Yoga Center Teacher Michelle Colucci
The balance posture, called Natarajasana in Sanskrit, helps yoga practitioners to improve their balance and poise. Both of these will emerge in time as you progress. Yoga postures are designed to promote health and well-being. Execute this posture gracefully. Executing yoga positions is never about being competitive or a race against time. Go slowly, remembering to breathe deeply throughout the execution of the posture.
Instructions
1. Standing with the heels of your feet together, reach upward with your right arm.
2. Shift your weight onto your right leg.
3. Grab your left ankle with your left hand. Lift your left foot up to the level of your buttocks. If you can’t lift your foot that high, that’s alright. With practice, your balance will get better, and you'll be able to lift your foot and leg higher.
4. Move your right arm slightly forward. This will help you maintain balance.
5. Focus on a stationary object to help you maintain your balance or look upward. Experiment. Find out what works best for you. If you start to lose your balance, release your foot.
6. Lower your left foot and repeat the balance posture on the other side.
7. Take it a bit further. Once you are comfortable doing the balance posture as explained above, begin lifting your foot and leg a little higher when you execute the posture. Your foot should ultimately end up as high as your shoulders and the distance between your torso and the lifted foot should expand. You will need to lean forward slightly to accommodate the higher lift of the leg. As you lean forward, your out-stretched arm should also drop forward. Repeat on the other side.
Tags: your left, your balance, your foot, your right, balance posture, foot should, help maintain