Wailana's Lord of the Dance

Wailana's asana of the week:

Lord of the Dance (Step 2)

The trick to balancing is concentration. And a good way to improve your concentration is to practice balancing poses. There is a final step to this graceful posture, but now let's just focus on balancing and extending the body in this preliminary stage.

1. Stand with your feet together.

2. Slowly bend your left knee back and take hold of your foot.

3. Raise your right arm, palm facing forward. Tuck your buttocks under slightly as you lift your spine.

4. Keeping your standing leg straight, tilt forward from the hips so that your torso and arm extend out at a 45-degree angle. Move your left knee back slightly and hold your left foot close to your buttock. Reach forward with your extended arm, elongating from the shoulder joint. Breathe slowly and deeply as you hold.

5. Slowly straighten your hips and back.

6. Lower your arm.

7. Release your foot and repeat on the other side.

Focus in the Pose...
With your hips tilted forward, elongate your lower vertebrae and on up through the spine. Be aware of the gentle thigh stretch as you hold your heel to your buttock.

Hints...
• Balance your weight evenly on your standing foot so that you're firmly grounded. With a solid base, you'll be able to lift upward more easily.
• Keep your gaze steady. Focus your eyes on a fixed point in front of you to help you balance.