 (my-yer-ahs-anna)
mayura = peacock
Step by Step
Kneel on the floor, knees wide, and sit on your
heels. Lean forward and press your palms on the floor
with your fingers turned back toward your torso (thumbs
pointing out to the sides). Bend your elbows slightly
and touch the pinky sides of your hands and the outer
forearms (up to the elbows) together. Then bend your
elbows to a right angle and slide your knees to the
outside of your arms and forward of your hands. Lean
your front torso onto the backs of your upper arms
and burrow your elbows deep into your belly at or
below the navel.
If your elbows slide apart, you can bind them together
with a strap. Position the strap just above your elbows.
If you can't quite manage the full pose (as described
in the next step), support your feet on a block (sitting
on one of its sides), placed near the back end of
your sticky mat.
Firm your belly against the pressure of the elbows.
Lower your forehead to the floor. Then, straighten
your knees and stretch your legs out behind your torso,
tops of your feet on the floor. Firm your buttocks
and round your shoulders slightly downward. Lift your
head off the floor and look forward. Lean your weight
slightly forward—if your legs and buttocks are
firm and active, this slight shift of weight will
lever your feet off the floor. Position your torso
and legs approximately parallel to the floor.
Hold at first for about 10 seconds, gradually increasing
your time to 30 seconds as you gain more experience
with the pose. Then lower your head and feet to the
floor, bend your knees, and lift your torso off your
arms.
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