The Split ? (Hanumanasana or Monkey Pose)
Be patient! It usually takes a long time to master this posture.
Hanumanasana is dedicated to Hanuman, a powerful monkey-faced God from India?s great epic, the ?Ramayana? and his famous leap across the sea from the southern tip of India to the island of Sri Lanka to rescue Sita, the Rama?s wife. Hanuman is known for his devotion to Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu and this pose honors that devotion.
Commonly referred to as the split, Hanumanasana, is one of the most challenging poses in Hatha yoga practice, because it demands two seemingly opposite actions in the pelvis. While one leg is moving in a forward direction, the other leg is moving backwards. Although it may appear that flexibility is the main requirement to perform the split, strength is a necessity in mastering this position safely.
The Split tones the leg muscles and improves flexibility and blood circulation in the legs and hips. It massages the abdominal organs and tones the reproductive system.
Be careful! This posture is an intense hamstring stretch. Only come down as far as is comfortable. Practice this posture on a bare floor without a sticky mat.
The excellent preparation for the full split posture is to begin in a basic lunge and then shift the hips back, until the front leg is straight and the back leg is bent. Then try to shift forward and back, in and out of the lunge, until the two actions begin to feel complementary. At this point you can slide the front leg and back leg as straight as possible, approaching the full split pose.
When both actions are equal, the pose becomes grounded and balanced.
The Split gives many wonderful benefits when practiced safely and patiently. However, in same health conditions the Split posture is not recommended to perform.
Three important reasons not to do the Split:
1) In case of dislocation of a hip do not attempt this posture.
2) Anyone suffering from slipped disc and sciatica should avoid this posture.
3) If you are suffering from groin or hamstring injuries do not do this posture.
Caution: Always check with your doctor if you have any doubts or concerns regarding the suitability of this pose for you. The reader of this article should exercise all precautions before deciding to attempt this posture and the responsibility lies solely with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
Issued in the interest of people practicing Hatha Yoga by Subodh Gupta, Yoga Expert based in London.
