Garland Pose (Malasana in Sanskrit) is a pose that requires balance and flexibility. This asana can be done by anyone with enough practice.
To move into garland pose, begin by moving into a squatting position. Your feet should be close together and your heels as close to the floor as possible.
In this pose, the thighs should be positioned a little bit wider than the torso and the upper body should be slightly forward and in between the thighs. This helps to lengthen the spine and improves stability in the pose.
To help improve alignment and stability in the pose, keep the elbows pressed against the inside of the knees. Move the hands into prayer pose in front of you and work on lengthening the spine and torso to improve strength, balance and flexibility.
If this position is comfortable and you feel ready to take it a bit farther, you can reach forward and move your arms out to the sides. You can move your hands to the floor or reach around and hold your hands together behind the heels of your feet.
Remember that you can modify this pose and move at your own pace, as in all yoga classes. Beginners may need a folded blanket under the heels and remain in the squatting position without reaching around to the back of the feet.
As you feel ready, you can move into the full pose. With regular practice, the heels will naturally sink into the floor. The flexibility will increase with each yoga class and eventually your heels will reach the ground.
There are several ways to modify garland pose to fit the individual needs of each student. If the problem is that the heels are not reaching the ground and you want better stability, you can place a folded blanket or mat under the heels to help provide additional support in the asana.
Once you have achieved the pose, you should hold it for up to a minute and then slowly come out of the pose and return to a standing position.