Sage Balances · Vishvamitrasana · Kasyapasana
Vishvamitrasana · Kasyapasana · 비슈바미트라사나 · 카샤파사나
Advanced Series · Sthira Bhaga (Strength & Grace) — From Advanced A (Third Series)
Breath: 5×2 · Drishti (gaze): upward
Vishvamitrasana opens sideways with a leg over the supporting shoulder; kasyapasana binds a half-lotus foot behind the back from side plank. Side support, hamstring length, and binding meet in one body — the signature shapes of the sage poses.
Alignment
- Hands — the base hand rooted under the shoulder; the free arm overhead (bound behind in Kasyapasana)
- Feet — the lifted leg drapes over the shoulder reaching sideways; the base foot's edge grips
- Knees — both legs straight, drawing one long diagonal
- Gaze — upward, the chest revolving to the sky
Entering the pose
- Prepare the leg over the shoulder
- Roll sideways onto the supporting arm
- Open the chest toward the sky
Common mistakes
- A shallow leg hook that slips
- Ignoring wrist alignment to hold on
Modifications & props
- Vishvamitrasana's first stage is seated — hook the knee over the shoulder and practice straightening the leg on the ground.
- Grounding the lower knee halves the lateral-balance load, leaving attention free for the leg shelf.
- Kasyapasana's bind must first be steady in standing Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana — the order is the safety.
Benefits
- Side support, hamstring length, and twist combined
- Demands shoulder–hip coordination
- A test of the body working as one
Role in the sequence
The developed pair built on Vasisthasana's lateral axis, adding leg-over-shoulder and binding. Vishvamitrasana opens sideways with the leg shelved on the arm; Kasyapasana holds the side balance with a half lotus bound behind the back — the point where Intermediate's two threads, leg-hooking and binding, merge with Advanced's lateral balance. It also belongs to Advanced A's distinctive run of poses named for the sages.
Practice notes
Vishvamitra and Kasyapa are also names of sages. Both poses start from a side plank: Vishvamitrasana hooks the top leg over the same-side shoulder and reaches out to hold it, while Kasyapasana folds a half lotus and binds it with the hand behind the back. Each adds a different demand to the same balance.
The crux of Vishvamitrasana is the angle at which the leg sits on the shoulder. If the shoulder has not travelled far enough under the thigh, the leg slides off rather than resting on the arm. The preparation for it is therefore not more arm balancing but the hip openers — lizard and the eka pada family.
Kasyapasana asks for half lotus, a bind and a side balance at once, so if any one of the three is unreliable the shape will not exist. The sensible order is to attempt it after the half-bound lotus poses of the Primary Series have become comfortable.
Two checks: is the supporting shoulder stacked exactly over the wrist, and is the lower hip inside the line of the body rather than sagging? Both hold five breaths, but if the shape starts shaking at three, coming down and rebuilding beats grinding out the last two.
Master each ingredient separately first.
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
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