Janu Sirasana Yoga Asana

Often called head to knee pose Janu Sirasana is a basic forward bending asana. In looking at it I will cover some principles applicabale to all forward bending poses. Let me start by saying I don’t like "head to knee" as a description for this pose as I feel it gives completely the wrong idea of how to do it, as the head doesn’t go to the knee, nor should it.

Here then is the description of doing Janu Sirasana.

Sit up straight with legs evenly extended in front. Inhaling bend the right leg at the knee and draw the foot toward you so that the heel is in the right groin and the front of the foot touches the left thigh. The left leg is now somewhere up to 90 degrees out to the side. Turn the foot so that the bottom of the foot is facing upward and presses the bent knee down. It is important that the angle of the bent leg is comfortable, I am inclined to suggest not going past 70% of your bodies capacity.

You can put a folded blanket or yoga mat under the knee and-or under the buttocks. You can also use a belt or similar for the next part.

Having positioned the foot and knee of the bent leg correctly, extend the left leg out. Keep the sense of extension from deep in your pelvis, down the leg an into the heel. Extend through the heel and and draw the toes up and even back towards you. Feel how this opens the whole sole of your foot.

Now inhale and extend through the full length of your spine, imagining a cord at the crown of your head as an extension of the spine, drawing you upward. As you exhale, maintain this lengthening up through the cord and move forward over the straight leg. You can use a belt, held in both hands and around the foot of the straight leg, or if possible without strain, grasp the foot of the straight leg with both hands.

When doing any forward bending always remember this principle – The Spine Moves Forwards. If in attempting to get your head down your back begins to arch you are no longer doing forward bending. So only move forwards as far as you can without rounding the back. Your head should be the very last part to make contact with the straight leg for those with very open hips.

Also ensure the head remains in alignment with the spine, watch for a tendency to lift the head back andover extend the neck, or drop the head down and arch the back.

When this posture is done correctly and completely, you will feel yourself lifting up and out of the pelvis and the body extending forward over the straight leg, the spine absolutely straight from the tail bone to the head. There is also a lifting in the front of the body, up through the abdomen and expressing through the breast bone.

Stay there breathing deeply into the pelvis for several rounds of breathing.

Inhaling, release the hold on the foot of the straightened leg, come up smoothly with the feeling of extending the spin up through the cord from the top of the head. straighten the bent leg and relax.

Repeat on other side, generally for the same amount of time. If however you begin to notice that you are much more open on one side than the other I recommend beginning on the least open side, do an equal length of time on the other side and come back and do the least open side for a little longer. This is a good guide to follow for any asana that requires a left and right sided pose. In this way the less open side will slowly increase it’s openness until both sides are equal.

Benefits of Janu Sirasana

Stimulates the internal organs, Kidney, liver and spleen. Helpful to aid sleep.
For men, benefits prostrate health.
For women, benefits fertility.

Janu Sirasana is contra indicated for lower back problems. Because there is a slight twist in the spine, I also suggest taking great care if doing Janu Sirasana with a partner pushing from behind.

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