त्रिकोणासन
Trikonasana — Triangle Pose
trikoṇa = triangle — the body drawn into triangles
Legs wide, one hand to the shin, one to the sky — geometry you can breathe inside.
In the simplest words
Stand with your legs wide like a giant's steps. Tip sideways like a seesaw until one hand touches your leg, and point the other hand at the sky. Now you're made of triangles!
What it is
With the legs in a wide stance, the torso tilts sideways over the front leg until one hand rests on shin or ankle and the other opens straight up — the body becoming a set of clean triangles. Nothing rounds and nothing collapses: the pose is a sideways lengthening, as if pressed between two panes of glass. It stretches the waist and hamstrings, opens the chest wide, and asks for steadiness in the legs the whole time.
Before you practise — health first
With low blood pressure or vertigo keep the gaze down and come up slowly. Neck pain: look forward, not up. Rest a hand on a block or chair rather than over-reaching.
Getting into it
Step the feet a leg's length apart; turn the right foot out 90°, the left in slightly.
Stretch the arms out at shoulder height, palms down.
Exhaling, reach long over the right leg, then lower the right hand to shin or ankle.
Stretch the left arm straight up; turn the gaze up to it if the neck is happy.
Both legs firm, chest rolled open. Hold, then inhale up and change sides.
The breath
Exhale into the tilt; breathe evenly in the shape; inhale to rise.
What it is kept for
Side-body and hamstring stretch, strong steady legs, an open chest and full breath.