Summer over? No way, yesterday’s proved it and if Melbourne’s weather had plans to be so predictable, we’d know by now… ;-) But here we are, wrapping up the “keep cool” yoga series with a 3rd and final addition: forward bends! As well as being an effective way to calm the activity of the brain and soothe the body, forward bends also have a cooling effect: in forward bends, the heat in the head and upper body is drawn to the lower body.

Paschimottanasana (“intense stretch of the west side of the body” in Sanskrit)

The front surface of the body is regarded as the easterly direction and the back surface the west. The name implies the back surface of the body from the skull to the soles of the feet.

Supporting props:
* pillows, bolster or chair
* 1 or 2 blankets

How to practice supported Paschimottanasana?
Sit on the floor on a folded blanket underneath your buttocks with your legs extended forward. If you are extremely stiff, place a rolled up blanket under your knees to alleviate strain on the hamstrings.
Roll the flesh under the sitting bones and of the inner thighs outward, to feel more grounded and to allow the spine to lengthen.
Place one or two pillows (as needed) or a bolster on top of your legs.
Rest your finger tips on the floor on each side of your body.
Inhale and reach your hands upward lengthening your spine and lifting the chest, exhale and fold forward from the hips over your legs and rest your torso onto the pillow(s) or bolster. The stretch should be comfortable*.
Close your eyes and breathe deeply into the belly softening further into the pose with each exhalation as you release your thoughts and come into the moment.

*Note: If there is any discomfort, increase the height of the support beneath your knees. If more support is required to keep the spine straight, use a folding chair, place it in front of your body and rest the head on the seat of the chair.

For how long?
Hold the position for as long as is comfortable. If you are experienced with this pose, maintain the final position for up to 5 minutes.

Tips…
1) Always synchronize the movement with the breath: inhale and lengthen the spine first, exhale slowly and bend forward into paschimottanasana. Breathe slowly and deeply in the final position. To come out of the pose, inhale and lengthen the spine while lifting the torso and returning to the starting position (upright sitting).
2) The intention is to bring the belly to the thighs, not the nose to the knees, DO NOT compromise the integrity of your spine by rounding your back too much and risking a back injury, it happens faster than you think! When you bend forward, bend from the hips and keep the back flat.
3) You may not go very far forward the first times because of the tightness in the back of the legs, if it feels more like sitting up straight, use a folding chair instead of a pillow or bolster, place it in front of your body, and rest your forehead on the seat, relax and hold the position for a short length of time.

Contra-indications:
Slipped disc, sciatica, hernia.

Other benefits:
* Gives a full and intense stretch to the back of the body.
* Increases flexibility in the hips.
* Tones and massages the abdomen and digestive organs, improving digestion and elimination.
* Increases circulation in the spine, pelvis and legs.
* Soothes the nervous system, kidneys and adrenals.
* Calms the mind and steadies the emotions.

Catch up on part #I & part #II or go back to the full recap to be totally cool! ;-)

Sources:
Academy of Yoga Learning, Advanced Diploma of Yoga Teaching Notes, Leigh Blashki
Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha, Swami Satyananda Saraswati