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Restorative yoga poses and hatha yoga stretches

English name: Peacock Pose
Sanskrit name: Mayurasana

Difficulty level: Advanced

Technique

1. Kneel of the mat, knees spread wide.
2. Place the palms on the floor, fingers pointing between the legs.
3. Bend further forward until the head rests on the floor. While bending forward bend the arms so the at the triceps are touching the stomach, about 3- 5 centimetres apart, the back and shoulders should be curved and hunched together.
4. Taking the weight on the arms and head, straighten the legs behind, keeping the toes touching the floor.
5. Lift the head up, taking the weight onto the arms.
6. Shift the body weight forward, and tense the abdominal and back muscles to support the weight of the body and legs and keep the head, back and legs in a straight line. When the weight shifts forward the toes will lift from the floor. Continue until the back and legs are parallel to the floor.
7. Hold the final position for 10-20 seconds or as long as possible.

Breathing

• Breathe slowly and deeply in the final position.

Benefits

• Anatomical - Strengthens the arms, shoulders, back, abdomen and legs. Improves balance.
• Digestive System - Massages and stimulates the digestive organs increasing metabolism and eliminating toxins.

Notes

• The pose requires a great deal of concentration to enter and hold the pose.
• Focus on one spot to assist in balancing.
• Do not try to jump into the pose, the toes will lift off the floor naturally as the weight moves forward.
• Due to different muscular-skeletal structure, women typically find the pose more difficult than men.