Paschimottanasana
Encyclopedia
Asana
Asana is a body position, typically associated with the practice of Yoga, originally identified as a mastery of sitting still, with the spine as a conduit of biodynamic union...
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Together with Padmasana (lotus), Siddhasana
Siddhasana
Siddhasana or Accomplished Pose is a Yoga asana.-Etymology:The name comes from the Sanskrit words siddha meaning both "perfect" and "adept", and asana meaning "posture" or "seat".-Description:...
(half-lotus) and Vajrasana
Vajrasana
Vajrasana , adamantine pose, diamond pose, kneeling pose, pelvic pose, and thunderbolt pose is an asana.- Etymology :...
(lightning-bolt pose), this pose is an accomplished pose according to the Shiva Samhita
Shiva Samhita
Shiva Samhita is a Sanskrit text on yoga, written by an unknown author. The text is addressed by the Hindu god Shiva to his consort Parvati . It is one of three major surviving classical treatises on hatha yoga, the other two being Gheranda Samhita and Hatha Yoga Pradipika...
. It was advocated by 11th century yogi Gorakshanath
Gorakshanath
Gorakshanath was an 11th to 12th century Hindu Nath yogi, connected to Shaivism as one of the two most important disciples of Matsyendranath, the other being Caurangi. There are varying records of the spiritual descent of Gorakshanath. All name Adinath and Matsyendranath as two teachers preceding...
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Etymology
The name comes from the Sanskrit words paschima (पश्चिम, paścima) meaning "west" or "back" or "back of body", and uttana (उत्तान, uttāna) meaning "intense stretch" or "straight" or "extended", and asana (आसन) meaning "posture" or "seat".Description
The yogi sits on the floor with legs flat on the floor, straight ahead then bends forward from the hips to bring the trunk parallel with the legs.A similar frontbend
Frontbend
A frontbend is a contortion position where the body is curved forward at the hips and spine. In an extreme frontbend, some contortionists can place the backs of their knees behind their shoulders.-See also:...
is Uttanasana
Uttanasana
Uttanasana|thumb|113pxUttanasana, variation|thumb|113pxUttanasana , Intense Forward-Bending Pose, Intense Strech Pose, Standing Forward Bend, Standing Forward Fold Pose, or Standing Head to Knees Pose, is an asana.-Etymology:...
, a standing front bend, which is more passive in its initial stages. Paschimottanasana, however, enables the arms to more easily support the upper body in the initial stages of the bend, and can be used both to move further into or move out of the stretch; it also enables much easier rotation inward or outward of the legs, abducting or adducting them at the hip, flexing or extending the knees, or enacting plantar or dorsi flexion of the ankle. These variations can be performed either as a combined stretch, to change emphasis on different tissues, or simply to take the mind off the hamstrings and lower back stretch. They can be used rhythmically to aid in relaxation.