Two-Legged Platform: Dwi Pada Pitham
December’s pose may seem like an easy beginner’s pose yet it is much more than a warm-up and therapeutic posture. Literally translated, dwi pada pitham means two-legged platform. It is sometimes called Desk Pose or Little Bridge Pose because it is preparatory to doing the Bridge Pose proper. It is an excellent part of a vinyasa sequence leading into other advanced backbends such as Chakrasana, Wheel Pose. It is equally excellent in preparation for shoulder stand and meditation.
I teach Dwi Pada Pitham as I was taught: Curling the tail bone up to initiate it, and then keeping the back straight, on a slant, once the hips and mid-back are lifted up. The chest and ribs remain relaxed instead of expanded. This allows the lengthening from the waist to sacrum and tailbone.
Dwi Pad Pitham was chosen for December because it helps calm the mind and prepare for introspection. As we move toward the Winter Solstice it is suggested that we engage in practices which ground us both mentally and physically.