Entry-Level Virasana

1. Lie supine on a flat surface with a chair standing over the legs.  

2. Let the backs of the hands rest on the surface, sliding the arms down and letting the shoulders descend to the surface as well. Inhale.  

3. Stretch the back of the head far from the shoulders with exhalation.

4. One at a time place the backs of the calves on the chair, moving the practitioner and/or the chair to find the angle at which there is a persistent but safe pull on the knees or the hip joints. Breathe calmly for 1-2 minutes.  

Adjusting the chair further away from the body (toward the feet) produces more hip extension but less knee flexion. As the chair stands closer to the hips, the hips and knees are flexed more. Pillows under the sacrum give more knee flexion without increasing hip flexion, and are useful for treating concurrent hip flexion and knee extension contractures.