Seated forward bend (Paschimottanasana in Sanskrit) is used in many forms of yoga. For many people, including me, this is one of the more difficult poses to master when beginning a yoga practice. If you find this pose challenging at first, there are a few things that can help.
To begin the pose, sit on the mat with your legs straight in front of you. Rock lightly from side to side and pull up on the buttocks, first on one side and then on the other side, to sit up on your sit bones in the buttocks. The thighs should be turned in a bit and pressed down into the mat. Press the heels of the feet down into the mat.
Sit up tall with your hands on the mat next to your buttocks. Inhale and elongate the torso. Fold forward from the hips, not the waist, as in standing forward bend. Begin to move forward and reach the hands around the feet, if you have the flexibility.
Move into and out of this pose slowly and with the breath. On the inhale, lengthen the torso and on the exhale, fold more deeply into the pose. Continue this on each inhale and exhale and relax into the stretch. As you move forward into the pose, the stomach should touch the thighs and then move up the body to the ribs, chest and head.
If you are not very flexible and have trouble in this pose, there are a few things that may help. One is to use a folded blanket under your buttocks. This will help with tight hips or hamstrings.
Another prop that can help in this pose is a yoga strap. Place the middle of the strap over the soles of the feet and hold onto each end. This is especially useful for people who cannot reach their feet when beginning to bend forward into the pose. As you move forward in the bend move your hands further up the strap. Gradually, your flexibility will increase and you won’t need any props.
Again, keep in mind that seated forward bend is not an easy pose and you should not expect to master it on the first try. Remember that each person works at her own pace in yoga and you should never force your body into a pose until it is ready.
There are many benefits to seated forward bend. The pose helps in calming the mind, body and mood, which is beneficial for mild depression, anxiety, fatigue and stress relief. The muscles of the hamstrings, shoulders, back and spine are stretched. In addition, this pose is said to help health conditions such as fatigue, insomnia, high blood pressure, obesity and infertility.