
The octagon is one of the most beautiful advanced yoga poses. However, to successfully conquer, you will have to overcome many challenges and need to break all the limits of your body.
When looking at the octagon or the Astavakrasana for the first time, everyone must be wondering how they did it. The octagon is a type of rocket yoga, an advanced pose that requires a combination of many factors from core strength to flexibility and balance. However, if you persevere and practice step by step, you can still conquer this pose. Let’s continue with easyhealthylive.com to see the shares below to better understand this super beautiful but also challenging yoga pose.
Benefits of the eight-angle pose in yoga
Practicing the yoga octagon regularly will help you strengthen your arms and abs, and improve core strength and balance. In addition, this pose also helps relieve stress and gives you confidence:
Lessons about balance
First, you need to know that the octagon in yoga is a hand balance, so if you want to do it successfully, you will need a lot of arm strength and especially patience.
This pose will create opposing forces for you to achieve your goals. Therefore, the most important thing in this pose is still balance. As you practice, you’ll find life is a delicate balance between push and pull. To overcome challenging situations for new yoga, you need to know how to stay calm and focused.
The octagon is an important lesson for you to master most poses, especially the advanced ones.
Accept all situations and challenges
The eight-angle pose has the Sanskrit name Astavakrasana, which is the name of an ancient sage, Astavakra. According to legend, this sage was cursed by his father while in the womb and as a result his body was bent in eight places. However, despite his imperfect body, Astavakra did not let that bind him.
Mental strength is the key to a happy life and the key to conquering difficult poses. Never think that you are too weak or too inflexible to master difficult poses. Instead, be confident and humble enough to accept your body and have the patience to achieve great things. This process can take weeks, months, or even years. It is important that you accept everything about yourself as the sage Astavakra did.
The octagonal pose gives you confidence
According to the yoga literature, the eight-angle pose helps to unleash the energy located below the breastbone and above the navel. This is the area of self-esteem and confidence. When this energy is activated, you will feel extremely strong and confident.
It’s okay if you can’t conquer the octagon. Importantly in your practice, what you have learned and the lessons you learn about yourself doing this pose will be invaluable.
Instructions for performing the holy movement Astavakrasana
To do Astavakrasana, you can follow these 4 steps:
Step 1:
- Start in a comfortable sitting position. Inhale, raise left leg above shoulder
- Press the foot firmly into the arm, then hug the arm with the foot
- If the leg cannot be placed on the shoulder, hold it with both hands at the highest point and breathe evenly.
Step 2:
- Exhale, place your hands at your sides
- Keeping left foot pressure on shoulder, inhale, cross right leg over left, hook ankle around shoulder
- The left leg may slip off the shoulder but you just need to make sure it sticks to the arm.
How to do Astavakrasana in just 4 steps
Step 3:
- Squeeze your hands, exhale to slide your hips along the floor
- Inhale, lift both of you off the floor like in a fish pose, then raise your shoulders in line with your elbows.
Step 4:
- Keeping your shoulders fixed, exhale, and press your upper leg firmly into your arms to raise your hips
- Kick your heels forward, straightening your legs while squeezing your left arm with both thighs
- Raise your head but don’t tilt your neck. Think about moving your hips back and chest forward
- Hold the pose for 3 breaths, then bend your knees and lower yourself down.
Some common mistakes when performing the octagon pose
The eight-angle pose is a difficult yoga pose, when performing, you need to note some of the following common mistakes:
- Place your hands too close to your hips. Your hands need to be about the same distance from your hips as your feet so you can bend your elbows and raise your hips.
- Elbows are outward, not close to the ribs. This will cause the shoulders to drop too low and put a lot of pressure on.
As with other advanced yoga poses, there are ways to conquer the eight-angle pose. Since you have to lift your whole body up when you do this, you can place yoga blocks under your hands to press in and support the body lift.
Avoid doing this pose if you have a shoulder, wrist, or elbow injury. Remember that this is an advanced pose that requires proper hip mobility, balance, and core strength. You need to build on these elements before you start practicing. And don’t forget, connect with a professional yoga teacher of easyhealthylive.com for specific instructions.
Reference source
How to Do Eight Angle Pose (Astavakrasana) in Yoga https://www.verywellfit.com/eight-angle-pos-astavakrasana-3567074 Accessed: 11/26/2020
The Holistic Benefits of Eight Angle Pose https://www.doyou.com/the-holistic-benefits-of-eight-angle-pos-89018/ Accessed date: 11/26/2020

John Alen was born in 1971 and is a doctor in the healthcare and psychology fields with many years of experience. He is currently working at easyhealthylive.com, a leading health and psychology blog. Having studied at Y1 National Medical University named after IM Sechenov, John Alen is using his knowledge and experience to help improve the physical and mental health of people in the United States.