EIGHT CROOK POSE (Ashtavakrasana, pronounced ash-TAH-vuh-KRAH-suh-nuh)
ashta = eight
vakra = crooked, twisted
This pose is named after a character in the great Indian epic poem, the Mahabharata. His story isn’t a completely pleasant one, though it all turns out well enough in the end. Ashtavakra was the son of Kahoda, who was so devoted to his studies that he entirely neglected his wife, who was pregnant with Ashtavakra. The unborn child rebuked his father for neglecting his mother, which of course requires a willing suspension of disbelief, but it is, after all, a poem. Kahoda, instead of recognizing and correcting his inconsiderate behavior, became angered at his son for what he perceived as impertinence and condemned him to be born crooked, which he was in eight places. This isn’t the only example in Indian story-telling of a father cursing his son for calling him out. You might turn to chapter 1 of the Katha Upanishad, where you’ll read of Ushan’s treatment of his young son, Naciketas. It’s literally a hell of a story.
Anyway, as I said, the story has a relatively happy ending. Ashtavakra grew to be a very wise 12-year-old, and after winning a debate with a Buddhist sage, was instructed to bathe in the Samanga River, and was immediately straightened out.
Ashtavakrasana doesn’t appear to be a traditional pose. The oldest reference to it I found was in the Yoga Rahasya (Secret of Yoga), probably written in the 1920s or 1930s by T. Krishnamacharya. It bears some resemblance to another asana in that text, Kaundinyasana. Both of these poses are pictured but not described. You can, however, find them described in BKS Iyengar’s modern classic Light on Yoga (LoY, Iyengar undoubtably learned these poses from Krishnamacharya, his guru). Ashtavakra is #123, Koundinyasana (slightly different spelling, and named Dvi Pada Koundinyasana) is #158.
As you may know, each pose in LoY has a numerical “difficulty rating” based for some unexplained reason on a scale of 60 (coincidentally, I assume, the first number system invented by the Sumerians more than 5,000 years ago, was base 60). It’s often the case that the ratings, at least for the average Western student, are way too low, giving the impression that a rather challenging pose is fairly easy. The most glaring example, in my opinion, is Lotus (padmasana), which is rated at 4. Ashtavakrasana is a 13, which seems a bit low, rated not that much higher than a simple standing forward bend (uttanasana), an 8.
PREPARATION
It might be helpful, before trying the pose, especially for the first time, to try this simple preparation. Sit on the floor, legs stretched forward, hook your ankles, right in front of the left (the ankle of the bottom leg is hooked in front of the ankle of the top leg), and squeeze a block at its narrowest width between your thighs. Exhale, turn your torso to the right, press your hands widely on the floor, roll over onto your outer right hip and leg. Keeping your torso perpendicular to your legs, and with another exhale, lower your torso almost to the floor, hands wide to the sides, elbows more or less at right angles. Firmly press your ankles together and squeeze the block, reaching out through your heels. Your feet may lift slightly off the floor. Press your inner hands firmly to the floor and reach out from your mid-back through your elbows as if your arms were rooted in your spine. It’s probably best to look down at the floor. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute, then inhale and push yourself back to upright. Change the cross of your ankles, repeat to the left side for the same length of time, and again come up with an inhale. Remove the block, straighten your legs, and bounce your knees on the floor a few times.
USE OF PROPS
Now you may need some help with this pose until you get the hang of it. You could, for example, position a block, either at its lowest or middle height, where it’ll be directly under your sternum when you lower your torso. Instead of a block, you could lay a bolster on the floor perpendicular to your legs. Alternatively, you might position yourself on a bolster so that when you turn to the side, the length of your outer right hip and leg will be supported on the bolster.
FULL POSE
If you feel confident, however, that you have sufficient strength and balance needed for the full pose, then certainly try without any props. If you look at Mr. Iyengar’s photos of him doing this pose, you’ll see he enters it somewhat differently than what I’m about to describe. That’s because even in my salad days, I didn’t quite have the flexibility in the groins needed to do what he shows. I can only teach what I know, so if you want to follow Mr. I’s lead, consult LoY.
Again cross your right ankle over your left, and this time insert your right arm between your legs, just where you had the block, and work the back of your right arm or shoulder deep into the inner right leg. Then as you turn right and lower the torso with an exhale, squeeze your arm as you did the block and reach out through your heels. You don’t really need as much strength to lift into the pose as you might think. Just by squeezing your arm and reaching through your heels should be enough to elevate you into the pose.
Initially, hold for 30 seconds and release back to the floor with an inhale. Over time you might gradually increase your stay in the pose to a minute. When finished to the right, reverse these instructions and repeat to the left. When finished, again sit with legs stretched forward and bounce your knees on the floor. Be careful what you say to your father.
BENEFITS
According to LoY, Ashtavakrasana strengthens the wrists and arms and tones the abdominal muscles.
CONTRAINDICATIONS
Avoid this pose if you have any wrist, elbow, or shoulder injuries.
SUGGESTED PREPARATORY POSES
Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
Four-Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana)
Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)
Side Angle Stretch (Parshvakonasana), with the bottom arm pressing the inside of the forward leg