Paschimottanasana: What You May Be Doing Wrong.

I love being a home practitioner, but when I’m away from a teacher or shala for too long, I forget little tidbits of a posture. I never realize it until I go to a workshop or immerse myself in study, but there’s always something that I’ve been doing wrong, or forget all together.

We could all use a little refresher at times, right?

Paschimottanasana is done in three parts, so it’s a lot to remember.

Remember how long it took you to memorize the vinyasas for Prasarita Padottanasana? It’s like that in the sense that it’s easy to forget a movement here and there.

This is the first posture in the primary series, so it comes right after the standing postures. If you’re new to practicing, it’s easy to get out of breath during the standing sequence. Dandasana and Paschimottasana together should be used a time to reconnect and deepen the breath. As time goes on, you’ll gain more stamina and learn how to steady and deepen your breath for longer periods of time.

This is a forward bend posture. Even if you can’t reach your toes, it’s a fairly simple posture that helps to regulate the breath and create calmness in the mind.

Paschimottanasana: What you’re probably doing wrong, and how to fix it. #ashtanga #yoga

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In my video below you’ll learn:

How to get the most out of this posture by reconnecting with your breath and bandhas, and I’ll show you a few things to make this posture even more effective.
All of the vinyasas for Paschimottasana.
Modifications if you aren’t able to reach your toes.

How To Do Paschimottasana: Intense Western Stretch

Paschimottasana is a posture about surrender. It’s totally normal to want to do whatever you can to get into a posture and finally reach your toes, but it’s important to take things slow.

Let go of the attitude of always trying to get somewhere. If your hamstrings are tight, try letting go, and move forward just a little with each exhale.

If you find that you’re pushing and pulling, then you’re probably being too hard on yourself. This is a good opportunity, right at the beginning of practice, to create a habit of ahimsa towards yourself.

Our bodies have muscle memory, so the more you push, the more resistance is created. Your body will remember this, and the process of surrender will be a long road. This is the case with every posture.

Just breathe deep. Feel what’s going in your body. Where are you tight? How can you let go? Where can you create space?

Be compassionate towards yourself and this posture will come.