Supta Parivrtta Garudasana: For Spine’s Flexibility

Supta Parivrtta Garudasana at a Glance

Introduction

Supta Parivrtta Garudasana, or reclined twisting pose or reclining eagle spinal twist, is a reclined twist with legs in variations resembling the legs in the eagle pose. The pose is powerful, combining flexibility, balance, twisting and strength. The crossed legs in the supine position of the pose resemble Garudasana with a twist of the upper body, resembling twisted roots that look like a tree.

Chakras

Supta Parivrtta Garudasana stimulates almost all the chakras and helps detoxify and balance the practitioner’s energy. The pose helps ignite inner strength and confidence. The pose twist helps release the emotional blockages and find clarity in expression.

Philosophy

The pose facilitates the release of tension and negative energies. The pose signifies complete surrender and letting go, rejuvenating a person. The pose reminds you of maintaining grace in every situation of life. It signifies both masculine and feminine energies as strength and flexibility together. The pose maintains a harmonious approach toward life if practiced regularly in your yoga sequences.

How to Do Supta Parivrtta Garudasana?

Follow the Step-by-Step Instructions

• Start with lying down on your mat. Bend your knees and bring them to your chest.
• Cross your right leg over the left foot, like in Garudasana. Try to hook the right foot behind the left leg (extended leg) for a good hold, forming eagle legs.
• Extend your arms outside at the shoulder height. Your palms should face down.
• Cross your right arm over the left. Wrap the right forearm around the left forearm. Try to get the palms together after wrapping.
• Keep the legs and arms crossed, pinning your left knee to the floor, slowly lowering the arms to the left side, and turning your left shoulder with your head to the right side. The twist should start from the base of the spine.
• Maintain deep breathing and gaze softly with your left thigh over your right thigh. Hold the pose for a few breaths.
• Release the pose by uncrossing your legs and arms slowly.
• Switch legs and arms. Repeat on the other side.

What are the Benefits of Supta Parivrtta Garudasana?

• The twisting motion in the pose improves spinal flexibility and reduces stiffness.
• The pose strengthens the muscles of the hips, shoulders, and chest.
• The pose improves concentration and focus of the body.
• The pose aids digestion by good abdominal organ stretch.
• The pose stretches the hip flexors and improves hip mobility.
• The twisting motion helps to detoxify the body.

Health Conditions that Might Benefit from Supta Parivrtta Garudasana

• Supta Parivrtta Garudasana helps to relieve lower back pain by promoting spinal flexibility.
• The pose helps in aiding good digestion by massaging the digestive organs.
• The pose helps to enhance balance and coordination of the body.
• Deep breathing in the twisted pose helps open the chest completely, thus assisting in good respiratory function.

Safety and Precautions

• People with recent hip, back, and shoulder injuries should avoid or modify the pose.
• People with spinal issues such as sciatica should avoid the pose.
• People with high blood pressure should avoid the pose as it may temporarily increase the blood pressure.
• Pregnant women should avoid the deep twist in the pose as it may put pressure on the abdomen.
• People with any abdominal surgery should avoid the pose.
• People with any surgery on hips, knees, or shoulders should avoid or modify the pose as it may worsen the condition.
• People with cardiovascular issues should avoid or modify the pose.

Beginner’s Tips

• Always start with gentle stretches and warm up your hips, legs and shoulders.
• You can hold the opposite shoulders if palms can’t be reached.
• Practice Garudasana (Eagle pose) before practicing this pose.
• Use a yoga block or folded blanket for your legs or head while you twist.
• Maintain steady, conscious, deep breaths throughout the pose.
• Hold the pose for a comfortable duration of time.
• Practice regularly and take the help of a yoga teacher.

Supta Parivrtta Garudasana and the Breath

• Lie on your yoga mat. Inhale and exhale, cross the right leg over the left foot, forming eagle legs. Try to hook your legs for a good hold by inhaling and exhaling deeply.
• Inhale and exhale. You can keep your arms as cactus arms or keep them wide apart.
• Inhale and exhale, relax and move to your knees to your right side, with your head and gaze at the left side. Keep your spine straight, and engage your core.
• Hold the pose for a few breaths repeat on the other side and move to your knees to your left side.
• Inhale and exhale, finally come to the starting position and relax.

Physical Alignment Principles of Supta Parivrtta Garudasana

• During the twist maintain a straight spine. Keep your shoulder relaxed and your chest lifted. There should not be any strain on your neck.
• Keep your hands stretched and straight.
• You can do the variations of your legs if uncomfortable with eagle legs. In eagle legs hold the legs tightly during the pose.
• While twisting on one side, progress slowly and reach the floor. Try to find comfort in the pose while holding the pose. There should not be any strain on any part of the body.

Common Mistakes

• Maintain deep breathing throughout this pose as it twists, so progress slowly.
• Do a few stretches before opening your body.
• Do not suddenly twist in the pose with eagle legs. Move with deep breathing and relaxing in the pose.
• Focus on alignment of your body with each inhalation and exhalation.

Variations

• You can practice the supta matsyendrasana pose as its variation by straightening the legs and crossing over each other. The arms are stretched to the sides.
• You can keep the bottom leg straight or bent and the other leg bent at the knee for supine spinal twist yoga pose I (in supta matsyendrasana), for the Supta Parivrtta Garudasana pose variation.
• You can practice a combination of reclined eagle pose (Supta Garudasana) in the lower body and with the upper body in the supta matsyendrasana I. All the benefits of supta matsyendrasana apply to this pose.

The Bottom Line

Supta Parivrtta Garudasana or Reclining Eagle Spinal Twist Pose is a great asana to open up the hips, shoulders, lower back and chest. Practice this pose in your sequences daily and you will see significant improvement in flexibility and strength. This pose detoxifies the whole body so it’s a great addition to any yoga practice.

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