How to Do the Supta Kurmasana in Ashtanga Yoga

Supta Kurmasana, or Turtle Pose, is a very challenging pose from Ashtanga Yoga. The full pose entails sitting with the legs wide apart, flattening the chest to the floor, sliding your arms under the straight legs and having an assistant lift your feet up to place them behind your neck, while your hands are brought behind you to clasp. Not easy! Why do it? To practice Pratyahara, or a withdrawing of the senses inside to cultivate self observation. Practicing self observation is a path to enlightenment. Once you progress into the full pose--which may take years of regular practice--you will feel like a turtle with its head withdrawn into its shell. Proceed with caution: do not attempt this pose if you are new to yoga or have neck, low back, knee or hip joint sensitivities.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Yoga mat
• Yoga strap
• Assistant

1. Begin with Supta Padanagusthasana, or Reclining Thumb to Foot Pose, to stretch the inner hip joints, inner thighs (adductors) and hamstring muscles (back of the thighs). Lie on your back with knees bent, both feet flat on your mat, hip-width distance apart. Loop a yoga strap over the right foot and hold each end in each hand. Lie back and bend the right knee. Extend the heel up and contract the muscles on the front of the thigh (quadriceps) to straighten the leg. Remain for 5 to 8 breaths.

2. Move onto Supta Parvsasahita, or Reclining Lateral Thumb to Foot Pose, by holding both ends of the yoga strap in the right hand and placing your left hand on your left hip. Lower the right leg to the right as far as you can. Pause and breathe for 5 to 8 breaths. Engage the lower core abdominals and keep firming the quads to protect the low back and knee joint. Lift the leg to straight and release the foot and strap. Repeat to the second side, then rest.

3. Roll up to sit for Baddha Konasna A to further open the inner groin and create the external rotation in the hip joints needed for the final pose. Bend both knees and bring the soles of the feet together so your legs form a kind of diamond shape. Bring your hands behind you and press into them so you can lift the hips. Lower the hips so you are sitting upright on the hip bones.

4. Clasp your hands around your feet and open them up like a book so that the pinky toe sides of the feet are touching and the soles are exposed and facing the ceiling. Lift the chest, and from the hip joints, let the legs move towards the floor. Remain for 5 to 8 breaths, then rest.

5. Straighten the legs out and press each heel into the floor so that the knee caps face the ceiling. Slide each arm under each leg, palm facing down. Lower the chest as far as possible to the floor. Ask an assistant to carefully bring your arms behind you and hold one wrist with the other hand. If you cannot, hold a yoga strap between your hands.

6. Ask the assistant to carefully move the right leg from the hip joint and bring it forward and over your shoulder so that the ankle is behind the neck. Do the same for the left leg so that both feet are crossed behind the head.

7. If you are not able to do this, place a yoga block in front of your head and have the assistant place your feet on the block instead. Remain for 5 to 8 breaths. Carefully unwrap the pose and rest in a comfortable cross-legged position.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not do this pose if you have neck, low back, ankle, hip or knee joint injuries. Do not practice this pose if you are pregnant. Do not attempt this pose if you are new to yoga practice.

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