Supta Kurmasana

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These posts are NOT meant to be instructional.  They are about a personal endeavor of mine.  Some of these postures are extremely dangerous and can result in severe injury.  This type of yoga is ADVANCED, takes years to master and should not be attempted without the direct supervision of a well-qualified yoga instructor.  

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At yoga class the teacher shouts over the music: "suppaa  kamanasumasaana" (or at least that's what I hear) and to be honest, in the past I have always just ignored the fancy yoga terminology and waited for the English translation.  Reading this book, however, is giving me a new understanding and appreciation for the terminology involved with this sport.  According to David Swenson, the author of Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual, Supta Kurmasana can be translated to mean the following: "Supta = Sleeping" and "Kurma = Tortoise" (104).  In the introduction section of the book, Swenson wrote, "Asana means Posture" (7).  This fancy name means "Sleeping Tortoise Posture" (104).  Now that makes perfect sense and now it makes sense why my instructors seem to add "asana" on to the end of everything they say.

According to ashtangayoga.info, the sleeping tortoise pose should look something like this:

David offers three variations for this pose: one is the advanced version (shown above), another is an intermediate version, where the legs are extended, but not behind the head and, if needed a strap is used instead of direct clasping of the hands, and for the easiest version David suggests laying the hands down by the sides palm up (104).  I think I am a ways off from doing the advanced version injury free.  But I have done the other two versions many times in my practice.  I am going to use the hint provided in this book: "In order to take the hands behind the back it is imperative that the shoulders move under the knees.  You may then rotate the shoulders, which will enable the elbows to bend freely" (104) and see what I can accomplish.

There I go.  Getting my shoulders under my knees was easier said than done and the finger tips of my hands are barely grazing each other, but my head is on the ground and my feet are together right in front of it!!!  I call that a success.  Perhaps with enough practice I will get a foot, or maybe two behind my head one day.  I found Swenson's advice about getting my shoulders under knees to be especially helpful.  I might give this another go later and see if I can make any more progress.  Like Swenson says, "yoga is a lifelong journey" (264) and mastering a pose can take years.

I couldn't quite get the full expression of this posture and I am wondering if any other practitioners have suggestions for mastering this one?

Citations:

Swenson, David.  Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual. Korea: David Swenson and Eric Sod, 1999.

Steiner, Ronald and Team. "Supta Kurmasana." Ashtangayoga.info: International Info Page for Ashtanga Yoga. 28 October 2014 <http://www.ashtangayoga.info/practice/primary-series-yoga-chikitsa/item/supta-kurmasana/>.