Supine twist – Supta Matsyendrasana
Supta means “reclined” and Matsyendrasana refers to the “Lord of the fishes seated twist”
A supine twist is a beautiful pose to open up the thoracic spine and the heart, to stimulate the digestive system and internal organs and to detox the body. Also deeply relaxing, the posture is restorative and practiced towards the end of a session before the final relaxation called Savasana. Unless you are suffering from sacroiliac issues, herniated lumbar disc or hiatus hernia, it is accessible to everyone and the safest way to practice a spinal twist whilst avoiding injury since the floor offers a great alignment for the spine.
*Note there is a variation for pregnancy which we will be exploring.
Instructions:
- Lay down on your back. Allow the feet to relax, the hips to open up and the shoulders to roll down. Gently press the back off the neck into the mat so that your chin slightly comes closer to the chest. Make sure you are equally balanced on both sides of the body.
- I invite you to close your eyes and take a moment to observe your body and your breath.
- Draw the right knee into the chest. To help stimulate the internal organs and aid digestion, you can gift yourself with this little massage by creating circles with the knee in one direction and then the other.
- Bring your left hand over your right knee, whilst the right arm is extended in a T shape at shoulder height, palm facing down to support yourself. You can also bend the arm at the elbow making what we call a “cactus arm”.
- Inhale deep into the chest allowing your lungs to fill up and your thoracic cage to expand. 6. On your next exhalation, draw the knee across to the left side, whilst keeping the shoulders and head connected to the floor. This means your knee does not need to reach the ground. Gently guide your knee with your left hand without force and allow your body to be the judge.
*Note you can place a pillow or bolster underneath the knee for support if desired.
- Stay here for a few breaths, allowing the chest to expand on the inhalation and drawing the navel in towards the spine on the exhalation.
- Repeat on the other side and remember to breathe and connect to the different sensations in the body.
Instructions for Pregnancy. During pregnancy, it is important to protect the growing belly, especially during the later trimesters. Therefore the supine twist in this case must happen in the upper part of the body.
- Gently lay down on your left side, bending the knees to protect your lower lumbar spine and place a bolster in between your knees and feet for comfort. Extend both arms forward at shoulder height, right palm over the left.
- On your next inhalation, keeping your knees together, bring your right arm all the way to the right side, allowing the back of the right hand and both shoulder blades to touch the ground, whilst opening up the thoracic cage. If this feels difficult, you can also place a pillow underneath the left knee and lower legs.
- Breathe. When lying down on your right side, it is recommended to slightly elevate the right side of the body by placing some pillows or bolsters underneath. This helps to avoid any compression on the inferior vena cava which is located behind the uterus on right hand side of the body.
Remember that as a pregnant woman, only you know what feels right for you and what does not. So please always use your own judgement and adjust as much as needed.
Enjoy the practice :)
Blue Karma Wellness
Written by Johanna Pollet (E-RYT 500hr Experienced Yoga Teacher)
