English Name

Vasisthasana is known as the Side Plank Pose in English.

Music: The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition

Sanskrit Name - Translation and Meaning

Vasisthasana (vah-sish-TAHS-anna) - Most Excellent Pose. The literal meaning of "vasistha" is most excellent, richest, or best. The meaning behind the pose is that Vasistha is also the name of prominent sages in yoga tradition. For example, one Vasistha was the author of many Vedic hymns. Another vasistha is included as being one of the seven seers, or lords of creation.

Elements of Pose

1. Start off Vasisthasana by going into a plank pose. You can move your right hand slightly more centered. Now turn your right foot onto its outside edge and place your left foot stacked on top the right. Rotate your body up towards the left while placing your right hand at your right hip. Keep your hips open and lifted. Support your body by firmly planting you right hand and the outer edge of your right foot into the earth.

2. Keep your right hand slightly in front of the the shoulder, not directly under it. Keep this right arm strong and straight by contracting the triceps muscle while keeping you fingers pressed into the earth.

3. Now align your body into a diagonal line from your head to you heels. Do this by contracting the shoulders and sacrum and lengthen the spine. Keep your legs engaged by contracting the quadriceps and press your heels into the earth.

4. If you are balanced, stretch your top arm upward while keeping it parallel to the line of the shoulders. Make sure to relax your neck by keeping your head in a neutral position.

5. If you are steady breathe and exhale and bend you left knee, bringing the thigh into your torso. Use your left hand to grab the top of the Proxy-Connection: keep-alive Cache-Control: max-age=0 g toe of the bent leg. Inhale and stretch the leg toward the ceiling so it's perpendicular to the floor.

6. Stay in this position for 15-30 seconds or about 5 breaths. To come out of the position, release your grip on the big toe. Return you left foot back to the top of the left. Repeat the pose on the other side.

7. After doing both sides, come back to Adho Mukha Svanasana and hold it for 5 breaths and finally release.

Actions and muscles involved in the asana:
To start off this asana, you go into a plank pose. That means the quadriceps are fired and you're holding your core muscles. From there you stack your feet and rotate the body. You must have a strong core and work the bandhas. You use you arm to support you by contracting the triceps muscles and keeping you arm straight. When you align your body into a diagonal line, you must contract the shoulders, while dropping them, and the sacrum. You must also lengthen the spine. Also keep contracting the quadriceps to keep you legs strong and straight. When holding your leg up, you must have a strong core and bandhas to maintain balance.

Awareness

Being in vasisthasana means you have to have balance and strength in your core. I feel very centered in this asana. All of my core muscles and legs and arms are firing so I can maintain a steady pose. Breathing in this pose is really good because I can release any unnecessary tension in my body. Deep breaths also helps bring my awareness to my body in this pose. I'm doing an easier modification of the pose, so I feel comfortable in the pose, yet I'm still using my muscles to balance.

Physical and Therapeutical Benefits of Asana

Some of the benefits of doing Vasisthasana are that you strengthen your arms, spine, core, legs, and buttocks because you have to hold them strong. The pose also stretches and strengthens the wrists. Doing the pose helps you improve your balance and prepares you for more challenging arm balance poses. If you chose to do the full version, it also stretches the hamstrings. Another benefit of vasisthasana is that it helps the mind focus. In the position, one must concentrate and deepen the mind's focus on balance and on the breath.

References/Cited Sources

Cites:

StarYoga Yoga Community: Plank Side Pose - Vasisthasana: http://www.staryoga.com/plank-side-pose

Yoga Journal: Side Plank Pose: http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/783

About.com Yoga:Side Plank Variations - Vasisthasana Variations: http://yoga.about.com/od/yogaposes/ss/sideplankvar_3.htm

Pictures:

Full Vasisthasana. About.com http://0.tqn.com/d/yoga/1/0/w/4/fullsideplank.jpg April 5, 2011.

Francesco Galle. Yoga. The Positive Side http://www.positiveside.ca/images/V5I4/yoga.jpg March 30, 2011.

Arocore http://www.acrocore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/0/Vasisthasana_Side_Plank_3.jpg April 6, 2011.