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Rocking the Breath in Parsva Dhanurasana (Side Bow Pose)

Parsva Dhanurasana is a variation on Dhanurasana and registers as 4* on the scale of difficulty.

Yesterday, I wrote that, in Dhanurasana, my breath serves as a powerful part of the “stringing of the bow”, or the upward lift of the legs and chest away from the floor. Parsva Dhanurasana reinforces the importance of using the breath to shape the pose.

In Parsva Dhanurasana, as you exhale, you gently roll your body onto the right side. Then, when you’re ready to come back to center in Dhanurasana, you use the power of your inhale to press yourself back up, without ever changing the essential shape of the pose. Poses like Parsva Dhanurasana clearly illustrate the inseparability of the breath from movement in the asana practice.

Breath in, breath out. Rock up, rock out.

Related posts:

  1. Stringing the Bow in Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
  2. Namaste, Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose)
  3. Adjusting to the Light on Yoga: Parivritta Parsvakonasana (Revolved Side Angle)

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This entry was posted on Monday, May 10th, 2010 at 9:29 pm and is filed under Asanas, Parsva Dhanurasana. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.