Gate Pose · Parighasana
Parighasana · 파리가사나 · 빗장 자세
Intermediate Series · Nadi Shodhana (Nerve Cleansing) — Leg-Behind-Head & Arm Balances
Breath: 5×2 · Drishti (gaze): upward
Kneeling on one knee with the other leg extended sideways, tilt deeply over it and sweep the top arm past the ear to the foot. The chest must keep opening skyward or the side bend becomes a forward fold — the spaces between the ribs open wide.
Alignment
- Hands — both hands to the extended foot, the top elbow opening skyward
- Feet — the long foot's sole grounded; the kneeling instep resting back
- Knees — the kneeling knee stacked right under the hip
- Gaze — upward between the arms
Entering the pose
- From kneeling, extend one leg to the side
- Exhale, tilt the torso over the extended leg
- Sweep the top arm past the ear toward the foot
Common mistakes
- Folding forward instead of sideways
- The pelvis drifting away from the kneeling side
Modifications & props
- A soft bend in the extended knee steadies the pelvis and purifies the sideways line of the tilt.
- Lower hand on the shin, top arm alone sweeping past the ear — catching the foot is ornament, added after the side opens.
- A kneeling knee that slides gets a folded mat beneath it, the instep pressing quietly down.
Benefits
- Opens the side body and the spaces between the ribs
- Restores lateral flexibility between backbends and twists
- Balances the muscles along the outer pelvis
Role in the sequence
The only pure side-bend in all of Intermediate. In a series crowded with backbends, folds, and twists, opening the spaces between the ribs sideways is entrusted to this one pose — the gate-bar its name describes, laid across the torso, widening the flank's corridor for the breath. Together with Gomukhasana next, it settles the series' final stretch into calm.
Practice notes
Parigha is the bar that bolts a gate shut. Kneeling with one leg extended to the side and the torso leaning over it, the body in profile looks like a bar across a gate. Ashtanga does not often open the side body at this length.
The trap is tipping forward. You believe you are leaning sideways while in fact you are folding forward, and then the back lengthens instead of the flank. The extended leg, the kneeling leg and the torso all need to sit on one plane — practising with the back against a wall lets the body recognise that plane immediately.
The top arm reaches long past the ear with the fingertips pointing the way the extended foot points. Pressing hard into the shin with the lower hand shortens the very side you are trying to open, so let that hand rest lightly. The gaze follows the top fingertips, or stays forward if the neck objects.
Two checks: does the kneecap of the extended leg face the ceiling (the foot likes to roll forward), and is the kneeling hip stacked directly over its knee? Let the pelvis drift back and the waist folds instead of the flank.
Hands to the shin is plenty — feel the side body lengthen.
Written by Choi Seongjin — 20 years of Ashtanga practice, currently teaching three classes a week. Last updated: .
This guide is for general information and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant, injured, or have a medical condition, consult a qualified teacher or physician before practising. Disclaimer & Legal Notice
Other poses in this sequence
Ashtanga Shala — Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga guide · Blog
Policies