Pose of the Month: Adho Mukha Svanasana

by Cortney Phillips

Adho=Downward Mukha=Face Svan=Dog Asana=Pose Downward Facing Dog Pose

"Downward Dog is an asana no yoga student ever outgrows. It's the garlic of yoga- a panacea for whatever ails you, which combines the benefits of an inversion, arm balance, forward bend & restorative pose all rolled into one."

Donna Farhi

Benefits

• Intense stretch for the backs of your legs, especially your calves
• Open the hips
• Rest the heart
• Strengthens wrists, arms, & shoulders
• Elongates the spine
• Releases tension throughout the entire spinal column

How To Do Down Dog

There are many ways to enter this pose. For me, the easiest and most mindful entrance is through child's pose (pranatasana).

Begin with your bottom resting on your heels and extend your arms out in front of you. Take a moment to notice your hands, begin by walking them away from you and then spread your fingers wide. Take a breath and feel the stretch in your arms and shoulders.

As you exhale come up on your hands and knees (all fours). Before moving into the pose fine tune your alignment, hands beneath shoulders, arms shoulder width apart, and knees beneath your hips, hip width apart.

From here, curl you toes under, inhale do nothing, exhale and straighten your legs. Breath. Be mindful of your sacrum, allow it to drop towards your heels. Your legs and your breath (active exhale) will act to release your sacrum. Allow yourself the freedom to move with your breath. As the body lets go of tension movement is restored in the body.

As you inhale, relax. As you exhale, take your abdomen back towards the front of your spine (active exhale), press into your hands (heels and fingers), send your weight back into your legs, and finally reach your heels towards the earth. Relax your head and neck. Enjoy

No worries or concerns if your heels are not touching the ground. Allow your body to release when it's ready. Be patient & breath. To encourage this release you may want to try doing Down Dog with your heels against the wall. Do not force or strain the body to go where it is not willing to go naturally.

To come out of the pose gently return your knees to your mat and rest in child's pose.

Variations

• Walk the dog
• Wall dog
• One leg down dog
• One leg up the wall
• Dog with a block b/w the inner thighs (opens SI joints)
• Elbow dog
• Wide leg dog
• Dog with heels to wall