If you are new to yoga and would like to do inversion poses like shirasasana, you need hours of practices to get there. In the beginning learning basic poses are critical to get into advanced poses. Shashankasana, rabbit pose is beginners pose that involves a bit of inversion. It is a sitting forward bend pose where top of the head touches the floor/mat. Shashankasana is good for relaxing and calming the mind. It helps to reduce abdomen, stretches shoulders, arms and reduces lower back pain. It is also a recommended pose to to improve function of digestive system – Healthy Life

LEVEL :Beginner

Anatomy: Abdomen|Biceps|Lower Back|Neck|Triceps

Pose Type: Forward Fold|Seated

Sanskrit: Shshankasana, Shshanka= Rabbit, asana=pose

Benefits

• Stretches the spine
• Soothes the mind and releases tension
• Activates the digestive system
• Stretches the arms and shoulders
• Releases lower back tension or stiffness

Contraindications

• Neck pain or strain
• Knee pain or strain
• Vertigo
• Hypertension
• Pregnancy

How To

1. Take a seat with your hips resting on your heels
2. Inhale to prepare
3. Exhale, rest your hands on your heels or your ankles with your palms facing inward, thumbs down
4. Inhale once more, and begin to round your spine and bring the crown of your head to rest down on your mat directly in front of your knees
5. Tuck your chin towards your chest and feel the opening of the back of your neck
6. To fully arrive in Shashankasana, lift your hips away from your heels and rest your hips above your knees or slightly behind them
7. Rest here for a few rounds of breath

Modify or Replace

• Place a blanket underneath your knees or ankles for added support
• Rest your hands closer to your knees, higher on your calves, if your shoulders feel strained or your neck feels overextended

Sequencing Tips

Before:

• Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana)
• Camel pose

After:

• Balasana (Child pose)
• Seed Pose (Balasana, variation)

Teaching Cues

• Engage your shoulder blades, or scapula, and draw your shoulders away from your ears
• Keep your elbows towards your side bodies
• Find length through your side bodies with every inhale
• Tuck your tailbone under to maintain length through your spine

Variations

• Keep your hips resting on your heels and lessen the intensity of sensation in your legs

Watch Out For

• Putting too much weight on the crown of your head
• Slouching your shoulders towards your ears

This article and image is reproduced here with prior permission from beyogi.com. For more poses visit beyogi.com