South Okanagan Yoga Academy Yoga Teacher Training Programs

Featured Asana

Why do Matsyasana?
Matsyasana in Sanskrit, or Fish pose, is a backbending pose that opens chest, neck and shoulder muscles. Backbends, like fish pose, can relieve the back pain from sitting all day at your desk or in your car. Matsyasana and all of the gentle variations increases spinal flexibility and improve your posture. Backbending poses are a great for digestion and metabolism because of the stimulation of the thyroid and toning of the abdomen. They also open up space for your heart, both physically and energetically.

Matsyasana is the classic counter pose to Sarvangasana, the shoulderstand pose. Sarvangasana puts pressure on the thyroid gland, and alternately Matsyasana puts pressure on the parathyroids. Sarvangasana stimulates the calming parasympathetic nervous system, and Matsyasana stimulates the fight or flight response of the sympathetic nervous system.

Precautions and Modifications:
Students with neck issues must completely support their head with the blanket so that there is little to no tilting of the neck.

Matsyasana (Fish Pose) variation for Beginners:

• Grab a blanket and come to a comfortable seated position.
• Roll the blanket to make bolster... fold it into a large rectangle, then roll the blanket tightly making a tight roll.
• Place one end of the roll at the sacrum area behind you.
• Slowly lower yourself down lining the spine up with the length of the blanket.
• Keep the knees up to reduce the work of the abdomen.
• Slowly move onto your elbows and then fully rest into the blanket. If you have a sensitive neck make sure the neck and head are fully supported by the blanket. If your blanket does not reach you can move it up from the lower back until it does. If your neck feels healthy today, you can benefit from the stimulus of the thyroid and parathyroid by tilting the neck back slightly. This can be worked into gradually over time. Never to rush the neck.
• Finally, extend the arms out from the shoulders in a T shape, in complete surrender.
• This is a gentler variation of Matsyasana so feel free to hold it a bit longer than typical poses.
• When holding the pose longer you should take our time coming out. Start by extending your arms overhead and lingering here.
• Next, roll onto your right side using your arm as a pillow. The blanket can be pushed out of the way at this time if you like.
• Bring your legs in to a comfortable fetal posture.
• With as little effort as possible, use your hands to bring yourself to seated.
  

Counterpose:

• Passive Padahasthasana with bent knees and hands wherever they comfortably fall.