Frog (Bhekasana)
To come into full Bhekasana, lie on your belly. Then inhale, separate the legs slightly, bend the knees, and reach back and grab the tops of both feet with the hands, just as you did with one leg and hand in Eka Pada Bhekasana. Then, if possible, pivot on the palms of your hands so your wrists point back and your fingers point forward, in the same direction as your toes. (If you can’t manage this hand position, just repeat the position you used in the previous pose.)
As in Supta Virasana and Eka Pada Bhekasana, make absolutely sure your feet are correctly aligned before proceeding further. Then, on an exhalation, firmly push down on the tops of the feet to bring the toes and heels close to the ground alongside the hips; at the same time, lift your chest, head, and shoulders into a backbend. Take five to 10 breaths in this position, then come out of the posture on an exhalation, slowly releasing down to the floor.
After taking a few breaths to recover, repeat Bhekasana. To bring your spine back to neutral afterward, move through a gentle Surya Namaskar before lying down on your back, bringing your knees to your chest, and giving them a hug. Then rest for a few minutes in Savasana (Corpse Pose).
In Bhekasana, the full weight of the body is pressing into the belly even as you stretch exactly the same area. The effect of this combination is to direct quite a bit of prana (vital energy) to the second and third chakras, just below and above the navel, respectively. Consequently, you may notice that the pose has a powerful stimulating and cleansing effect on the digestive, reproductive, and eliminative systems of the body.
As you become able to lift more deeply into Bhekasana, it’s likely that you will also notice that the strength of your arms helps improve the stretch in your legs. The harder you can push down with your arms, the more opening you’ll achieve in the fronts of the thighs.
As you develop strength through yoga, you’ll naturally become more flexible and open. Your strength will help you push against the walls of your limitations, expand your horizons, and test new waters. Like the frog from the well, your view of the world will become larger. But the change in your perspective won’t surprise you or make your head explode into a million pieces, because—unlike the frog from the well—you have chosen to make your way to the shores of the Great Ocean consciously and methodically, awake every step of the way.