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Standing Hand To Toe

6/3/2019

3 Comments

 
Picture
Labanya Palit, 1955
Picture
Buddha Bose, 1938
In Labanya Palit's book from 1955, we have instruction from yet another of Bishnu Ghosh's students. Much of the information is similar to the other instructors in the tradition, reinforcing our understanding of the goals and practices.

Some practices that Labanya instructs are less common, and it is illuminating to place them in the context of history. One of these peripheral postures is Standing Hand to Toe, pictured above. 

​This posture involves balancing on one leg and holding the toe with the hand. It is a relatively less difficult version of the popular Standing Head to Knee, since Hand to Toe allows the body to be more upright and only one hand needs to reach forward. This makes balance a lot easier.

In 1938, Buddha Bose (pictured above, right) instructed the posture with a little twist, holding the foot with the opposite hand. This adds an element of crossing the body, which can make balance more difficult. But it allows a little twist, so it doesn't require as much flexibility in the lifted leg/hamstring.

Now, Labanya (pictured above, left) has a version where the toe is held by the hand of the same side. This is similar to the yoga traditions of South India like Krishnamacharya and Iyengar. It doesn't cross the body but requires a little more flexibility in the lifted leg. 

As mentioned above, either of these positions is useful for anyone who struggles with the full expression of Standing Head to Knee. They require less strength and control, so they are great for beginners and older students.
3 Comments
Nally link
6/6/2019 11:30:43 am

This is so helpful. I have often wondered about the engagement of the muscles in a locked knee. So in the Ghosh lineage, I'm guess a locked knee is quad and hamstring engagement?

Reply
Libby Walunas
6/11/2019 05:25:57 am

Interesting that Labanya’s is similar to Iyengar’s and predates *Light on Yoga* by quite a while. Was there a lot of communication between regions during the 50s, or is parallel development pretty much coincidental coming out of common roots?

Reply
pengfei link
6/18/2022 12:03:55 am

Thank you for your content, this article is helpful to me, I am also a fan of standing meditation, and I also have some insights on my blog.

Reply



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    Scott & Ida are Yoga Acharyas (Masters of Yoga). They are scholars as well as practitioners of yogic postures, breath control and meditation. They are the head teachers of Ghosh Yoga.

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