PARSVA BALASANA: THREAD THE NEEDLE
This is one of the first yoga poses I learned! It targets the upper back, which can become tight from all of the time we spend hunched over our phones, our desks, etc. So poses like this one are something I am ALWAYS needing.
This pose is often referred to as thread the needle, but you may also hear it called revolved child’s pose.
BENEFITS OF THREAD THE NEEDLE:
opens the ribcage
relieves tension in the neck, shoulders, hips and back
calming for mind and body
stimulates digestion and promotes detoxification
benefits the solar plexus chakra and heart chakra
YOU CAN FIND THIS POSE IN THESE YOGA CLASSES.
TRADITIONAL VARIATION
Come onto your hands and knees with the knees directly below your hips and your hands directly below your shoulders. Bend the right elbow, begin to twist toward the right, dropping the left shoulder toward the earth, then "thread" the left arm through. Rest the left temple and left shoulder on the floor. Once you feel stable, you may extend the right arm overhead to create space in the right side of the body. In this twist, it's normal to feel the hips shift slightly off center. This is okay! It's your body's way of protecting the integrity your pelvis and sacrum. Hold this pose for 5-10 deep breaths, then practice on the opposite side.
VARIATION: TOP ARM BENT
Instead of stretching the top arm overhead, you can keep the elbow bent and the palm resting on the floor beneath the elbow at a right angle. Press into the palm of your hand if you would like to deepen the twist.
VARIATION: ADDING A BLANKET
Adding a blanket under the knees and curling the toes under may help to relieve knee discomfort in this pose.
VARIATION: HIPS TO HEELS
Instead of staying up on the knees, you can do this twist from child's pose with the hips on the heels. This takes a lot of weight off of the knees, and it requires less upper body strength to hold this variation. The top arm can be bent or stretched overhead.
HOW DID IT GO?
If you tried any of these variations, I'd love to know how it went for you! Tag me on Instagram and use the hashtag #spoonieyogatribe in your photos for a chance to be featured on my page! Or post a photo in our private Facebook group to show off your progress! As a part of your membership, you can get personalized feedback on your poses.