Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose)

<h2> Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose)</h2>

From the words "janu" - knee and "sirsa" - head. In this seated pose one leg is stretched out and the other is bent at the knee. The foot of the stretched leg is then held with both hands and the head is placed on the knee.

Janu Sirsasana in brief

1. Sit in Dandasana.
2. Bend the right knee and place the right heel beside the right side of the groin. Take the right knee back,
3. Keep the left leg straight. Make sure that the angle between the two legs is obtuse.
4. Stretch both arms forward beyond the left foot and catch the right wrist with the left hand. Breathe normally.
5. Once the hands are clasped, inhale, extend the spine and lift it up.
Press the right knee down and lift the hips. There should be an angle of 45° between the left leg and the trunk. Take the head back. Breathing normally, stay in this position for 15 seconds.
6. Exhale, bend the trunk forward and rest the forehead on the left knee. Stay in this final position for half a minute to a minute, breathing normally.
While doing so:
     (1) keep the elbows turned outwards, spreading them to the sides so as to widen the chest and increase the forward extension;
     (2) take the floating ribs forward and extend them towards the chest;
     (3) the breastbone and the middle of the abdomen should rest on the left thigh, as though the trunk were merging with the leg;
     (4) as you bend forward, press the extended left leg and the right leg down to the floor; take the right knee back as far as possible.
7. Inhale and lift the head and the trunk, release the hands and come into Dandasana; then do the asana on the other side, following all the instructions but replacing «right» with «left» in them. Stay in the pose for the same length of time, then return to Dandasana.

Special notes:

(1) Beginners may find it difficult to keep the toes in the starting position and to rest the forehead on the knee. Learn to extend each part of the body gradually - the buttocks, the back of the trunk, the ribs, the spine, the armpits, the elbows, the arms. The same practice of extending the different parts of the body has to be repeated in the asanas that follow.
(2) At first it is difficult to hold the feet with the hands. You can begin with instruction (I) given below and move on to the following ones step by step as the spine becomes more flexible:
      (I) extend the spine fully so that it is easier to hold the legs with the hands;
      (II) at first let the hands reach the shin;
      (III) then catch the big toe with the middle and index fingers;
      (IV) now reach with the fingers to the sole of the foot;
      (V) then grip the heel with the palm;
      (VI) interlock the fingers of both hands and encircle the foot with them;
      (VII) finally, catch the right wrist with the left palm or the other way round.
(3) Keep the abdominal organs lifted.
(4) Extend the trunk further and rest the forehead, then the nose, the lips and the chin on the left knee, one after the other. Make sure the spine is fully extended; this is very important.

Janu Sirsasana in detail

In Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose) the hamstrings, the calf muscles and the muscles of the lower back are stretched. The pose helps to open the pelvis, improves digestion and normalises the work of the excretory system. Like most forward bends, Janu Sirsasana calms the nervous system and helps to restore your strength. If the hip joints lack mobility and the leg muscles are stiff, props will help you learn the pose: a folded blanket as a support under the pelvis and a strap to catch the foot. Such a variation protects the muscles from overstretching.
Janu Sirsasana teaches one of the five principles of Yama described by the sage Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras - truthfulness, or Satya. As you work to lower the head towards the knee, you have to be honest first of all with yourself. Try to assess the possibilities of your body objectively. If you give in to the temptation to do the “real” pose straight away, skipping the preparatory work with props, at best you will achieve only an outward resemblance to the shape of the asana, but such a performance will have no deep effect. Learning the pose step by step helps to develop patience and the ability to accept things as they are, and it also teaches the subtle art of letting go of physical tension and mental restlessness.

<table>

correct 
Extend the heel of the straight leg
</td>
<td>

incorrect 
Do not hunch the shoulders
</td>
<td>

incorrect 
Do not round the back
</td>
</tr>

</table>

At first it may seem that it is enough to touch the knee with the head - and the pose is mastered. People who are naturally flexible will be able to rest the forehead on the shin without much difficulty, but the bend will then be made from the lower back and the lumbar region will round. As a result the intervertebral discs in the lumbar region will be compressed, and the pressure may reach several tens of kilograms. To avoid subjecting the spine to such a serious trial, the bend must be made from the hip joints. This is possible when the pelvis tilts forward together with the trunk while the sitting bones move back. It does not matter if the angle of the bend is relatively small: in that case use a strap and a blanket.
Now it is time for Janu Sirsasana. Sit on the edge of a folded blanket and stretch the legs forward. With your hands, draw the buttocks back and to the sides, and make sure you are sitting on the sitting bones. Bend the right leg at the knee and place the heel beside the left inner groin, as close to the perineum as possible. Let the knee of the bent leg drop to the right. If the thigh does not touch the floor, place a block or a folded blanket under it. Straighten the back, with the pelvis turned forward. Bend the left leg, then extend it, sliding the heel along the floor, with the toes and the knee turned up towards the ceiling. On an exhalation press the sitting bones into the support, and on an inhalation extend the spine upwards. Gently turn the chest to the left and take the right hand to the outer side of the left leg. Let the palm touch the thigh, the knee or the ankle.
Inhale and extend the spine; on an exhalation bend forward, making the movement from the pelvis, taking the sacrum forward and the pubic bone back. Try to keep the natural slight curve in the lower back as you move the right hand towards the little toe of the left foot. Catch the foot with both hands or loop a strap around it. Do not tense the face, the throat or the shoulders. As you bend deeper, spread the elbows out to the sides so that the collarbone area stays open. Extend the left leg actively, engaging the quadriceps. Make sure the knee points straight up. Now focus on the breath and try to release the tension. Observe how the trunk rises slightly on the inhalation and descends lower with every exhalation. Direct your exhalations into the rib area at the back, into the back of the thigh and into those parts of the body where you still feel stiffness and tension.
If you are holding the foot with your hands, draw its outer edge slightly towards you. As the bend deepens, take the lower ribs towards the left thigh, keep the head in line with the spine, and keep the gaze soft. If it is possible, catch the left wrist with the right hand. When you have reached your maximum extension, stop there. Stay in the pose for 10 breath cycles. Try to let go of the tension completely. To come out of the pose, lower the palms to the floor on either side of the pelvis and carefully lift the trunk. Repeat the whole sequence on the other side.
If, sitting in Janu Sirsasana on the floor without a support, you extend upwards easily and the sacrum and the lumbar region are drawn in, you can try to do the pose without props. The harder you try to bring the forehead to the knee or to press the disobedient thigh of the bent leg down to the floor, the worse it will go. The key to doing the pose correctly lies in relaxation. It is enough to trust your sensations and, by listening to your body, to understand its language. Be patient, and in time the work in the pose will become a pleasure. (Yoga Journal)

The effects of practising Janu Sirsasana

Janu Sirsasana tones the liver and the spleen and thus has a beneficial effect on digestion. It also tones and activates the work of the kidneys, which can be felt while the asana is being done. Those suffering from an enlarged prostate gland should increase the time spent in this pose and do it together with Sarvangasana.