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| Knees, Chest, and Chin to the Floor |
Position 7: Ahstang Pranam—Knees, Chest, and Chin to the Floor
Exhale as you slowly, and with control, lower yourself down so that your knees, chest, and chin touch the floor. Your pelvis and the mid-section of your torso remain lifted off the floor. Your feet are flexed and touching the floor, toes curled under. Your hands are placed with palms flat on the floor next to your shoulders. Your elbows are raised and your upper arms are aligned to be as straight, close, and parallel to your torso as possible. This position is known as ashtang pranam—“Eight- Limbed Prostration”—because only eight “limbs” of your body are in contact with the floor (your feet, knees, hands, chest, and chin). The name of this pose reminds us that in this series of movements that comprise the Sun Salutation, we are prostrating ourselves before the sun.
Exhale as you slowly, and with control, lower yourself down so that your knees, chest, and chin touch the floor. Your pelvis and the mid-section of your torso remain lifted off the floor. Your feet are flexed and touching the floor, toes curled under. Your hands are placed with palms flat on the floor next to your shoulders. Your elbows are raised and your upper arms are aligned to be as straight, close, and parallel to your torso as possible. This position is known as ashtang pranam—“Eight- Limbed Prostration”—because only eight “limbs” of your body are in contact with the floor (your feet, knees, hands, chest, and chin). The name of this pose reminds us that in this series of movements that comprise the Sun Salutation, we are prostrating ourselves before the sun.
