Surya Yantrasana
Surya Yantrasana, aka Compass pose, aka Sundial pose is heart opening, side soothing, hip opening pose of complete joy. But boy does it look like you need to get all tangled up like a pretzel to enjoy it! Thankfully, though, there are modifications for every level and inclination. Follow the below, step by step, to work towards:
Surya Yanatrasana, aka Sundial Pose, aka Compass Pose.
1) Chill out
Surya Yantrasa, aka Compass Pose calls for open hips and loose shoulders, so step one of working to this pose, is to take a moment to find some calm. Sit or lie down comfortably, close your eyes, inhale to a count of 4, exhale to a count of 4.
2) Gentle twist, to relax the spine and open up the side body
Come to lie on your back, stretch your left leg out down the mat, and hug your right knee into your chest. Let your right arm fall to the floor, and use your left arm to guide your right knee over to your left side. Stay chilled, and let the side body open up gently. Stay for a few breaths, then repeat on the other side.
3) Wake up those abs!
For a stable, steady Surya Yantrasana, the deepest abdominal muscles need to be strong, and awake! . HELLO, abs!
4) Chill out, even more
Come to a comfortable seated position, use those awake abdominal muscles to stay sat up tall, and take some shoulder rolls and neck rolls to loosen all around your neck and shoulders.
5) Warm the entire body
Take a few Classical Sun Salutations:
6) Happify your hamstrings
Take a few lovely, long, deep breaths in a forward fold to allow your warm hamstrings to gently open.
7) Happify the hips and work into Surya Yantrasana – Compass Pose
Come to seated, take the right foot in the left hand, and draw circles with the thigh, getting lovely and deep into that right hip joint. Keep the right leg lifted, take your right hand inside the right leg, and press it into the floor by your right hip. Press your right foot into your left hand, and allow the foot to naturally lift further away from the floor, towards the ceiling. Be kind to your hamstrings – no overstretching here! You can press your right thigh into your right arm to help to open the chest away from the right leg. Keep a bend in the left arm for control, keep the shoulder blades softening down the back, stay strong in the lower abs, and enjoy! Repeat on the other side.
Enjoy!
Written by Holly
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