Sivananda Yoga Matsyasana (Fish) Pose

Video Transcript

"Pose four in the Sivananda yoga series is the fish pose Matsyasana. It is a counter-pose to shoulder stand and plow. Fish pose can be done without shoulder stand, but you always need to do fish pose if you do shoulder stand. Okay. One, fish pose is wonderful for one thing, and for people who sit at computers all day. It's also good for people who are behind a car all day driving. So you can do fish pose without doing the shoulder stand, but please remember, always do it after shoulder stand. It is the counter-pose for it. So I'm going to have her come lay on her back. Now when you're doing bridge after shoulder stand you're relieving the lower part of the back. Now when you're in shoulder stand and Halasana you've got that chin nicely tucked, compressing. Now with the fish pose you're going to be opening up through the throat. So bring your hands underneath your hips, palms on the ground, excuse me. Reaching through, really lengthening those arms. And see how the chest lift when she lengthened the arms. Now very slowly inhale, look up to the toes. See if you see those toes, and then lowering the crown of the head towards the mat, and releasing it down. Now the crown of the head will be on the mat, but the weight stays on the forehead, or excuse me, the forearms. Do not place all the weight onto the crown of the head. Chest, wide open, throat, nice stretch. Reaching through either the toes or the balls of your feet. Beautiful. Taking advantage of the nice open chest and taking deep wonderful breaths. To come out of fish pose lifting the head, looking up towards the toes, and then slowly lower your body down. Release the arms, and come into Shivasana."