Rabbit Pose - Sasangasana

Rabbit Pose is the most intense forward bending pose, which is opposite the camel. It brings the most stimulation to the crown of the head, because you're bringing in weight to the top of your head. This pose resembles a bunny rabbit stretching itself into a ball, rounding the back.

Benefits of Rabbit Pose

Rabbit Pose stretches out the spine slowly, helping to maintain mobility, flexibility and elasticity of the spine. This allows the nervous system to receive better nourishment to function at an optimum level. As you stretch your back vertebrae by vertebrae, you're aligning your spine, and as you come out of the pose, you may feel that your spine is longer. This is great for improving posture.

This pose helps bring blood to your brain, It massages the thyroid, lymph nodes and compresses the throat. This improves sinus congestion, colds, tonsillitis and is great for digestion. This is because you're on the crown of your head. It's easier then inversions because you're not completely upside down and great for beginners. It can be practiced after doing child's pose.

Having balanced hormones helps us feel better in many ways. Hormones affect our emotions. Practicing yoga on a regular basis helps improve our hormone imbalances. Rabbit pose is one pose that can help because it stimulates the endocrine function.

Rabbit Pose is quite refreshing for the brain. It relieves mental fatigue, insomnia and depression. It also improves memory and focus.

Those suffering from aches and pain of the head, neck and back should practice rabbit pose, as it helps prevent and cure these common problems.

Stretching yourself like a rabbit benefits you in many ways, mostly the upper body as it lengthens the spine and stretches the back, arms, and shoulders. This is definitely a pose to be enjoyed.

Steps for Rabbit Pose

1. Grab heels with thumbs on the outside, fingers on the inside.
2. Roll forward until forehead is close to knees.
3. Pull on heels lifting hips high with very little weight on head with heavy knees.
4. Keep 25% of weight in head, and 75% weight in the knees.
5. Keep shoulders away from ears, stomach tight and heels together.
6. Try to get your forehead and knees closer and closer together.
7. Eventually you should pull on your heels so much that your arms straighten.
8. Hold for 5 breaths.
9. Come out of the pose slowly, vertebra by vertebra, and rest in child's pose.

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