Wheel Pose: Urdvha Dhanurasana

April 2009 Pose of The Month

Evolution Yoga

Wheel: Urdvha Dhanurasna (Upward Bow or Wheel Pose)

aka called Chakrasana (the chakras burst open).

This pose is a joyous arc into spring. Wheel incorporates principles from all of the yoga postures, requires and promotes being grounded,open and aware.

Urdvha Dhanurasana

• Opens the chest and lungs
• Strengthens and adds suppleness to spine
• Strengthens the arms and wrists, legs, buttocks, abdomen·
• Stimulates, thyroid, pituitary, and pineal gland
• Helps blood flow freely through the heart, prevent thickening tissue
• Increases energy; relieves anxiety, helps with depression

• Therapeutic for asthma, sensitive back, infertility, and osteoporosis

Tips:

• Draw your knees in toward center as if you’re squeezing a block between them
• Scoop your tailbone under to lengthen your low back toward the heels
• Before lifting up, come on to the crown of the head.  Draw the elbows in toward center, roll the shoulders away from the ears.
• Lift up with straight arms, plug the shoulders into their sockets
• Press evenly into the hands and feet- lift higher at the base of the spine
• Lift evenly from both ribs
• Breathe and relax in the posture
• Lower down slowly with chin tucked to chest