Simha in Sanskrit means “the powerful one”, it is also the word for lion and this yoga pose is said to resemble a roaring lion.
Start by sitting up on your knees with your heels of your feet pressed against your buttocks.
Place the heels of your hands on your knees, straighten your arms and keep the natural curve of the spine, maintaining the head in line with the neck.
Lean forward slightly and inhale through the nose, while at the same time stretching your tongue out and opening the jaw as wide as possible. Fix your gaze either at the tip of the nose or between the eyebrows and stretch the fingers straight out from the knees. Then, with the muscles of the throat contracted, exhale gradually through the mouth, making a “ha” sound. You should feel the breath passing through the back of the throat.
Hold the posture for the duration of the inhaled breath then on the exhalation relax the forward stretch, dropping the fingers to the knees and closing the mouth and eyes.
Hatha Yoga Postures: Sanskrit – English
Marcia has been practising yoga for over 20 years and has specialised in the Hatha and Ashtanga schools of yoga, although has also enjoyed learning other branches such as Iyengar. As well as yoga she practices meditation, and plays a wide range of sports, including badminton, cricket, cycling, and walking.