Yoga Asana: Side Angle Pose or Utthita Parsvakonasana
Each posture in the physical yoga practice has a Sanskrit name ending in asana. Asana means seat or posture. Today we will explore side angle pose. Side angle is known as Utthita Parsvokonasana in Sanskrit. We see: utthita which means: stretched, parsva which means: side, Kona which means: angle and of course, asana which means seat or posture. This posture does not break onto the yoga scene until the 20th century with Krishnamacharya and his students Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar.
This brings us to the WHY behind Utthita Parsvokonasana. As always I find it helpful to remember why we do all of asana in the first place. Why do we really show up on our mats day after day and put ourselves in these crazy shapes!? At its heart yoga helps us to see and shape our minds so we can have a better quality of life in every way. Our asana gives us the opportunity to nurture our bodies as home to our minds. We show up on the mat to tend to our physicality which then gives us the access to the inner workings of our minds. We strengthen our bodies so we can move through our life with agility and have the ability to fully participate in this wild experience of life. The discipline of asana allows for the freedom of body, mind, and spirit to unite and live as one.
The physical WHY behind Utthita Parsvokonasana is a combination of strength, stretch, and balance. The stretch is mostly felt in the side body, the chest, the extended upper arm, and the hips. The strength of the posture is in the engagement the legs, hips, and core body. The balance is challenged with the upper half of the body extended toward the bent front knee, requiring stabilization with the lower half of the body and the core body.
Utthita Parsvokonasana can have symbolic, metaphoric, and meaningful significance to our own personal why’s. As this posture is of recent origin, I could not find historic spiritual significance. However, when I consider the translation of the Sanskrit directly correlating to: side angle, I am prompted to consider all of the infinite angles available! Perhaps this posture could inspire us to view ourselves, others, a problem, a relationship (anything really) from another angle or perspective. What happens when we allow ourselves to peer through a lens that has not been colored by our own stories? So much of our thinking we take to be facts, when in fact, our thoughts have been shaped by our particular life experience and so much more that we are not even aware of, like our parents thoughts, our society’s thoughts, our spouse’s thoughts, and so on. When we shift angles or broaden our perspective what this does is allow in the light of possibility and possibility is like a breath of fresh air, it’s palpable. So next time you are practicing side angle pose, literally take in the view of yourself, the room, and your surroundings from that angle and see how it looks different than how you normally see it. This is the reminder to do this in all areas of your life, not only will you see things differently, you will begin to think things differently!
How to do Utthita Parsvakonasana:
We will enter side angle from Warrior II. Place your hands on your hips and turn your front foot forward towards the short side of your mat, this will give you heel to arch alignment. Keep your hips level and bend your front knee. Be mindful that the front knee does not cave in and adjust your front foot and or your hips to account for this. Shift your core body towards your bent front knee and place your forearm on your quad, palm face up. Be mindful not to rest all of your weight onto the forearm by keeping and upward lifting sensation in the side body. Extend your upper arm over head and reach towards the front of the mat. Keep space between your bicep and your ear. Turn your gaze to your lifted hand.
Modifications:
Do the posture on your knee. The front knee will be on the floor and the back leg extended. The front hand will come to the ground and the top arm reaches over head.
Place a block to the inside of the foot and bring the hand to the block rather than the floor.
Variations:
Rather than placing the forearm to the quad, place the hand down either to the inside or the outside of the front foot.
Frame out the head with both arms.
Place either the top or bottom hand behind the low back and add mudras.
Come into a bind by bringing your bottom arm under your bent knee and your top arm behind your back. Grasp the wrist of the arm reaching behind with the arm reaching under (this is not for most people).
***Permission to modify in anyway that provides you with a feeling of safety, ease, and is alignment with your purpose in practicing the posture.
Hello Dearest Readers,
May this interpretation of side angle remind you that there is always another angle. So when we feel stuck, uninspired, or caged in, we can step out of ourselves and into worlds of possibility.
So much love,
Andrea Dawn
