Supta Kurmasana

Supta Kurmasana, the sleeping tortoise posture is entered into immediately from Kurmasana. Inhale look up, and externally rotate at your hips to start to bring your feet in closer and your shoulders through your knees. If you are very flexible you might sit up and bring the legs behind your head and fold forward and bind the hands behind your back. Otherwise, bind your hands behind your back by your sacrum (or use a strap) and wiggle your feet in and cross the right ankle over the left ankle. You can also just leave your hands on the mat behind your hips or as close as they will reach behind your back. Tuck your chin and bring your forehead to the mat and get your head under your feet if possible but there is no rush. Listen to your body and be careful with your hamstrings and neck. Another modification is to bind behind your back one side at a time. Reach your right arm under your right knee, bind your hands, and look over your left shoulder and focus on opening your right hip. Then switch sides. After five steady breaths in whatever position works best for your body, drishti is the third eye, either release your hands, keep the legs, and press your hands into the mat under your knees to lift up and go through tittibhasana (firefly) to bakasana (crow) to vinyasa or unwind and take a vinyasa. This is a challenging posture which will build your focus and endurance as well as open your hips and chest and strengthen your shoulders. Take it slow as a tortoise and have fun with it!

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