Trikonasana (Three Angle Pose)

Stand erect. Keep your legs two feet apart. Now stretch your arms wide on the sides in a line with the shoulders. The arms must now be quite parallel to the ground. You might have done this portion of the exercise in your drill class in the school. Now bend slowly to the right. Keep the left knee stiff and erect. This is important. Touch the right toe with the fingers of the right hand. Bend the neck slightly to the right. It may touch the right shoulder. Now stretch the left arm above. Retain the posture for 2 or 3 minutes. Breathe slowly. Again you can practise on the left side. Let the fingers of the left hand touch the left toe. Stretch the right arm in the air as before. Do 3 or 6 times on each side.

BENEFITS

This Asana gives very good lateral movements to the spine. It is an auxiliary Asana to Ardha Matsyendrasana. It amplifies and fulfils the Matsyendrasana. Mr. Muller also gives a description of this Asana in his system of physical culture exercises. If you have a healthy spine, you can sit in your meditation in one Asana for many hours without fatigue. For a Yogi the spine or Meru Danda is a great thing as it is connected with the spinal cord and the sympathetic system. It is the spine that contains the important Sushumna Nadi which plays a vital part in the Kundalini movement. This Asana tones the spinal nerves and the abdominal organs, increases peristalsis of the bowels and invigorates appetite. Constipation is relieved. The body becomes light. Those who suffer from shortening of the leg due to fracture of hip or thigh bone (Femur) or bones of the leg (Tibia or Fibula) will be benefited by this Asana. This Asana lengthens the legs. Krishna Kumar Bhargava, Advocate, Sitapur, practised this Asana for three months. His legs became lengthened and he was able to walk one or two miles later.