Janu Sirsasana A — Knee to Head Posture A
Jānu Śīrsāsana A
Knee to Head Posture A
Jānu = knee
Śīrsa= head
Āsana= seat, posture
I feel as though Jānu Śīrsāsana A (knee to head pose “a” variation) is the seated posture version of “Triangle Pose” (Utthita Trikonāsana), in the sense that a yoga practice just wouldn’t be compete without it. Like triangle pose, jānu is a relatively basic and fundamental posture, nothing tricky or fancy here, but the way it makes you feel is simply wonderful!
The anatomical benefits of jānu śīrsāsana are that it stretches the hamstring and calf muscles of the extended leg, opens the hip of the externally rotated bent leg, while stretching the back and gluteal muscles overall. These are obvious and easily felt when performing the posture, but it also has physiological and energetic benefits as well.
Physiologically, it massages all of the vital organs. It tones the liver and spleen thereby aiding in digestion, as well as conditions and stimulates the kidneys (an effect which can be felt when performing the posture). Men suffering from an enlarged prostate can experience relief and healing from this pose if practiced regularly for an extended period of time. Jānu śīrsāsana also relieves fatigue in the legs as a result of the anatomical stretching benefits described above.
Energetically speaking, jānu śīrsāsana brings calmness to the mind. Due to the chest folding over the extended leg, the heart is lowered and brought close to gravity- this causes the heart to slow down. The calming effect from the slower heart rate is received by the central nervous system and sent to the brain.
Additionally, since we fold forward in jānu śīrsāsana thereby extending and stretching the back of our body, we heighten our awareness of the “back body” or “Western side of the body”. This heightened awareness to the “Western/back side” of the body creates a reflective mind instead of an outward mind :)
Here is a YouTube link on jānu śīrsāsana and the bandhas by one of my teachers and fellow Miamian, Kino MacGregor: