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Downward Facing Dog has been one of my favorite poses ever since I discovered that it works as a sleep-inducer. It’s better than a sleeping pill for fixing insomnia.

But I know it’s difficult for many new students to understand how active this pose is, and learn to relax in the pose.

Here’s a great description of the pose Asana Anatomy Downward Facing Dog – My Yoga Online:

“At the palms, our fingers are spread wide, distributing the weight evenly from the thumb side to the pinky finger side. This minimizes tension and discomfort in the wrists. There should be an ever so slight bend in the elbow, created by the biceps, avoiding hyperextension at the elbows. Imagine the eyes of your elbows (the crease) gently turning forward without changing the hands. This requires the pronator muscle of the forearm to engage the internal rotation of the lower arms, as the rotator cuff muscles (teres major and infraspinatus) turn the elbow eyes forward with outward rotation of the upper arms. “

If you need help relaxing at any time, try Downward Facing Dog — a couple of minutes in this pose, and you’ll face the world with new confidence.

[tags]yoga, yoga poses, downward facing dog[/tags]

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