Master Malasana Pose

Todays Pose Break Down features Malasana Pose or Garland pose. Mala = Garland, also translated as Rosary or Necklace and Asana = Pose or Seat. Pronounced MAA-LAA-sa-na and also called Upavesasana.

It’s an all levels squat that opens the feet, inner groins and front body. It’s highly beneficial for those who spend time sitting regularly as it opens the hips and causes overall mobility in the body. You can find this pose practiced regularly in Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Power, Iyengar and Pre-Natal yoga classes.

It’s also referred to as Birth Pose as it’s an ideal position for pregnant women to give birth as it opens the birth canal and allows the mother to push with the help of gravity. This is super useful as there is no wasted energy expended.

It’s also highly recommended for those who travel often and become irregular with elimination as a result. It encourages the down and outward flow of Prana (Apana-Vayu) and stimulates Manipura | Root Chakra and is highly grounding.

I will guide you into the pose with attention to proper alignment and include a few modifications for different bodies and challenges within the pose.

I’ll also include some more “advanced” variations for those of you who are naturally more bendy or are inclined to take on more challenges.

Please understand that “advanced” variations are less about what you can do or can’t do and more about being a keen student of yourself and understanding when to add on and when to subtract, to keep things honest and engaging.

Lastly I’ll share Common Misalignments and how to fix them. This section is great for teachers as it helps you build confidence in reading bodies and gives you a tool box to work with a variety of students.

Malasana Benefits & Pose Preperation

It’s a deep hip opener that stretches the groins and lower back, for some it’s a generous stretches for the Achilles tendon. It strengthens your back body and stimulates digestion which encourages regular bowel movements.

Great for Vata Dosha or those with a Vata imbalance. It’s a “go to” pose for travelers, Vata imbalances and pregnant women.

Take precaution or refrain if you are working with low back or knee injuries.

Malasana Pose Infographic

Step- By- Step Pose Breakdown of How To Do Garland Pose – Malasana

With your feet wider than hips width distance and slightly turned out, bend your knees and sit your hips back and down in a squat position.
Your hands come to Prayer Mudra – Namaskar, leaving your forearms parallel to the earth.
Push your elbows actively into your inner thighs and equal measure clamp your inner thighs back into the elbows.
Soften your shoulders away from your ears and accessed through the crown of your head.
Use the push- pull action of the upper arms and inner thighs to claim as much length in your spine as possible. Lengthen north to south by drawing your sternum away from your navel and broaden east to west across the collarbones.
Gaze to one fixed point and practice merging with your experience as opposed to “doing” the shape.

Malasana Pose Modifications & Variations

Modification #1- Place a blanket underneath your heels to ground them. This is especially good for those who have chronic tightness in their Achilies tendons.

Modification #2- Sit your tush onto a block or two. This is super helpful if you are either injured or need some support as you are developing endurance in the pose.

Variation #1- Bind by taking both arms in front of your shins, then bend your elbows and reach behind your back and clasp your hands.

Variation #2- Take a Half Bind Variation, by taking your right arm in front of your shin, your left arm wraps behind you and you clasp both hands. This version is a chest opener, look up over your left shoulder.

Variation #3- Take a Half Bind Standing Variation, start by taking your right arm in front of your shin, your left arm wraps behind you and you clasp both hands. Ground through your right foot, engage your belly and slowly raise your self up to standing with your bind.

Common Misalignment

Common Misalignment #2- Allowing the knees to track in. This puts a lot of pressure on the inner knee and over time can compromise the ligaments that keep the knee in tact.

Keep in mind that the knee is a hinge joint and really only likes flexion and extension. Lateral movement is very very limited and should be avoided at all costs.

How to FIX IT- Think Tree Pose, lengthen from the inner groin to the inner knee and traction back from the outer knee to the outer glute. Push your elbows into your inner thighs and clamp your inner thighs back into centerline.

This will help you leverage the ascending action. You will notice it’s much more of an active expression than passive.

Conclusion

Malasana – Garland Pose! The name comes from the Sanskrit root Mala, meaning “Garland” which also translates as “Rosary.” In some schools, this is said to be a mistranslation. When pronounced with a long A sound, mala means Garland, but when pronounced with a short A, it actually translates to “excrement” which makes a lot of sense given the shape of the pose and its benefits.

This pose is a wonderful hip opener that stretches the lower back, stimulates Manipura – Root Chakra and is highly grounding. It encourages the downward flow of Pranic energy called Apana- Vayu (channel). Apana- Vayu is one of the five expressions of Prana and necessary for regular elimination.

No surprise Malasana is also referred to as Birth Pose, it is phenomenal for pregnant women to practice prior to giving birth and highly recommended during the actual birth process. It actively opens the birth canal and allows the momma to push with the assistance without the resistance of gravity and therefore helps her conserve energy.

It’s also highly recommended for those who travel often and become irregular and are challenged with constipation and elimination. Travel often over stimulates Vata energies and influences all doshas (not just Vata dosha). Add this to your Vata balancing travel routine and let us know your experience!

Keep in mind, you don’t need to be pregnant, live a sedentary lifestyle or suffer from constipated to enjoy the variety of benefits Garland Pose has to offer!

About

Jane

I teach a SOULFUL, slow flow alignment based Vinyasa where self inquire is encouraged and joy of being is the pinnacle.Read More..