"Big Toe Pose ( Padangusthasana), in which the student grasps the big toes with the index and middle fingers while keeping the spine extended (Figure 1), is a more advanced variation of a standing forward bend. The difficulty is not only in reaching the toes, but in maintaining the quality of that movement so that the spine is freed rather than compressed."
"One way to approach the asanas is to ask yourself how it would be possible in a given posture to restore the normal curves of the spine. In Big Toe Pose, the attempt should be made to indent the lumbar spine, which moves it toward its resting position and away from a position of stress."
Big Toe Pose (Padangusthasana) involves grasping the big toes with the index and middle fingers while maintaining an extended spine and is an advanced standing forward bend. Standing forward bends use gravity to support spinal alignment, so the bend should come from the hip joints to stretch hamstrings rather than from the waist. The practice of abhyasa (constant practice) and vairagya (constant surrender) aims toward perfect stillness of body-mind amid movement. Attention to the lower back is essential because lumbar flexion reverses the normal curve and stresses tissues; indenting the lumbar spine helps restore normal curves and reduces anterior disc compression.
Read at Yoga Journal
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