Balance, stretch, and stabilize in Half Upright Seated Angle Pose…

Half Upright Seated Angle Pose (Ardha Urdhva Upavistha Konasana) is a mouthful of a pose with a myriad of benefits. This seated balance pose is a great hip opener, stretches the legs and arms, and builds core strength. This is a great preparatory pose for other seated balance poses such as Upright Seated Angle Pose, and it also helps to increase flexibility to prepare your body for deeper stretches. It improves balance and concentration, and is thought to stimulate the abdominal organs and relieve stress and anxiety.

This pose is also believed to help balance the sacral and root chakras, helping to improve your natural sense of both stability and adaptability, so it’s a great pose to help balance your overall energy. And, it can also be very helpful for those with sciatica.

To modify the pose, you may loop a yoga strap around the raised foot and hold onto this instead. You may also do this pose with your back against a wall to help you balance and remind you to keep your spine tall in the pose.

Those with recent injuries to the knees, hips, or shoulders should avoid this pose.

How to Do Half Upright Seated Angle Pose:

1. Begin in Baddha Konasana / Bound Angle Pose.

2. Wrap your first two fingers around your big toes.

3. Tilt back slightly and balance your body on your sitting bones.

4. Inhale and straighten your right leg as much as you can.

5. Press your left knee against the floor.

6. Push your head back slightly and focus in between your eyebrows.

7. Stay in this pose for 3 to 6 long breaths.

8. To come out of the pose, bring your leg down and rest in Dandasana / Staff Pose.

9. Repeat the pose on your left side for the same length of time.

Learn more at 356DaysPact.com, or watch a demo here..