Lower pose strengthens your back while opening your shoulders. It also enhances breathing. Stretch both of your legs and rock gently from side to side, bend your legs and prop yourself up with your forearms. Stretch your toes and firm your feet and ankles. Exhale and root down with your tail bone. Rooting down with your tail bone is very different from simply squeezing your buttocks.
When you take your tail bone down, you press your pubic bone into the earth, and this prevents your lower back from getting tight. Learn to hug your shins in at the same time as you are pressing your tail bone down. Strengthen all sides of your legs and feet and your abdomen. If you are pain free during this part, you may now graduate to a deeper back bend.
Press your hands down firmly and broaden your shoulders as you exhale and soften your back. The effort in your arms, legs, and tail bone protects your back and allows you to soften your spine for greater freedom. As you come up higher and higher, keep your shoulders broad and your neck strong and long.
Now you can reach back with your arms and hold your ankles with your hand. This will give you the added benefit of stretching your inner shoulders. Enjoy this stretch as you inhale and exhale. Keep all of the strengthening actions going as you inhale and allow the softening to happen as you exhale. Inhale strengthen, exhale soften.
Release your hands and rest with your head turned to one side. Repeat this pose for an even deeper experience. Bend your legs and hold your ankles or the tops of your feet, flex and energize your feet and ankles. Inhale and lengthen the size of your body. Exhale and lift your head and your heart. Inhale, bend your elbows slightly to engage your shoulder blades into your back. Exhale and lift your legs upward straightening your arms. Inhale and remain in the pose, exhale and soften. Let yourself go a little deeper. Finally release your ankles and lower your head. Rest.
