Setting up Gate Pose (Parighasana) involves specific positioning of the legs and maintaining proper spinal alignment. Based on the provided reference, the initial setup focuses on extending one leg to the side and ensuring the head and neck are properly aligned.
Initial Leg Placement
To begin setting up for Gate Pose, you typically start from a kneeling position. From here, you extend one leg out to the side. According to the reference, this movement involves:
- Swinging the toes of one foot (e.g., the left toes) towards the side of the mat.
- Allowing the other foot (e.g., the right toes) to follow naturally as the leg extends out.
This creates the foundational leg stance for the pose, with one knee grounded and the other leg extended sideways with the foot flat on the floor, or with the heel down and toes pointing up depending on flexibility and variations.
Head and Neck Alignment
As you build the pose, pay attention to the alignment of your upper body. The reference highlights a key alignment cue:
- "The neck extend to the crown of the head here as we build gate pose."
This emphasizes lengthening the spine upwards through the neck, imagining a line extending from the collarbones up through the top of the head. This helps maintain good posture and spinal integrity throughout the pose.
By positioning the extended leg and focusing on the upward extension of the neck and spine, you establish the core foundation for Gate Pose before potentially moving into the side bend.
