Asana Insight
Pose of the Month: Revolving Triangle Pose
Revolving Triangle Pose (Parvritta Trikonasana) is a wonderful heart-opening twist that sometimes gets lost in the balancing aspects of the pose. To explore the upper half of the pose with more support, take Revolving Triangle to the wall.
The photos above show two variations; in both, the outside of the hip closest to the wall is supported by the wall, the inside foot is a few inches from the wall, and the top arm is actively pushing into the wall. In the first variation, pushing the top arm (and back of the hand) into the wall will give you a sense of the heart-opening action in the pose. Opening your chest as you reach the arm back to the wall. In the second variation, pushing to top arm (and palm of the hand) into the wall is particularly helpful for finding the vertical alignment from your top hand, through your chest, to your bottom hand.
After trying the pose at the wall, take the pose away from the wall and try to recreate the actions and alignment that you discovered at the wall.
Parvritta, which is often translated as "rotating" or "twisting" can also mean a "turning of the heart". In this pose, the actions and alignment you discover at the wall emphasize the turning of your heart out and away - as if your heart were reaching for something. The back muscles are the primary rotating muscles in this alignment, and the belly is soft and stretched. Often, this pose is practiced with the opposite alignment: the top shoulder slumps forward, the back is stretched, and the heart is closed, pointing down. Use your practice at the wall to find the heart-opening alignment.