supta kurmasana ad infinitum

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the following is an excerpt from an instructional

text on various postures with vinyasa--it is not an

ashtanga text. bracketed comments are mine<br><br>Supta

Kurmasana<br>Supta means sleeping or reclining, Kurmasana means

tortoise or turtle<br>Caution: this posture is a

continuation of Tortoise Posture [Kurmasana}, and should be

attempted only when you have begun to make some progress

getting the shoulders down under the knees in the

preceding posture....<br><br>Technique: Intermediate and

Advanced only<br>[from Kurmasana posture]<br>Inhale, turn

the palms face up, bend and lift the knees slightly,

lift the chest slightly, coming up out of tortoise

posture, bend the elbows, internally rotate the shoulders,

and move the arms back alongside the hips.<br>Exhale,

move the hands up and over the hips, and clasp them

behind the back at the waist, if possible. Now, move the

feet in toward one another, eventually crossing one

foot over the other and interlocking them at the

ankles. Last, tuck the head in between the feet and take

the forehead to the ground. Gaze is stright past the

end of the nose.<br>Note: using an extension device

(in this case a towel), to connect the hands can

facilitate the work in the pose<br>This is Sleeping Tortoise

posture--Hold for five breaths<br>Inhale, lift the

head<br>Exhale, release the hands and feet, but keep the legs in

position<br>Inhale, sit up with the knees still hanging over the back

of the upper arms, and place hands in front of

groin, then press forward and up, lifting up on the

hands, legs extended out over the shoulders or top of

arms [tittibhasana]<br>Exhale, lean forward slightly,

and fold first one legback, then the other leg back,

resting the knees on the back of the arms.... Jump

back<br>Inhale,Up dog<br>Exhale, Down dog<br>Inhale, jump through