Pasasana (Noose Pose) registers as 15* on BKS Iyengar’s 60* scale of difficulty in Light on Yoga.
Even more so than Malasana, Pasasana develops ankle strength and flexibility. The twisting nature of this yoga pose also massages the abdominal organs  strengthens the spine. But, combining the low squat of Malasana with a spinal twist makes Pasasana a challenge.
If, like me, you cannot ground your heels to the earth in this asana, wedge a folded blanket under your heels. If you arrive into the twist and find that, like me, you cannot bind your hands together, gently rest them wherever they land on your back. From here, the real work of the yoga pose will be to learn how to both soften to your current experience of the pose and explore areas where you can create more space to twist. If none of these adjustments are sufficient, explore a twisting version of Malasana instead.
Cyndi Lee has a wonderful sequence in Yoga Journal to help guide practitioners toward Pasasana. Check it out, then report back on how it worked for you!
Tags: BKS Iyengar, Light on Yoga, Malasana, Pasasana, twisting yoga poses, yoga poses
