Follow the following steps to complete the asana -
Start this pose by sitting with your legs outstretched in front of you. You can use a blanket or a pillow to raise your hips to ensure that you can sit with a straight back.
Now pull in your feet and place the soles of the feet together, as close as possible to your pelvis. While doing this you can let your knees fall out to your sides.
After this release your groins and the head of the thigh bones, and allow the knees to relax down as well. Do not push them.
The next step is to hold your big toes with the first two fingers and your thumb or you can even hold the outsides of your feet.
Now keep your pelvis level and sit with s straight back.
Make your shoulder blades firm into your upper back. This will help you open your heart.
Once you come to this pose you can stay in this pose for anywhere between 1 to 5 minutes.
To release this pose you can lift your knees and straighten your legs.
The main anatomical focus of this asana are the thighs. It helps to eliminate all the ailments and problems related things by making it flexible and stronger.
This asana is mainly beneficial for sciatica, asthma, infertility and high blood pressure.
There are several benefits of this asana. Some of them are as follows -
It is helpful in stimulating the abdominal organs, ovaries and prostate gland, bladder and the kidneys and keeps them healthy.
It also helps to stimulate the heart and improves general circulation throughout the body which will make all the other vital organs healthy.
It helps to stretch the inner thighs, groins and knees.
It helps to relieve mild depression, anxiety and fatigue.
It is very helpful to women especially during their menstrual period as it helps to soothe the menstrual discomfort and is also beneficial for sciatica.
It helps to relieve the symptoms of menopause.
It is beneficial for those who are suffering from problems like flat feet, high blood pressure, infertility and asthma.
This pose can be also practiced during pregnancy and it is believed that constant practice of this pose helps to ease childbirth.
It is also believed that this pose helps to destroy many diseases and helps to get rid of fatigue.
Even though this is a very beneficial pose there are certain instances when it is best to avoid it. In case you have groin or knee injuries try to avoid it or do it only under the supervision of an expert trainer. Also if you have having any difficulties perform this pose with a blanket support under the outer thighs. Those with cardiac problems and high blood pressure should be careful while bending.
At times beginners might face problems doing this pose, especially if they have very high knees and rounded back. In such case use a high support to sit, even if it is as high as a foot off the floor.
One can bring certain verifications in this pose to make it more suitable for them. To do so exhale and lean your torso forward between the knees and try to come forward from the hip joints and not the waist. Try to bend your elbows and push them against the inner thighs or calves but not on the knees. If you are not able to comfortably rest your head on the floor support it with a block or the front edge of a chair seat.
One can use the help of certain props to make this asana more comfortable and easy. To make the release of the heads of the thigh bones easy and smooth, fold two blankets and put one under each outer thigh, supporting the thigh an inch or so above their maximum stretch. After this lay a 10 pound sand bag on each inner groin, parallel to the crease between the thigh and pelvis. Now release the thigh heads away from the weight, and let them sink into the blankets. Try not to use the bags unless the thighs are supported.
Partnering can make this pose more fun and easy. They can help you to learn to work the inner thighs in this pose. Ask your partner to sit behind you and pull on the straps perpendicular to the line of the thighs. They can also press one foot lightly against the back of your pelvis at the same time. When they do this lean slightly forward and release the heads of the thigh bones away from the straps.
To be able to do this pose properly try out some preparatory poses like Supta Padangusthasana, Virasana and Vrksasana.
It is good to follow up this pose by a standing pose and most seated twists and forward bends.
You can deepen this pose by imagining that you have two partners, each pressing inward, toward the pelvis on a knee. From the middle of the sacrum, push out along the outer thighs against this imaginary resistance and them push the heels firmly together from the knees.