Pose of the month - Supta Virasana
Supta Virasana (reclined hero pose) - is not an easy pose for many beginners and it took me a number of years to stay in it comfortably for a few minutes, rather than seconds...
The strong stretch on the front of the thighs, hips, knees and ankles can be difficult to bear at first, but Supta Virasana a great pose to soothe and settle the mind and nervous system - you'll find its often included in restorative, menstruation and even pregnancy practices.
To help beginners to work towards the final pose, we can support the knees and ankles - with blankets and spacers - and place more height - one or two bolsters - beneath the trunk to relieve the pressure and begin to slowly open the front body.
Basic Instructions: sit in Virasana (hero pose) knees together and ankles and feet beside the hips. (Place a block under the sit-bones if they don't reach the floor). Take your hands to the feet and slowly recline the trunk back. Bring the hands and elbows to the floor, and extend the tailbone as you continue to recline the trunk down to the floor or bolster/s. Allow the shoulder tips to spread away from one-another to open across the chest, and let the arms rest on the floor beside you, palms facing up. For a stronger stretch take the arms back over the head - palms facing each other, biceps beside the ears.
Tip: if the supported variation using bolsters is still too strong, recline back to a chair instead. Use a belt around the thight to keep the knees and hips contained.
