Stretching the back of the body.  The name does not say sitting forward bend, but this is what Pascimottanasana is, a sitting forward bend done with a straight back.
A deceptively simple posture and one of the most frustrating.   Pascimottanasana teaches us humility in the face of our limitations.
Often done wrongly because taught wrongly:  as we stretch the back of the body we must learn to keep the front long so as not to lose the delicate balance of the posture. 

We all do so much forward bending in our daily life that pascimottanasana should be no trouble at all.  And yet...

Benefits

• rejuvenates the whole spine and back by bringing them more blood, tones the abdominal muscles, stretches the back of the legs and greatly helps improve posture
• removes constipation and stimulates the gastric fire
• removes possibility of sciatica
• massages the internal organs and stimulates kidneys
• reduces fatigue
• therapeutic for high blood pressure, insomnia, headaches and eye strain
• a very introspective posture which quiets the mind, turns the attention inwards and induces a peaceful and tranquil experience
• teaches us to surrender, to let go, to slow down the mind and to accept ourselves as we are
• relieves stress and mild depression
• activates the 2nd chakra or svadhistana (located at the navel).
• in pascimottanasana the front of the brain is pacified.  Lying horizontally enables the heart rate to slow down.  The cooling effect of the forward bends is good for an excess of pitta.
• a nurturing and calming posture which is good at grounding the restless vata type. 

Main muscles used in the posture

• combination of flexion (when the spine bends forwards) and extension (when the spine straightens back up from a forward bent position) movements
• the muscles involved in flexing the spine forward are the rectus abdominus, the internal and external obliques and the hip flexors
• the muscles involved in extending the spine back up from a forward bend are      the erector spinae (back muscles essential in maintaining the lumbar curve especially when sitting), the quadratus lumborum acting with the gluteus maximus and the hamstrings
• the external hip rotators (outer thigh muscles) externally rotate and stabilize the head of the femur in the hip socket.  The internal hip adductors (inner thigh muscles) bring the legs together and rotate them inwards.  The action of the hip adductors balances the action of the external rotators adding to core stability.

• Because so many muscles are involved in forward bending it is important to not only warm up the hamstrings but also the back muscles and hip area muscles to reduce the risk of injury.  The idea is to loosen the hamstrings whilst maintaining the normal lumbar curve.  You want the pelvis to be able to move separately from the legs.

How to do the posture

• sit in dandasana, staff or stick posture, with the legs at a 90 degree angle to the trunk,  sit forward on your sitting bones pressing the hands flat on the floor, fingertips facing forwards to lift the spine up and open the chest.  Maintain an awareness of the muladhara or base chakra and keep it in line with the 6 other main chakras as much as you can.
• rotate the thigh muscles inward and engage the front of the thighs by lifting the kneecaps.  Press the mound of the big toe forward to activate the inner leg muscles.  Keep the shoulders back and relaxed.  It is extremely important to remember to lengthen from the sternum to the pubic bone throughout the whole posture.
• your lumbar spine when sitting down should have the same inward curve as when standing up providing a healthy neutral position for discs and spinal nerves.
• pascimottanasana is a leg posture so keep contracting the quadriceps, move the heels away from the hips but do not push into the back of the knees.
• inhale lift both arms up extending through the fingers palms facing each other or together in namaste prayer position, lengthening the spine up out of the hips and arching the lower back - which is very difficult - lifting the sternum upwards, keeping the front of the body long and exhale lengthening the spine towards the legs pushing the tailbone in the opposite direction away from the back of your pelvis.
• think of going up and forward stretching the front of the body rather than down and forward in a desperate haste to bring your head to your knees.  1st think of bringing the belly to the thighs, lengthening from the armpits to the outer hips, extending the heels away from you, drawing the inner groins deep into the pelvis but keeping the hamstrings soft.  Then bring the anterior ribs down onto your thighs, then the chest to the legs and finally your forehead to the legs.  (There should not be any gaps between your belly and your thighs in the final position so stretch the torso as much as you can!).
• when you feel that the space between your pubis and navel starts to shorten, do not go any further at the risk of rounding the middle of the back, stop and try to create space into your body by lifting the spine up and lengthening again.
• get hold of your shins, ankles or feet with your hands.  The ultimate is to comfortably clasp the wrists while holding the feet.
• as you don’t want to compromise the integrity of the spine, remember that it is much better to just sit correctly in dandasana if you can’t sit up straight rather than bend forward and strain your back.  If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.
• keep the neck in the natural extension of the spine

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