Garland
MALA - GARLAND
ASANA - POSE
MALASANA
Garland Pose is a symmetrical standing pose which is a deep squat.
There’s lots of deep flexion going on here - at the hips, the knees and ankles as well as external rotation at the hips and spinal (axial) extension.
How to get into the pose:
From Mountain Pose, take your feet a little wider than your hips
Turn out your feet a little (but not too much)
Exhale as you sit down into a squat position
Keep your feet and your knees facing the same direction
Lengthen through your spine
Lift through your pelvic floor (mula bandha) and draw your navel to spine (uddiyana bandha)
You could bring your palms together at the heart centre and use the upper arms against the inner knees to encourage further gentle rotation outward at the hips
If you have tight calf muscles or insufficient dorsiflexion at the ankle, your heels might not reach the mat, that is ok … adapt accordingly for your body (see below)
Garland Pose is challenging for the lower body if you are not used to sitting in this way - keep practicing and take adjustments
Remember to create the balance between effort and ease in your pose.
How long to stay in the pose:
At least five deep breaths
Gaze (Drishti)
Open
Modifications you can take to make this pose more accessible:
If your heels don’t reach the mat, you could place a rolled up blanket underneath the heels for support
If your knees feel under pressure, you could sit onto a block, or a chair rather than dropping the hips down towards the mat
Challenges:
Keep your feet as close together as possible
Contraindications / Cautions:
Practice with caution if you have a hip, knee, ankle or lower back condition or recent surgery.