Eye of the Needle (Sucirandhrasana)
The Story Behind the Name:
Sucirandhrasana – Eye of the Needle (SOO-CHEE-RAHN-DAHS-ANNA) is a gentle hip stretch that’s very accessible for beginners where the practicionaries cross the ankle over the opposite thigh, then pull the shin toward the chest to stretch the hip.
Sucirandhrasana – Eye of the Needle Pose is a gentle variation of Pigeon Pose to open up tight hips and it is also known as Reverse Pigeon Pose.
Eye of the Needle Pose is basically the same stretch as Pigeon, but it’s done lying on back and that helps and make it much easier to control the intensity.
Sucirandhrasana comes from three Sanskrit words:
- Suci= Needle,
- Randhra = Loop or opening and
- Asana = Posture or Pose
Sucirandhrasana – Eye of the Needle Pose works well in a warm-up sequence before yoga class and helps to open the hips and calms the mind.
Difficulty Level:
- Beginner
Drishti point:
- Nose
Technical details and how to start:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet on the floor.
- Catch and bring your left knee into your chest.
- Cross your right foot over your body and rest your right ankle on the left knee / thigh.
- Let your right knee relax away from your torso.
- Using your hands, draw your left knee / thigh toward your chest while exhaling. This will cause your right hip to open. Make sure that your shoulder and head are on the ground.
- Continue to breathe deeply and relax the right knee to open the hips.
- Repeat on the other side.
Health Benefits:
- Opens the hips and legs.
- Releases the lower back.
- Relieves anxiety and calms the mind.
Beginner’s tips
- Do not force the stretch.
- Keep the back flat on the mat. Do not raise your head or shoulders.
- Keep the right foot flexed to protect your knee.
- Don’t lift your tailbone, shoulders, and buttocks from the floor.
Safety Precautions
- Avoid this pose if you have any shoulder, hip, knee, spinal or lower back injury.
- Pregnant women also should avoid this pose.
- If you feel any pain, come out of the pose.
- If you have any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practicing yoga.
Please Note:
People who decide to start practising Yoga and who are suffering from any cardiac problem, asthma, back pain, high blood pressure, neck, shoulder or spine injury or any other health related issue, should consult a doctor before starting any yogic activities and eliminate the positions that are not suitable for their particular case. Also, some particular asanas such as inversion asanas are not recommended for female practitioners who are menstruating.
