Trikonasana

Trikonasana

Tri (n.) = Three
Kona (n.) = Angle
Trikona (n.) = Triangle
Asana (n.) = Posture

It is said that the beginner and the intermediate Asanas are the toughest asanas. Because they are the toughest to overcome when the body is just about getting used to the way of Yoga.

I firmly second that. For the last two years I have been practising the Tirkonasana, and I am yet to do it well. It is so tough since it calls for alignment of the chin in the line of the shoulder.

 

I am kind of doing the Trikonasana well when when I am required to align my chin with my left shoulder (as in the above photograph). But, still there's a lot to achieve.

 

But I am yet to achieve the alignment in for the right shoulder (as in the above photograph). Hence, the above is an incorrect posture.

To note: when the straightline alignment between the shoulder and chin is achieved, the alignment between the chest and the legs/ground are achieved at the same time. The chest then normal/perpendicular to the ground as if if you draw a straight line from one shoulder to the other, the line would be perpendicular to the ground, and not inclined at an acute/obtuse angle. This imparts the posture a yogic beauty. this beauty is somewhat achieved in the first photograph. However, it is not there in the second photograph.

Perfection, how true it is, is not easily reached. I have seen a lot of yoga instructures too did not achieve the perfection an intermediate Asana (trikonansana is a typical case) demands.