The Foot to the Ear pose is also known as the Akarna Dhanurasana. This pose involves you giving your hips a comprehensive twist, as you literally bring your foot to touch your ear, or at least as near the ear as you can.
This pose nourishes your hips, glutes (buttocks), quads (thighs), calf muscles, spine, shoulders, neck and arms. Thus there are many benefits from this simple exercise.
You start doing this exercise, by sitting on your buttocks on a yoga mat. Spread your legs straight down your hips along the floor. Bend forward from your hips and extend your hands towards your feet. Bend enough to securely hold your right foot with your right hand and left foot with your left hand.
Inhale, and as you exhale, lift your right leg, by bending it from the knee. When you do this, keep your left leg outstretched along the floor, and keep holding the left foot with your left hand. Take your right thigh as much behind your back as you can, so that you can bring your right foot close enough to your ear.
This movement is quite similar to that of an archer, when he pulls the string of his bow to shoot an arrow. Hence the name of this pose Dhanurasana. Incidentally Dhanushya means a bow.
When you bring your foot close to your ear, you would have to apply pressure with your right arm to pull the right leg up. This is also a rectum opening pose, and also compresses the muscles of your abdomen and your abdominal organs. This in turn leads to better secretion of the digestive juices and better regulation of blood sugar.
Sources:
Yoga, Akarna Dhanurasana, Body fitness, Health
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP0yexb3dAI
http://www.yogasanaforhealth.com/2009/02/akarna-dhanurasana.html
http://health.indianetzone.com/yoga/1/akarna_dhanurasana.htm
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