Anantasana

Named for Ananta, the serpent on which Vishnu reclines. The posture is documented in twentieth-century sources rather than the classical texts, though the image it draws on is ancient.

• Stretches the hamstrings of the lifted leg while opening the shoulder of the supporting arm
• Builds side-body core stability needed to keep the torso from rolling forward or back
• Improves balance and coordination while lying on one's side
• Lengthens the whole lateral line of the body from ankle to fingertips

1. Lie on the left side with the body in one line, legs stacked.
2. Extend the left arm overhead and rest the head on it, or bend the elbow and support the head in the hand.
3. Bend the right knee and take hold of the big toe with the right hand, or use a strap.
4. Straighten the right leg upward, keeping the hips stacked.
5. Press the left leg down for stability and keep the chest open.
6. Hold five to eight breaths and change sides.

• Torso rolling forward onto the front of the body — stack the hips and shoulders vertically, using the top hand's grip on the foot to help maintain the line.
• Collapsing into the supporting elbow — prop the head on the palm with the elbow stacked under the shoulder, not sunk toward the floor.
• Gripping the lifted leg's foot with a bent knee — extend the leg as straight as comfortable; use a strap around the foot if the hamstring is tight.
• Holding the breath while balancing — keep the breath steady and let the supporting side body do the stabilising work, not tension in the chest.

• Strap-assisted version: loop a strap around the raised foot if the hand cannot reach it with a straight leg.
• Bent-knee version: keep the lifted knee softly bent for an easier hip and hamstring stretch.
• Supported head version: rest the head on a block or the floor instead of the propped hand for a restorative variation.
• Dynamic entry: lift and lower the top leg with the breath a few times before holding, to warm the hip before the static stretch.

Because the pose asks for lateral extension and balance simultaneously, the breath is kept even and unhurried, with attention drawn to the long line of the body's side, from grounded hip to reaching foot.

Named for Ananta, the many-headed serpent on which Vishnu is said to recline in cosmic rest, the pose evokes a quality of relaxed, supported extension even while the body is actively working to stay balanced.

Side-lying removes the floor's help, so the deep hip stabilisers have to keep the pelvis from rolling while the raised hamstring lengthens. Most people roll backwards without noticing; stacking the hips and pressing the lower leg down is what makes the stretch honest. A strap around the lifted foot keeps the shoulder out of trouble.