** Posture: Anjanaya-asana - The Salutation Pose ** Translation: From the root anj, which meaning to honor, celebrate, and anoint, the Sanskrit term anjaneya denotes greeting or praise. ** Pronunciation: Ahn-jah-nay-ah-sa-na ** Difficulty: (7) ** Instructions: 1- Take a comfortable position in vajra-asana (thunderbolt pose). 2- Kneel on your knees and align your back, buttocks, and thighs. 3- Bend your left knee at a 90-degree angle and extend your left foot forward. 4- In the anjali-mudra, bring your palms together at your heart. 5- Raise your arms straight up, palms together, and bend your head backwards and upwards. 6- Bend backwards slowly, extending the arms and straightening the right leg. Hold this posture for as long as you feel comfortable while slowly inhaling through your nose. 7- Return to vajara-asana (thunderbolt pose), then switch legs to reverse the posture. ** benefits Anjaneya-asana combines a variety of postures and mudras (gestures) in a fluid, developing flow that incorporates mobility, stretching, and holding. It has several advantages for the back, arms, chest, legs, and hips. Concentration and balance will improve with regular practice. With a spirit of reverence and admiration, perform this pose. Take a minute to sit in stillness and calm with your hands clasped at your heart in the Namaste gesture (mudra) (anjali-mudra). As you lift your arms aloft, keep the aim of praise in mind. Feel your entire body, mind, and heart reaching forth in acknowledgement of life's sanctity. Repeat twice on each side for a total of four repetitions.