Prasarita Padottanasana Pose for Yoga Twist Sequence

Video Transcript

"From Padottanasana take a wide leg stance. So, it's like four to five feet apart. Make sure that your second toes are parallel to each other; that they're making a line straight through the center of the ankle and the center of the heel; that those lines are parallel to each other. That's going to give you, just like, a steady stable foundation to do this next pose. Then hug the mid-line with your legs, so it's as though you are trying to drag your feet and even all of your legs together on the floor, but they don't actually move. It creates an even engagement of the legs. From that even engagement root down into the feet and fold forward. So, now you're lengthening through the bones of the legs even as you're hugging the muscles firmly inward. Now, once you fold forward walk your hands actually out in front so your hands come right beneath your shoulders. I like to be up on my fingertips, because it just feels more free, more spacious. Then from here take your left hand to the mid-line. So, you bring it like to the middle of the mat, kind of in line with your face. Again, lengthen your spine and take your right hand to your pelvis. So, you feel the pelvis is level and square. Then begin to twist from the torso, from the belly even. So, you start to twist toward the right. Hug in more through the legs and then twist the spine toward the right. Keep hugging in and once you get really twisted stretch your right arm up. You can take the right hand forward a little bit and draw the right shoulder back to twist the heart more. Release and placing the right hand at the mid-line take your left hand to your pelvis, hug in with your legs, and then as you expand your spine you make freedom and space inside. Twist your heart, your belly, your head toward the left. Then stretch the left arm up and if you just take the hand back the shoulder is going to push forward so, take the hand forward and take the shoulder back to open your heart more and then release. You can fold for a breath. Then taking your hands to your hips, inhale, push into your feet as you rise up, standing."