(hah-new-mahn-AHS-anna)“Itwasthegreatestleapevertaken.ThespeedofHanuman’sjumppulledblossomsandflowersintotheairafterhimandtheyfelllikelittlestarsonthewavingtreetops.Theanimalsonthebeachhadneverseensuchathing;theycheeredHanuman,thentheairburnedfromhispassage,andredcloudsflamedoverthesky...”(Ramayana,retoldbyWilliamBuck).Thisposethen,inwhichthelegsaresplitforwardandback,mimicsHanuman’sfamousleapfromthesoutherntipofIndiatotheislandofSriLanka.Practicethisposeonabarefloor(withoutastickymat)withfoldedblanketsunderthebackkneeandfrontheel.Seealso SlowDown+TakeTimetoLearnMonkeyPose:Step-by-StepInstructionsStep1Kneelonthefloor.Stepyourrightfootforwardaboutafootinfrontofyourleftknee,androtateyourrightthighoutwardly.Dothisbyliftingtheinnersoleawayfromthefloorandrestingthefootontheouterheel.Step2Exhaleandleanyourtorsoforward,pressingyourfingertipstothefloor.Slowlyslideyourleftkneeback,straighteningthekneeandatthesametimedescendingtherightthightowardthefloor.Stopstraighteningthebackkneejustbeforeyoureachthelimitofyourstretch.SeealsoVIDEO: MonkeyPoseStep3Nowbegintopushtherightheelawayfromyourtorso.Becausewestartedwithastrongexternalrotationofthefrontleg,graduallyturntheleginwardasitstraightenstobringthekneecaptowardtheceiling.Asthefrontlegstraightens,resumepressingtheleftkneeback,andcarefullydescendthefrontoftheleftthighandthebackoftherightleg(andthebaseofthepelvis)tothefloor.Makesurethecenteroftherightkneepointsdirectlyuptowardtheceiling.Step4Alsochecktoseethatthebacklegextendsstraightoutofthehip(andisn’tangledouttotheside),andthatthecenterofthebackkneecapispressingdirectlyonthefloor.Keepthefrontlegactivebyextendingthroughtheheelandliftingtheballofthefoottowardtheceiling.BringthehandsintoAnjaliMudra(SalutationSeal)orstretchthearmsstraightuptowardtheceiling.Step5Stayinthisposefor30secondstoaminute.Tocomeout,pressyourhandstothefloor,turnthefrontlegoutslightly,andslowlyreturnthefrontheelandthebackkneetotheirstartingpositions.Thenreversethelegsandrepeatforthesamelengthoftime.Seealso