You are on page 1of 6

(https://www.neodata.com/ITPS2.cgi?OrderType=Reply+Only&ItemCode=YOGA&iResponse=YOGA.

BONUS&NewKey=ZA1)

(/)

Get Wrapped Up in Yogic Sleep Pose


YOGA JOURNAL (/) / YOGA PRACTICE (HTTP://WWW.YOGAJOURNAL.COM/CATEGORY/PRACTICE-SECTION/)

BY NICKI DOANE WITH EDDIE MODESTINI | AUG 28, 2007

(https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php? SHARE ON
FACEBOOK (HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/SHARER/SHARER.PHP?
u=http://www.yogajournal.com/article/practice-section/it-s-a-
wrap/&redirect_uri=http://www.yogajournal.com/article/practice-
U=HTTP://WWW.YOGAJOURNAL.COM/ARTICLE/PRACTICE-SECTION/IT-S-A-
WRAP/&REDIRECT_URI=HTTP://WWW.YOGAJOURNAL.COM/ARTICLE/PRACTICE-

section/it-s-a-wrap/) SECTION/IT-S-A-WRAP/)

(https://twitter.com/share?source=tweetbutton&text=Get
SHARE ON

Wrapped Up in Yogic Sleep


TWITTER (HTTPS://TWITTER.COM/SHARE?SOURCE=TWEETBUTTON&TEXT=GET
WRAPPED UP IN YOGIC SLEEP
(https://plus.goo
url=http://www.yogajourna
Pose&url=http://www.yogajournal.com/article/practice- POSE&URL=HTTP://WWW.YOGAJOURNAL.COM/ARTICLE/PRACTICE- section/it-s-
section/it-s-a-wrap/) SECTION/IT-S-A-WRAP/)

The rst time my four-year-old son Matteo saw me in Yoganidrasana (Yogic Sleep Pose) he said, Mama, thats crazy! I have to agree with him;
this pretzel-like pose can look a bit extreme at rst. But once youre able to get into the pose safely, youll nd that the experience is anything but
crazy. In fact, the shape of Yoganidrasanaa deep forward bend with the limbs drawn in close to the torsostimulates pratyahara (/?p=32739/),
or the deep state of peaceful relaxation that comes from withdrawing the senses.

Pratyahara is the fth of the eight limbs laid out in Patanjalis Yoga Sutra (/wisdom/462/). In classical yoga, pratyahara is studied after the rst
four limbs, which include asana and pranayama, and before dharana (concentration) and dhyana (meditation). Theres a reason for that
sequence. To cultivate pratyahara, you must apply what youve learned from the physical poses and breathwork; in turn, pratyahara prepares
you for the deep inward concentration required for meditation.

Plus, the experience of pratyahara just feels good. As you draw your awareness inward, like a tortoise retreating into its shell, your breath slows,
your muscles relax, and you feel yourself completely letting go. The sights and sounds around you feel far away, but at the same time you feel
connected to the universe. The goal of pratyahara is not to tune everything out, but instead to nd the source of stillness and calm that resides
within you, even in the midst of chaos. It may be a state youve never felt before, but once you do, youll want to return to it.

After years of practicing yoga I am most grateful for such moments of utter calm that arise during my practice. Like little drops of nectar, they
are surprisingly sweet, and they are far more satisfying than those times when I achieve a dicult pose Ive been working toward. They oer a
chance to let go of any commotion around me, of the eort I put into my practice, of any ideas I have about how things should beso that I can
just be. And in my experience, though Yoganidrasana may look kind of crazy, once youre in it, it provides that rare experience of true stillness.

But just as a yogi doesnt tackle pratyahara without establishing a foundation in asana and pranayama (/pose/category/types/pranayama/), so
you wouldnt want to try Yoganidrasana without ensuring that your body is ready for it. Open hips and loose hamstrings are essential to
practicing this pose safely. Let me emphasize the word safely for a moment. Much as you might want to put both legs behind your head, doing
so before your body is ready puts you at risk for an assortment of unpleasantries ranging from sacroiliac pain, to lumbar problems, to torn
hamstrings, to neck pain.
For example, if your hip rotators and hamstrings are tight but your knee joints and sacroiliac are exible, youll unknowingly recruit those joints
to compensate for the lack of exibility in your muscles. And that can lead to injury. So its critical that you stop doing Yoganidrasanaor any of
the poses in this seriesif you feel any knee, lower back, or neck pain.

The safest way to open the hips and lengthen the hamstrings is to consistently work on standing poses. Its also vital that you pay attention to
your breath. If you nd yourself gasping, holding your breath, or shaking during any of the poses in this sequence, then ease up. If, however, you
sail through the rst four poses with steadiness and ease, then youre probably ready to attempt Yoganidrasana. Remember, even though it
takes a lot of eort to get into this pose, the only place youre trying to get is inside. You should feel comfortable, as though you could stay there
for a while. Legend has it that the ancient yogis fell asleep in this pose. It may sound a little out there, but with patience and perseverance,
anything is possible.

Before You Begin


Dont make the mistake of going into Yoganidrasana cold. Start with Sun Salutations (/category/beginners/how-to/sun-salutations/) (A and B
versions, ve of each), and then stay in Adho Mukha Svanasana (/?p=16074) (Downward-Facing Dog) for 3 to 5 minutes, resting in Balasana (/?
p=16148) (Childs Pose) when you need to. Next, do about 20 minutes of standing poses. Include Trikonasana (/?p=16026) (Triangle Pose), Ardha
Chandrasana (/?p=16000) (Half Moon Pose) and Virabhadrasana I (/?p=15909) and II (Warrior I and II). By then you should be warm enough to try
the following sequence. Breathe smoothly through your nose throughout the whole practice and rest in Childs Pose as often as you need to.

Parsvakonasana

In my opinion, this is one of the best standing postures ever. Almost everyone who comes to yoga has sti hips in
the beginning. When done correctly, Parsvakonasana safely opens the hips and elongates the adductors (the
muscles along the inner thighs). It also stretches the whole side of the body, from the outer heel to the ngertips,
creating space for the internal organs to move freely. Challenge yourself to stay in the pose for 20 to 30 breaths on
each side, breathing smoothly and evenly through your nose. Do it 2 or 3 times for maximum eect.

Stand in the middle of your mat with your feet together. Inhale and step or jump your feet 4 to 5 feet apart. Exhale and turn your right leg out 90
degrees and move your left heel slightly to the left. Line up your feet heel to heel. Inhale and raise your arms to shoulder height. Exhale and
bend your right leg to at least 90 degrees so that your right sitting bone lowers to the height of your right knee and your right thigh is parallel to
the oor. Continue to breathe smoothly while you place your right hand on the oor on the inside of your right foot. If your hand doesnt reach
the oor, place it either on your foot or on a block. Bend the right elbow slightly and use it to press your right knee backbut not too far back. At
the same time tuck the right buttocks forward to open the hips. This action is extremely helpful for stretching the inner thigh, which is often
short and tight. That said, exible students should not overdo this action.

Next, place the right hand on the outside of the foot, stamp the left outer heel down as you reach through your straight left leg and extend your
left arm over your ear. With the palm facing down, spin the thumb side of the hand up toward the ceiling. Breathe freely and evenly as you gaze
up at your left hand. Inhale the torso up, then slowly straighten the right leg. Turn the right foot in, left foot out, and try this pose on the other
side.

Visvamitrasana

Come into Downward-Facing Dog and breathe freely through your nose. On an inhalation, step your right foot
forward and around your right hand. Ultimately, the back of your right thigh should be on the back of the upper
right arm. To get it there, hop your left foot toward your right hand a few inches to shorten your stride. Now exhale,
bend the right knee, and pressing your right hand against the calf muscle, work your right shoulder underneath your
right leg. Keep breathing and then place your right hand on the ground and turn your body to the left, pressing the
left foot into the oor while straightening the left leg. Simultaneously, straighten the right leg and lift it o the
ground. Finally, raise the left arm straight up vertically and turn your head to look up.

Breathe deeply for as long as you can. To come out, lower the left arm to your side rst, then release the right leg and step into Downward Dog.
Rest in Childs Pose and then repeat on the other side.

Kurmasana

Sit on the oor with your legs about two feet apart. Slowly move your legs wider, to about 60 degrees, and begin to
bend forward with your back slightly rounded. Bend the knees and slide the arms underneath them with your palms
facing down. The fronts of your shoulders should be on the oor. Slowly straighten both legs at the same time and
place your forehead or your chin on the oor. Your knees should be near your armpits and the backs of your knees
should be resting on the upper part of your triceps muscles. Take several steady, deep breaths. If possible, try to
extend the legs so much that the heels lift o the oor.

To take it a step further, you can move into Supta Kurmasana (Reclining Tortoise Pose, not pictured). Starting from Kurmasana, turn the palms
up to face the ceiling and move the arms back toward the hips. Bend the knees slightly and lift the shoulders and chest o the oor a few inches.
From there, bend the elbows and reach the forearms behind your back to clasp your hands.
Walk your feet together one at a time and cross the right ankle over the left. Tuck the chin and place the head under the feet or just behind them
with the forehead on the oor. Stay in the pose as long as you are able to breathe smoothly and deeply. If you crossed the right foot over the
left, repeat the pose again, this time crossing the left over the right. This should keep the sacroiliac joints (the joints that connect the bottom of
the spine to the pelvis) and the hip joints balanced.

Whichever version you are in, notice how this turtle-shaped pose can help bring the state of pratyahara into being. As you breathe deeply for 5
to 10 breaths, imagine that you are a tortoise retreating into your shell and withdraw all sensory perception. Feel your mind become soft and
still with each exhalation.

Eka Pada Sirsasana

As with Yoganidrasana, when my students see this pose for the rst time they often react by saying, I could never
ever do that! But its important to believe that, with practice, the impossible can become possible. Youve
undoubtedly seen postures that seemed, at rst glance, as if youd never be able to do them and now you are
practicing them regularly. Eka Pada Sirsasana is no dierent.

But remember that, to master this pose, you need not only long hamstrings but also open hips. If your hips are tight
and you force yourself into this pose, youll put your lower back or your knees at risk. (It is almost always the joint above or the joint below the
joint you are trying to open that gets compromised.) So even though this possibility is within reach, its important to recognize that it may take a
long time and will require a tremendous amount of dedication to your practice.

To come into Foot-Behind-the-Head Pose, sit down with your legs stretched out in front of you. Inhale and take the right ankle with both hands.
Exhale as you bend the right knee. Keeping the knee bent, inhale and lift the foot o the oor. With your hands on your ankle, draw the right
knee toward the back of the room. Keep your foot at the same height as your knee. Exhale and move the right hip forward so that the right
sitting bone moves closer to the left. Keep breathing as you lean forward slightly and place the right leg behind the back of the neck and work
your right shoulder under the right calf. The outer shin of the right leg above the ankle should touch the bottom of the neck. The real challenge
here is to get the foot and leg in that spot where the top of your back and the bottom of your neck meet. If the foot is directly behind the center
of your neck or too far up toward your head, it will push your head forward, which is dangerous for the delicate cervical vertebrae. If you feel
neck or back pain, stop what you are doing and rest.

To get deeper into the posture, hold the right foot with the left hand and wiggle your right shoulder further underneath your right calf. Press
your hands together in Anjali Mudra (/?p=16112) (Salutation Seal) in front of your heart. Sit up nice and tall. Lift your chest up and breathe
smoothly through your nose. Release the foot, rest in Childs Pose, then do the pose on the other side.

Yoganidrasana

As you can see, Yoganidrasana is essentially Supta Kurmasana ipped on its back. Both feet rest behind the head
and act as a pillow. The back acts as the mattress.

Lie on your back. Inhale as you bring both legs over your head. Exhale as you bend your legs and place both knees
underneath your shoulders. Breathe steadily as you take hold of the left foot with both hands, lift your head, and
place the left leg behind your neck. Work it down behind your neck, toward the back of your right shoulder.

Now take the right foot with both hands and bring it behind your neck and over the top of your left foot. Point your toes. Pull the feet away from
each other to spread them so that they form a pillow for the head. Reach both arms behind your back and clasp your ngers together. Lift your
chest up between your legs as you rest your head on your feet. Look up and breathe smoothly and deeply for 20 to 30 breaths. As you breathe,
notice if you are calm or panicked. If you nd yourself tensing or panicking, it probably means youre not ready to be in this stage of the pose.
But if you feel calm, enjoy this state for as long as you like.

To come out, release the hands rst and then the feet. Rest on your back for 5 breaths and then repeat the pose by taking the right leg behind
the back rst and then the left leg.

To end this intense practice, do a few supine twists and then take Savasana (/?p=16120) (Corpse Pose). To continue cultivating pratyahara, cover
your body with a blanket and cover your eyes with an eye bag. The blanket will help your body retain heat and contain your energy. The eye bag
relaxes the optical nerves and allows the eyeballs to feel as though they are dropping deeper and deeper into the sockets. After staying in
Yoganidrasana, doing Savasana with a blanket and eye pillow will bring you into complete sensory withdrawal. Enjoy this very deep state of
relaxation. Youve earned it.

(https://plus.google.com/share?
SHARE ON
GOOGLE PLUS (HTTPS://PLUS.GOOGLE.COM/SHARE?
url=http://www.yogajournal.com/article/practice- URL=HTTP://WWW.YOGAJOURNAL.COM/ARTICLE/PRACTICE- ()
section/it-s-a-wrap/) SECTION/IT-S-A-WRAP/)

(https://twitter.com/share?
SHARE ON
TWITTER (HTTPS://TWITTER.COM/SHARE? (https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sh
source=tweetbutton&text=Get Wrapped Up in Yogic
SOURCE=TWEETBUTTON&TEXT=GET WRAPPED UP IN YOGIC SLEEP u=http://www.yogajournal.com/article/practice-
Sleep wrap/&redirect_uri=http://www.yogajournal.com/
POSE&URL=HTTP://WWW.YOGAJOURNAL.COM/ARTICLE/PRACTICE-
Pose&url=http://www.yogajournal.com/article/practice- section/it-s-a-wrap/)
SECTION/IT-S-A-WRAP/)
section/it-s-a-wrap/)

Related Yoga Topics

ADVANCED YOGA (/CATEGORY/ADVANCED/) ADVANCED YOGA HOW TO (/CATEGORY/ADVANCED-POSE-HOW-TO/)

ADVANCED YOGA SEQUENCES (/CATEGORY/ADVANCED-SEQUENCES/) MASTER CLASS (/CATEGORY/MASTER-CLASS/)

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

ADVANCED YOGA ADVANCED CHALLENGE POSES ADVANCED CHALLENGE POSES

Fall Equinox Flow: 4 Poses for Kathryn Budig Challenge Pose: Kathryn Budig Challenge Pose:
Balance Tipsy Frog Foot-Behind-the-Head Pose
Happy equinox! Celebrate the equal split between day Dare to delve into the depths of your psoasand just Eka Pada Sirsasana has a way of reminding you it's
and night with this graceful balancing sequence. hang out for a while. really not about the goal, but the journey.
(http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/4-poses- (http://www.yogajournal.com/intermediate- (http://www.yogajournal.com/advanced/eka-
nd-balance-fall-equinox/) section/kathryn-budig-challenge-pose-tipsy- pada-sirsasana/)
frog/)

YO G A P R AC T I C E

CONNECT


(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yoga-

(http://twitter.com/#!/Yoga_Journal)

(http://instagram.com/yogajournal)

(https://plus.google.com/113410656582878291971/posts/)
(http://pinterest.com/yogajournal/)

(http://yogajournal.tumblr.com/)
(http://www.youtube.com/us
Journal/107118720945)

(http://www.yjevents.com/sd/?

utm_source=yjnetwork&utm_medium=homepage&utm_campaign=yjhomepage_sidebar_rev&utm_content=logo)
YJ LIVE! San Diego (http://www.yjevents.com/
utm_source=yjnetwork&utm_medium=homep
Hotel del Coronado
(http://www.yjevents.com/sd/? June 24-27, 2016

utm_source=yjnetwork&utm_medium=homepage&utm_campaign=yjhomepage_sidebar_rev&utm_content=image)
UTM_SOURCE=YJNETWORK&UTM_MED
MORE EVENTS (HTTP://WWW.YJEVENTS.COM/?
UTM_CAMPAIGN=GENERIC&UTM_SOURCE=YJ_WEB&UTM_MEDIUM=SIDEBAR&UTM_CONTENT=MORE-EVENTS)

( http://www.yogajournallibrary.com/buy-library/?

utm_source=web&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=librarymothersday_display_rev)

RECENT POSTS

Home Gardening: How to Grow Your Own Tea (http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/home-gardening-grow-tea/)


The Unexpected Ways Yoga Stimulates Creative Thinking (http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/balance/creativity/unexpected-ways-yoga-stimulates-creative-
thinking/)
Give Your Tree Pose Roots to Grow: Mula Bandha (http://www.yogajournal.com/beginners/tree-pose-roots-mula-bandha/)
Trend to Try: Sound O Yoga (http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/trend-try-sound-yoga/)
Infographic: Find the Perfect Summer Yoga Festival For You (http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/balance/travel/nd-summer-yoga-festival-2016-lineup/)

Subscribe and Get 4


Free Gifts!

Subscribe

Give a Gift Customer Service


YES! Send me my Yoga Journal subscription and my 4 FREE
downloadable yoga booklets!
Full Name: City:

Address 1: State Zip/Postal Code:


Selectastate
Address 2 Email:

SUBMITMYORDER Canadian Subscriptions | International Subscriptions

EXPLORE OUR HEALTHY LIVING GROUP BRANDS

(http://www.vegetariantimes.com)

(http://amazingwellnessmag.com/)

(http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/)

(http://www.muscleandperformancemag.com/)

(http://www.betternutrition.com/)

(http://www.blackbeltmag.com/)

Copyright 2014 Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

CONNECT

(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yoga-Journal/107118720945) (http://twitter.com/#!/Yoga_Journal)
(http://instagram.com/yogajournal)
(https://plus.google.com/113410656582878291971/posts/)
(http://pinterest.com/yogajournal/) (http://yogajournal.tumblr.com/)
(http://www.youtube.com/user/yogajournal)
LEARN MORE

About Us (/about_us/) Advertise (/advertise/media_kit)


Customer Service (/customer-service/) Privacy Policy (/privacy-policy/)
International Editions (/yoga-journal-international-editions/) Employment (/employment/)
Subscription Services (/magazine-customer-service/) Online Education (http://www.aimhealthyu.com/)
Logo Licensing, Reprints and Permissions
(http://wrightsmedia.com/sites/aim/healthy-living/)

You might also like