How to
support a kneeling position (7)
1 Chapter 1
describes how to practice simple yoga in a kneeling position. This chapter provides detailed information
about a kneeling position.
How you
can be seated in a kneeling position as described in this text -applies the
method of being seated cross-legged in a position that’s as near to a
completely developed cross-legged position as you can experience comfortably in
your present physical condition -to maintaining a kneeling position, not
cross-legged. To experience a beneficial position of your
body when you're kneeling as described here, you
need to be kneeling because you cannot sit
cross-legged comfortably in your present physical condition or due to circumstances of your external environment.
Don’t expect that you can benefit from the
physical position of kneeling by maintaining the position still. This chapter does not describe
how to benefit from the physical position of kneeling by maintaining the position still.
A position of kneeling is not sufficiently
integrated that you can benefit from the position itself by maintaining the
position still.
A rudimentary seated position on a firm, flat support with your legs
extended straight outward in front of your hips and a beneficial cross-legged
position that’s as near to a completely developed cross-legged
position as you can experience comfortably in your present
physical condition are the only positions that are described in this text that
can be beneficial to maintain still as long as your breathing is free and your
position is comfortable.
Some
influences that might not interfere with the beneficial motion and rest of
energy in your body when you’re moving can disrupt, block or spend the energy
in your body while you remain seated still. Experiencing energy, effort, tiring and rest
in the muscles that support your body upright while you remain seated still in
a beneficial position of your body is described in Chapter 3.
Every position of simple yoga that’s as near to
a completely developed cross-legged position as you can experience comfortably in
your present physical condition supports and improves your body thoroughly.
2 To
maintain a beneficial kneeling position as described here the support beneath
your body should be firm. The cushion or pile of folded cloth beneath
your posterior and the support beneath your knees, ankles and feet should be firm, not springy or spongy. If the support beneath any part
of your kneeling position is not firm, it’s possible that your position will
become uncomfortable soon and you will need to move your position relatively
often to be comfortable.
The
kneeling position described in this text is equally a seated position. Because your posterior (hips and the ends of
your thighs at your hips) is supported by being seated on a firm cushion, or seated on a stack of folded natural fiber cloth or a low bench the kneeling position that’s described in this text is equally a seated position. Because the kneeling position supports
your posterior firmly the kneeling position
is sometimes
described in this chapter as being seated.
Seat your posterior on
one or several firm cushions or a stack of folded cloth. The cushion or stack of folded cloth should be elevated
slightly higher in the middle and rounded downward toward the sides, if
possible, to ensure that your hips and the ends of your thighs at your hips are
supported firmly and comfortably.
Support your posterior directly
beneath where your thighs join your hips. If
you support the ends of your thighs near to where
your thighs join your hips but not directly beneath where your thighs join your
hips, the ends of your thighs will extend back beyond the point of the support beneath them. Then your hips will support your weight where they join your thighs –while your thighs will be supported at some
distance forward from where they join your hips. If you maintain that position
still your hips and thighs will gradually move
out of joint. You
won't experience any harm when you
support your posterior directly beneath where your thighs
join your hips.
The cushion or stack of
folded cloth that supports your posterior should be narrow enough from one side
to the other so that your legs between your knees and ankles are supported on
the rug or mat beneath them at both sides of the cushion or stack of cloth that
supports your posterior. Your legs should be parallel one with the other at both sides of the cushion or folded cloth
that
supports your posterior.
The support beneath your
posterior should be high enough so that your hips and the ends of your thighs
at your hips are elevated higher than your knees. Supporting your posterior at a higher level than your knees helps
to support your
body firmly and comfortably.
Don’t support your
posterior too high compared with the level of your knees. It’s not beneficial to support your posterior
very high compared with the level of your knees when you maintain a kneeling
position. Supporting your posterior very high compared with the level of your
knees does not help your position to be more stable or comfortable.
Your hips should be
level one side with the other. If
one hip is elevated higher than the other your backbone will curve inward
above the hip that's higher. That will interfere with straightening
and standing your backbone upright.
3 Support your
knees, ankles and feet on a rug, mat or folded cloth on the floor beneath them. You can place as many layers of folded cloth as you want on the
support that you kneel on. If you don't place enough
layers of folded cloth on the support that you kneel on your knees, ankles or
feet will press on the hard surface beneath them and will become uncomfortable or numb.
The rug, mat or folded
cloth beneath your knees, ankles and feet should not contain even a thin sponge
or elastic layer.
Support the ends of your
shins at your knees directly beneath where your shins join your knees. If you support the ends of your shins at your
knees near to where your shins join your knees but not directly beneath where
your shins join your knees, then your knees will be suspended above the support beneath them and your knees might move out of joint. Your knees won't
experience any harm when you support the ends of your shins at your knees directly beneath where your shins join your knees.
Your shins between your
knees and ankles should be supported in horizontal positions as much as the
shape and flexibility of your knees, ankles and feet allow.
You can place a small
firm cushion or a low roll of cloth on the surface beneath your ankles, in the
space between your ankles and the surface beneath them, to support your ankles
so that they won’t be forced into uncomfortable positions. Or you can allow your heels to tilt outward toward the sides and your toes
to point inward so there's less space between your
ankles and the surface beneath them. The sides of your big toes can touch with
small pressure.
Your knees should be located
apart far enough so that your position is held in place securely. Your knees should be located
apart far enough to maintain a stable position when you’re kneeling. If
your knees are not located apart far enough when you’re kneeling your position
won’t be held in place securely
by the muscles at the sides of your thighs, hips and backbone. Then it will be
difficult to hold your position still and you’ll tend to fall toward one side.
Your knees should not be
located far apart. If your knees are
located far apart the muscles of your thighs, hips
and abdomen won't support your position as thoroughly as they can when your knees are located at
a natural distance one from the other.
Don’t subject your
knees, ankles or feet to any position or pressure that’s uncomfortable.
4 Another way to
support your body in a kneeling position is to support your posterior on small
firm cushions or low rolls of cloth that you place under and above –or between
your ankles.
First kneel on the rug or
mat beneath you. Then lift your posterior as high as you need to place a small firm cushion
or a low roll of cloth on the
surface under your
ankles, then place a second small cushion or low
roll of cloth above your ankles with the ends of the
rolls toward the sides.
Then sit down on the
cushions or the rolls of cloth under and above your ankles. Your ankles should be located between the two
levels of cushions or rolls of cloth. Or you can place the second small cushion or roll of cloth parallel with your shins between your ankles.
Then sit down on the cushions or rolls of cloth
under and between your ankles.
Most of your weight will
be supported by the cushions or small rolls of cloth and won’t press down much
on your ankles and feet.
5 Another way
that you can support your body in a kneeling position is to support your
posterior on a low bench or a board that’s supported on the floor at both
ends. You can cover the upper surface of the
low bench or board with a firm cushion or folded cloth so that the surfce is not hard.
The bench or board
should be high enough above your ankles and wide enough so that your ankles and
feet have enough space beneath it. The bench or board should be supported firmly on the mat or floor
beneath it at both ends and should extend across the distance above your ankles
like a bridge. The bench
or board that supports your posterior can be lower at the front,
or the cushion or folded cloth covering the bench can be piled higher at the back, so that the lower
sides of the ends of your thighs at your hips won't press down uncomfortably
on the front edge of the support.
Your ankles and feet can rest
comfortably in the space between the bench or board and the surface beneath
them. When your posterior is supported on a low bench or board your weight does
not press down on your ankles and feet.
Your ankles and feet
should be free to move slightly in all of the kneeling positions described
here.
Small natural motions of your ankles and feet while you’re kneeling don’t interfere with maintaining a beneficial kneeling position.
6 You can begin
to support your body in a kneeling position by sitting on the rug or mat first,
before you place your legs and hips in a kneeling position. You should begin to support your body in a
kneeling position by sitting on the rug or mat first whenever you’re feeling weak or tired.
You need to support some of your weight on
your arms to place your body in a kneeling position. Extend both of your arms straight down beside
your body to support some of your weight on the palms of your hands. Your fingers and thumbs should be open and relaxed.
Ease your knees, ankles
and feet into a kneeling position. When you begin to bend your hips
and knees bend only a little and bend farther when you're confident that your hips,
knees and ankles are flexible enough.
Hold and move your body with all of your
attention so that you won’t stumble or fall. Move every part of your body carefully.
Don’t exert more than a
small muscular effort to lower your body into a kneeling position. You can hold and move your body strongly and skillfully
while at the same time you exert only a small muscular effort when you do it
slowly and carefully.
Don’t force or strain
any part of your body into a position that’s not comfortable. Don't use
your weight to crush your knees, ankles or feet into a kneeling position. Forcing your knees, ankles or feet
into any position even gradually is
harmful.
Don’t try to hold your
body upright or hold your head up or converse with another person until you
have completed placing your body in a kneeling position.
7 After you
have placed your knees, ankles and posterior in a beneficial kneeling position
don’t be concerned with those parts of your position until the end of that
session of remaining seated still.
You don’t need to
improve the positions of your knees, ankles or posterior after you have placed
them in a firm and comfortable kneeling position. If you’re concerned unnecessarily with the
condition of your knees, ankles or posterior after you have placed them in firm and comfortable positions, your knees, ankles or posterior might
become uncomfortable. Then you might need to move or rest for a while before you can support your
body in a comfortable kneeling position again.
8 When you
have seated your posterior firmly and comfortably and your knees, ankles and
feet are supported firmly and comfortably in kneeling positions, and you -
Stand your backbone
upright and curved or leaned forward far enough to support more of your weight
on your knees, then - You need to stand your backbone upright and curved or leaned forward far enough to support more of your weight on
your knees so that the upright position of your backbone will be
reliably beneficial while you remain seated still.
The muscles beneath your thighs and posterior
and at the back of your body will exert effort –or stretch more than they exert
effort ordinarily when you support your position upright, -
Allowing the muscles at the front of your
body to rest more than they rest ordinarily when you support your position
upright.
This distribution of
muscular effort and rest in the muscles that support your position upright can
help you to maintain your position upright nearly effortlessly.
9 You can
verify that the position of your backbone is beneficial by adjusting the angle that
you curve or lean forward to ensure that the inhalations of your breathing can
be effortless.
You can verify that your upright position is beneficial by exerting
muscular effort to exhale and inhaling effortlessly. As long as you can exert
muscular effort to exhale and inhale effortlessly, the upright position of your
body is beneficial. When you cannot exert muscular effort to exhale and inhale
effortlessly, then you should move to make your position comfortable or rest
from being seated upright if you can. How to verify that the position of your
backbone is beneficial is described in Chapter 1 and described in detail in
Chapter 8.
Don’t continue to maintain a kneeling
position if your breathing is not free or if your position is not comfortable. You won't benefit reliably from maintaining an uncomfortable
position and the discomfort might worsen.
You might be able to
maintain a beneficial kneeling position nearly effortlessly for 10 or 15
minutes.
You don't need to remain seated still for a
long time to experience the benefits of simple yoga. Even a moment of experiencing the best position of your body that you can is beneficial.
10 To rise
from a kneeling position, curve or lean forward far enough to support as much
of your weight as you can on the palms of both of your hands, with your fingers
and thumbs open and relaxed. Move your body freely while you’re rising
from a kneeling position. Your entire body should be flexible.
Lift your hips up slowly and carefully from
being supported on the cushion or low bench, relying on the strength of your
shoulders and arms to support and balance your body. Supporting as much of your
weight as you can on your arms allows your legs
to move together with agility to raise your body to a standing position.
Support some weight first
on one foot then support some weight on your other foot while continuing to
support as much of your weight as you need on your arms.
After you have raised your body up from a
kneeling position and you’re standing upright, press the front of your feet
downward to support more of your weight on the front of your feet than you
support ordinarily. This can
help to restore normal control and feeling in your feet, ankles and legs.
You can stand upright nearly
immediately after supporting your body in a beneficial kneeling position. When you begin to rise from a kneeling position your feet, ankles or legs might be unresponsive for a short time. If you regain normal control of your feet, ankles
and legs after a few seconds or minutes your position might
have been
beneficial. If you don't regain normal control of your feet, ankles
or legs after a few seconds or minutes, or if your feet,
ankles or legs feel uncomfortable several minutes after you have
stood upright from a kneeling position, then some aspect of your kneeling position might have been mistaken. Review Chapters 1, 5
and 8 to consider how to improve your position of kneeling.
11 Maintaining a
beneficial kneeling position loosens any stiffness and realigns any
dislocations that there might be in the joints of your hips, knees, ankles and
feet and vitalizes them.
Maintaining a beneficial kneeling position
develops flexibility, strength and control of your legs, hips and backbone that
help you to be seated in a beginner’s cross-legged position.