leg or with the elbow resting on the knee. The second has the upper arm pointing forwards over the head. The third has the upper arm behind the back. The fourth has the legs straight, both feet pointing slightly out, and the body held horizontally with the arms out to the sides. Finally, the right hand is touched to the left foot, with the left hand pointing straight up, the palm facing forwards, and the gaze directed up to the hand; then this is repeated on the other side. Variations Trikonasana has one common variation, Parivritta Trikonasana (revolved triangle pose). Where in Utthita Trikonasana (with the left foot forward) the left hand reaches down towards the left foot, in the revolved pose it is the right hand that reaches to the left foot, and the trunk is rotated strongly to make this possible. Other variations include the advanced Baddha Trikonasana (bound triangle pose). The legs and body are arranged much as for Utthita Trikonasana, but (with the left foot forward) the left arm reaches in front of the left thigh to catch the right arm which reaches behind the back. The right foot may be turned outwards more than usual to facilitate the additional upwards rotation of the torso. Another advanced variation is Baddha Parivritta Trikonasana (bound revolved triangle pose). This resembles Parivritta Trikonasana but is bound with the hands joined, in the same way that Baddha Trikonasana is for unrotated (Utthita) Trikonasana. Supta (Utthita) Trikonasana (reclining triangle pose) has the body, legs, and arms arranged exactly as for standing (Utthita) Trikonasana, but lying on the floor. It is convenient to have the feet pressing on a wall, with the yoga mat parallel to the wall and a little distance from it. Supta Parivritta Trikonasana (reclining revolved triangle pose) is similarly Parivritta Trikonasana practised lying on the floor, with the feet pressing on a wall. In culture The photograph of the pose performed by the British yoga teacher Mira Mehta in the 1990 guide Yoga the Iyengar Way was adapted for a 1991 ten-rupee Indian postage stamp. The image was described as a "perfect posture". See also List of asanas References Sources External links Yoga Journal: Extended Triangle Pose Standing asanas Asymmetric asanas