come up onto your knees. Inhale, exhale, and relax.

Getting into position

Extend the right leg straight out to the side with the sole (bottom) of the foot flat on the floor. Keep the extended leg, the kneeling leg, and hips all in-line with each other. Place right hand on the right thigh. Exhale. Inhaling, raise the left arm straight overhead (palm facing in). Exhaling, bend the torso to the right, gently sliding the right hand down the extended leg. Keep the left hip over the left knee, the left inner arm alongside the left ear and the shoulder blades down. Look up at your left hand. Hold for a few moments to allow the body to adjust. Inhale. Exhaling, bend farther. Hold with normal breathing for around 30 seconds.

Coming out of position

Slightly relax the body. Exhale. Inhaling, lift the torso upright, sliding your right hand to the hip. Exhaling, lower the left arm, and slide right leg back to kneeling position. Inhale, exhale, and relax. Repeat on the other side.

Tips

  • If knee pain occurs, use a folded towel under your knee.
  • Be careful not to bend or twist the spine forward or backward during this practice.
  • Keep the abdominal muscles active.
  • Tuck the tailbone and activate the glute muscles to protect the lower back, pushing your hips forward to keep balance.
  • Do not bend extended leg from the knee and keep the foot flat.
  • Do not press right hand against the extended leg, only slide down for stability.
  • Keep the shoulder away from the ear.

Reproductive Health:

Precautions

Avoid

If you have chronic/serious spinal or knee problems.

Be careful

If you have neck or shoulder pain, or get dizzy easily.

Benefits

General

  • Opens the chest.
  • stretches entire side of body (knees to wrist), hamstrings, inner thighs, calf muscles.
  • improves spinal flexibility.
  • Stimulates abdominal organs, lungs.
  • Improves lung capacity through stretching the muscles between the ribs.

Therapeutic

Helps to reduce the symptoms of allergies and flu.

Variations

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