Apanasana: Knees-to-Chest Pose

“Let it go.” It is a phrase we often hear as encouragement to free our grasp onto sentiments, experiences, feelings, thoughts and distractions that no longer serve our wellbeing. Easier said than done right? While the journey to free our hearts and souls from the burdens of negative or rather disheartening self-talk is a continuous travel inwards taking steady and much dedication, yoga and in particular viniyoga is here to remind us to focus on intention and the natural calming wave-like rhythm of the breath. In particular, apanasana or knees-to-chest pose is an energy freeing pose that focuses on the downward and outward energy flow also referred to as the apana vayus.

When embraced through numerous cycles of a repetitive and constant breath, apanasana releases tensions of the lower digestive systems by detoxifying the entire body. Apanasana also releases back pain and produces a general sense of openness in the body, especially within the hips and internal thigh region. Emotionally and mentally speaking, this detoxifying pose relieves stress, mild depression and anxiety. In his Viniyoga Therapy for Anxiety, Gary Kraftsow conscientiously guides you through the calming affects of apanasana.

To go into the pose that opens up the anterior hip muscles and stretches the lumbar vertebrate, begin by laying on your back with the left leg straight and right leg bent at the knee holding onto the right knee with both hands. As you exhale, strength the naval-to-spine connection by pulling the navel inwards, bending the elbows and and pulling the right knee towards the belly. As you inhale, release and repeat this cycle of breath-guider movement four times. Then upon your next exhalation, bend the left knee and release the right leg to repeat the transition onto the opposite side if the body four times. Afterwards, on your next inhaling breath bend both knees so that you gently hold on to each knee with both hands. On an exhalation breath, pull both knees into the belly, tucking the chin slightly down and consciously pushing the sacrum into the mat. If your hips are tight, slightly widening the distance between the knees is not only a great modification but again, eliminates unnecessary strain on the physical body. On an inhalation, release to the starting position.