Tri (= three)
Kona (= angle)
Trikona = a Triangle

Eugenia shows an advanced Triangle (left). Unless you are already advanced in Yoga, there is no point in trying this yet. Detailed preliminary instructions are provided below.

When you practice this posture, visualize the image of the sacral (2nd Chakra) and its orange-red color (shown in far right column), and focus on that area of your body (about an inch above your tailbone). If you have not read about this Chakra yet, you can click on the image to the right to go directly to the 2nd Chakra series. It will help you visualize this part of your body better.

If a link from the 2nd Chakra (Svadhisthana) series brought you to this page, this posture is quite specific for opening up that area of the Chakra system. However, these postures can be done by anyone for many other reasons. Benefits are also provided below.

Here are some preliminary stretches to help you attain the final goal. If you want to return to the Chakra series, there is a link to the next Chakra at the bottom of this page.

Detailed Instructions

• STRETCH: Stand with your feet apart and your back straight, and your arms down by your side. Take a deep breath and with exhalation, stretch your arms over your head in a v-shape (as Eugenia shows, left).
• Wait a moment and stretch your spine and arms up high. Inhale, relax your arms. Repeat 3 times. Center yourself each time before you take the first deep breath.

• TWIST: Add a twist. Stand with your feet apart and your back straight with your arms down by your side. Take a deep breath and then with exhalation, stretch your arms over your head in a v-shape (as shown in previous instruction above).
• Inhale and center yourself while in this position, and then exhale again. Wait to inhale while you twist your upper body to the left. Feel the stretch all along your spine.
• Inhale and return to center and relax your arms. Repeat 3 times, then repeat again 3 times on the other side. Stretching this way will help you to become more flexible to accomplish the goal—The Triangle.

• After you have completed three rounds in both directions, swing back and forth, twisting loose. This helps to release more tension.
• The balance of weight through your legs should be directed into the soles of both feet and remain there for stability. Try to maintain this balance while you bend over to one side. This is important to remember.

 

 

Bending Forward and Down

Another important aspect of all postures that require you to bend forward and down is the way in which you bend your spine. There is a correct way to do this to avoid injuries (especially important if you have back problems).

Good posture is necessary to do any exercise properly without injury to the spine. These three images (below) show distinct postures that are very common. Look at them, side by side. The good posture is obvious. It changes the entire body and how it looks, even the feeling. Of course, it's the last one on the right that is correct.

 

• POSTURES: The first image (left) shows how a body looks when one allows the stomach to hang out, without awareness. Not a nice picture, is it? This is a perfect example of weak stomach muscles. Many people with this posture are probably in pain often. The posture can indicate someone who is trying to stand out, but feels very insecure about doing so.
• The second image (center), another bad postures, is when someone allows the pelvis to disappear and then leads with their chin. This posture can indicate a person who is hiding out in the background. People with this posture have a hard time to do any Yoga postures where the pelvis is stretched in the opposite direction, and should really work at all such postures and stretches every day to release this emotional bondage. It can be an astounding experience, as the one a professor student of mine had in Stockholm (which is told in My Yoga Story (there is a link on every page in the navigation menu, above left).
• The third image is the perfect posture. The small of the back is not stiff, but upright. The chest is up without tension in the shoulders. The chin is straight. The tummy is in. Nothing is hanging out or in here. This is the goal, and this is what Yoga will do for anyone who practices it every day. Every posture you do is helping your spine to be straight, but flexible and strong.

 

This image shows how your spine should be when you are bending forward. Notice how I am not rolling forward to move down. The small of my back is pressed in. My buttocks is being lifted up. My feet are solid on the floor. Practice this in front of a mirror to see just how straight you can get your back when you lean forward like this. Then when you lean forward and down, you maintain this position in the small of your back and your buttocks. This will prevent you from doing injury to your spine. Always exhale and draw in your tummy when you lean forward and down. Inhale when you lift up again.

Trikonasana - The Triangle Posture

This is a B&W image taken from the DVD that I sell on this site. I am dancing Yoga to music and this is the Triangle Posture in motion. The DVD (YogaNata) shows the goal. The book gives detailed preliminary instructions, but you are also asked to come to the site and read even more.

• Stand straight with your legs apart and your back straight. Center yourself first before you continue. Stretch your arms and hands out to the sides, and with exhalation, twist your body to the right and clasp your right knee, or lower down to your calf, or foot with your left hand. Stretch your right arm and hand above your head, straight up, and look at your right palm facing you. Inhale as you release the pose and come back standing straight.
• Repeat the same movement on the other side after you have centered yourself. Stretch your arms and hands out to the sides.

• With exhalation twist your body to the left and clasp your left knee, calf or foot with your right hand (as shown in image above left). Stretch your arms high above your head, straight up, and look at your left palm facing you. Inhale as you release the pose.

It is assumed that you have already read the preliminary stages for how to bend forward properly to prevent injury and have been able to do those stretches first without tension. If those are still difficult, continue to do them until they become easy - before you try to do the actual Triangle posture. This is important.

 

Advanced Triangle

 

• For a more advanced Trikonasana, look at Eugenia in this image (shown left) and try to emulate what she is doing.
• Stand straight with your legs apart and your back straight. Center yourself before you continue. Look at how her arms are in the image to fully understand the instructions. Take your arms behind you on the right side and hold your right elbow with your left hand. (If this is too difficult, clasp your hands behind your back and lift your arms slightly.) Take a deep inhalation and turn your upper body to the right. Exhale first, and then bring your body down as close as possible to your thigh, knee or calf. Inhale as you bring your spine up again, straight and centered.
• Take a deep inhalation and turn your upper body to the left and repeat the same sequence as before on this side. When you are centered again, drop your head down as you hold your spine straight and breathe slowly with your abdomen as you concentrate on the back of your legs feeling elastic and relaxed. Now you can feel the energy in your tailbone for sure. Allow the color red to stream into that entire area and feel it heal and warm your body from the toes up to your navel. Lie down and relax your body completely.

Benefits

This posture is good for so many things, but especially for trimming the thighs and toning the muscles. The spine is stretched, the lungs are expanded, the stomach muscles are strengthened, and you can get rid of extra weight around the middle of your body. The most obvious benefit is how this posture strengthens the spine and all the muscles around the thighs and hips (areas often overlooked). And of course, it is a powerful posture to help loosen up blockages in the 2nd Chakra.

And for those of you who came to this page from the 2nd Chakra (Svadhisthana), this posture stretches your entire body from your toes to the tip of your head. This has an opening effect on the 2nd Chakra.

If you want to return to the next Chakra series, you can continue from this page to the 3rd Chakra—Manipura, which would have been the next page in the series for you there.