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Savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi, dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt. When taking hold of the big toes, you can prepare for bringing the leg up with another exercise. Cradle the lower leg in both arms, as if holding a small baby. Draw it close to your body and gently shake the leg a little. Then stretch that leg out and repeat with the other leg. Stretch your leg. I tell you this because very often people feel that it is impossible to lift the leg like this, yes? In the beginning they have the sensation that the legs are fixed. But if you have the information that it is possible—if you bring your leg near to your body, moving in this way, and you hold the imagination, “Aha, I can bring it up!”—so this is all I wanted to say. There are some borders in this fourth path, and sometimes people say, “Ah, I don’t like to do these exercises.” Very well. So now we will move on to Gomukhāsana. Gomukha Āsana is very good for your hips, but it may not always be possible. So the best preparation is, again, half butterfly and full butterfly. We will do full butterfly. Bring the soles of your feet together. Relax your knees and hips, and practice full butterfly. Then stretch your legs out again. Now bend your left leg and bring your left heel close to the right hip. Cross the right leg over your left leg, so that the right heel is also near the left hip, with the soles of the feet facing backward. Place both hands on the right knee. Keep your spine straight and relax your hips. If you feel tension in the hip, breathe into that tension. When the right knee is lifted, the right arm comes from below to above. The teacher will demonstrate. Look at his back: the left hand stretches, then the left hand comes from above to below, and both hands meet. Keep the head in one line. Try to press your left underarm slightly backward and look up, smiling. Then… lift your body, lift your hips, and slowly lower down. This is the easiest version. We can make this a little easier by bending the lower leg. To come up, we first activate the abdominal and pelvic muscles. With an inhalation, we lift ourselves from the middle. This is relatively easy and allows you to feel the sensation. The body is raised, and we support our weight on the lower arm. Now we stretch both legs. Still on the lower arm, we try this exercise with stretched legs, if possible for you. If not, then repeat the version we just did. Gevindhiten Dain. Now you are lying on your upper arm. Both legs are stretched. You have engaged the muscles in your belly and pelvis. With the inhalation, come up. Slowly, with the exhalation, come down. Now we change to the other side and repeat both versions. First, bend the lower leg; with the inhalation come up, and with the exhalation come down. Now, with stretched legs, feel your shoulders in a good position, feel your muscles in the belly and abdomen. Be well prepared, and now with the inhalation, come up. Slowly and with control, come back down. Now we will perform the full exercise. Return to the right side, and this time the right arm is stretched. In the beginning, feel your body in this position. This is also very good for your inner organs: on one side they are stretched, on the other side they are pressed. This alternate stretching and pressing improves their blood supply. Now come up through the shoulders. Do not hang in your shoulders; keep a certain lightness. Imagine your arm in the correct position, so you can easily lift your body. Hebewirkung, as they say in German. And now, again, bring your attention to the middle of your body. All muscles are now prepared, and with the inhalation, come up. Perhaps for some, the neck may hurt. It is also common for people to complain of pain in the navel area, which means the navel is not properly stretched. At first, it is good to stretch it as though you were making a bud tree, only in the approach. Then the spine and head are truly in one line. Often, in trying to protect yourself, you do exactly the opposite and create tensions. Now, when your head is on the ground, stretch your legs. Initially, place your hands to the left and right of your head. Once you feel secure in this position, you can bring your arms to your back, and one hand can grasp the wrist of the other. This is important. When you come out, first place your hands back to the left and right of your head. Then, lower your knees to the ground while keeping your head down. Settle your hips onto your heels as in Śaśāṅgāsana. Stay there. Remain in Śavāsana or Yoga Mudrā. If you feel dizzy, it is best to come up very slowly, keeping your chin on your chest. Only when your spine is upright should you slowly lift your head. So come up slowly and let your arms come down. I will demonstrate, because it is easier to show than to explain.