How often should this position be practiced, daily? How long before I can do a full split? Lol

This is great for those who can do it. Is it possible that some of us on this earth cannot open our hips due to a hip joint (ball & socket) design that wont let the bones rotate and open? My biggest challenge in life and my biggest disappointment is that I cannot sit cross-legged – barely can I sit taylor-style. I tried to sit Burmese style for meditation (with lots of cushions) for 7 years and I took up regular yoga and it didn’t help my hips and lower back soften or relax. Nothing changed in that area. When I go to yoga I feel truly disabled because I cannot get in to some postures. My mother and sisters are the same. Please remember this when you show off your wonderful flexibility.

Be careful when using with sciatica. It helps if the pose *gently* stretches the groin and gluteal muscles that may be causing the sciatica (nerve pinched when muscles are too tight). If muscles are too tight or you over-stretch, it can have a reverse effect of contracting the tight muscles even more (and aggravating the nerve). Gentle self-massage on the tight muscles before the pose may help.

What type of breathing should accompany this pose ? (I am under the impression that all yoga should be breathing inclusive)

very nice site with LOTS of information and I enjoyed browsing. If you wouldn't mind a suggestion: for those of us that are brand new to Yoga, the instructions would be more helpful if you ave a description of some of those body parts that you are talking about. I'm not actually sure that I even have a perineum!