EKA PADA SIRASANA, GARUDA ASANA AND HALASANA

EKA PADA SIRASANA

ONE FOOT TO HEAD POSE

THIS "ONE FOOT TO HEAD" POSE IS AN ADVANCED POSITION, PROVIDING A FULL STRETCH FOR BOTH THE LUMBAR AND THORACIC REGIONS. BE SURE TO WARM THE BODY UP PROPERLY BEFRE ATTEMPTING IT. YOU SHOULD NEVER FORCE TO COME TO THE POSE WITHOUT PROPER PRACTICE.

STEPS

1. FROM THE EASY SITTING POSITION LIFT THE RIGHT LEG AND PLACE THE RIGHT FOOT INTO THE BEND OF THE LEFT ELBOW. BRING THE RIGHT ARM OUTSIDE LEG AND CLASP THE HANDS. GENTLY ROCK TO AND FRO FOR A FEW MINUTES.

2. RELEASE THE RIGHT LEG. TAKE HOLD OF THE RIGHT FOOT WITH BOTH HANDS AND GENTLY TRY TO BRING THE SOLE OF THE FOOT  FLAT AGAINST THE BREAST BONE. SLOWLY SLIDE THE FOOT TOWARDS THE CHIN, THEN THE NOSE, AND FINALLY UP TO THE FOREHEAD.

3. RELEASE THE HOLD ON THE FOOT. DROP THE RIGHT SHOULDER DOWN SLIGHTLY FOR A MOMENT, BRINGING IT UNDER THE RIGHT KNEE, AND THEN STRAIGHTEN THE BODY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

4. SLOWLY STRAIGHTEN THE KNEE BRINGING THE FOOT BEHIND THE HEAD. TRY TO BRING THE HANDS INTO THE PRAYER POSE AT THE CHEST. HOLD THE POSITION FOR A FEW SECONDS. REPEAT THIS SERIES OF EXERCISES WITH THE LEFT LEG.

BENEFITS 

 

• STRETCHES THE SHOULDERS AND CHEST.
• STRETCHES THE THIGHS, GROINS, AND ABDOMEN.
• STRENGTHENS THE LEGS AND ANKLES.
• IMPROVES BALANCE.

GARUDA ASANA

 THE EAGLE POSTURE

THE SANSKRTI WORD "GARUDA" MEANS EAGLE. IN HINDU MYTHOLOGY GARUDA IS KNOWN AS THE KING OF BIRDS. HE TRASPORTS THE GOD VISHNU AND IS SAID TO BE EAGER TO HELP HUMANITY FIGHT AGAINST DAEMONS.

STEPS 

 

 

1. STAND WITH FEET TOGETHER ON THE FLOOR. KEEP HANDS AT YOUR SIDES, EYES LOOKING FORWARD. BREATHE NORMALLY. DRAW THE LEFT FOOT UPWARD BENDING THE KNEE AND WRAP THE LEFT FOOT AROUND YOUR RIGHT LEG AS YOU REST THE BACK OF YOUR LEFT THIGH ON THE RIGHT THIGH.
2. CROSS YOUR ARMS AT THE ELBOWS, LEFT OVER RIGHT. JOIN THE PALMS OF YOUR HANDS TOGETHER KEEPING THE FINGERS POINTED UPWARDS. INHALE AND HOLD THE POSTURE FOR THE DURATION OF THE INHALED BREATH. EXHALE AND RETURN TO THE TADAASANA. REPEAT THE POSTURE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE, WRAPPING THE RIGHT LEG OVER THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT ARM OVER LEFT.

BENEFITS

THE GARUDA ASANA STRENGTHENS THE LEGS, KNEES AND ANKLES, TONES MUSCLES OF THE LEG AND RELIEVES CRAMPS OF THE LEGS.

HALASANA 

THE REFERENCE OF THIS ASANA IS NOT FOUND IN ANY OLD TEXT. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT ASANA WHICH HAS COME THROUGH TRADITION. IT IS KNOWN AS HALASANA BECAUSE IN ITS FINAL POSITION THE BODY RESEMBLES THE SHAPE OF INDIAN PLOUGH.

STEPS

1. LIE DOWN WITH YOUR BACK WITH HANDS LYING ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD.
2. YOUR SHOULDERS SHOULD LIE ON THE EDGE AND YOUR HEAD RESTS ON THE MAT. YOUR LEGS ARE DRAWN IN AND STILL STAND ON THE MAT.
3. LIFT YOUR HIPS OFF THE FLOOR AND BRING YOUR LEGS UP, OVER AND BEYOND YOUR HEAD.
4. AT THIS POINT, LIFT YOUR BACK AND MOVE YOUR LEGS FURTHER BEYOND YOUR HEAD.
5. STRAIGHTEN YOUR SPINE AND KEEP YOUR BACK STRAIGHT. MOVE YOUR HANDS TOWARDS YOUR BACK.
6. PLACE YOUR ARMS AGAINST YOUR UPPER BACK AND TRY TO PLACE YOUR HANDS AS NEAR AS POSSIBLE TO THE SHOULDER BLADES. TRY TO PLACE YOUR ELBOWS AT SHOULDER WIDTH. IF YOU CANNOT DO THIS, PUT THEM AT A SOMEWHAT WIDER DISTANCE FROM EACH OTHER.

BENEFITS 

 

 

• THIS IS THE BEST POSTURE FOR MAKING THE SPINE FLEXIBLE. IT STRETCHES THE SPINE AS NO OTHER EXERCISE CAN, OPENING UP THE SPINAL DISCS AND STRETCHING MOST OF THE SPINAL MUSCLES AND LIGAMENTS. THIS POSTURE IS VERY BENEFICIAL IF YOU SUFFER FROM BACK OR NECK STIFFNESS OR ARTHRITIS IN THESE AREAS. IT ALSO PREVENTS THESE CONDITIONS. SINCE THIS POSTURE REJUVENATES THE SPINE, AND BECAUSE THE SPINAL NERVES GO TO ALL PARTS OF THE BODY, IT HELPS TO REJEVENATES THE WHOLE BODY.
• IT BENEFITS THE THYROID GLAND, LIVER AND SPLEEN, STRETCHES AND PULLS THE VERTEBRAE.
• GOOD FOR PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM STIFFNESS, OBESITY, MUSCULAR RHEUMATISM, ENLARGED AND SPLEEN. CONSTIPATION, INDIGESTION AND ARTHRITIS.

NATARAJASANA

LORD OF THE DANCE POSE

THE WORD "NATA MEANS ACTOR OR DANCER AND RAJA IS KING. ALSO CALLED THE COSMIC DANCER, NATARAJA IS ANOTHER NAME FOR SHIVA.

NATARAJASANA IS DEPEND IN INDIAN ICONOGRAPHY AS A GRACEFUL FIGURE WITH ONE LEG LIFTED IN DANCE, SURROUNDED BY A CIRCLE OF FLAMES. HIS DANCE SYMBOLIZES COSMIC ENERGY IN ITS "FIVE ACTIONS" CREATION, MAINTENANCE, AND DESTRUCTION OR RE-ABSORPTION OF THE WORLD, CONCEALMENT OF AUTHENTIC BEING, AND GRACE. NATARAJA, OR SHIVA AS THE COSMIC DANCER, DESTROYS AND RECREATES THE UNIVERSE WITH EACH STEP. THE COSMIC DANCER SYMBOLIZES THE CONSTANT FLOW OF ENERGY AND MATTER. IT REPRESENTS THE DESTRUCTION OF THE OLD SELF IN PREPARATION FOR THE CREATION OF A NEW ONE.

STEPS

1. STAND WITH THE BODY FACING STRAIGHT AHEAD. BEND THE RIGHT KNEE, LIFTING THE FOOT UNTIL IT IS CLOSE THE BUTTOCK. GRASP THE ANKLE WITH THE RIGHT HAND. HOLD THE POSITION FOR A MOMENT UNTIL YOU FEEL BALANCED AND READY TO PROCEED.
2. INHALE AS YOU STRETCH THE LEFT ARM UP. WITH THE ELBOW STRAIGHT, BRING THE ARM ALONG SIDE THE LEFT EAR. KEEP THE EYES FOCUSED ON A POINT IN FRONT OF YOU TO MAINTAIN BALANCE.
3. WITHOUT RELEASING THE HOLD ON THE ANKLE, SLOWLY BEGIN TO SHIFT THE LINE OF THE BODY WHILE BREATHING NORMALLY. STRETCH THE RIGHT FOOT AWAY FROM THE BUTTOCK. STRAIGHTEN AND LIFT THE RIGHT KNEE UNTIL THE RIGHT THIGH IS PARALLEL TO THE GROUND.
4. FOCUS THE EYES ON A POINT ON THE FLOOR JUST IN FRONT OF THE BODY AND KEEP THE LEFT ARM ALONGSIDE THE EAR, AND SLOWLY SHIFT WE WEIGHT FORWARD UNTIL THE CHEST AND ARM ARE PARALLEL TO THE GROUND. HOLE THE POSITION FOR AS LONG AS LONG AS YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE. RELEASE AND PRACTICE ON THE OTHER SIDE.

BENEFITS

• STRETCHES THE SHOULDERS AND CHEST.
• STRETCHES THE THIGHS, GROINS, AND ABDOMEN.
• STREGTHENS THE LEGS AND ANKLES.
• IMPROVES BALANCE.

 

PRECAUTIONS

ASANA IS NOT RECOMMENDED IN THE CASES OF 

• HIGH OR LOW BLOOD PRESSURE.
• SERIOUS LOWER-BACK INJURY.
• KNEE INJURY.

PADA HASTASANA

HANDS TO FEET POSE

A VARIATION OF THE "STANDING FORWARD BEND' (UTTASANA), THE "HANDS TO FEET POSE (PADA HASTASANA) IMPROVES FLEXIBILITY OF YOUR SPINE, STRENGTHENS YOUR LEGS, ENHANCES DIGESTION, AND AIDS IN BLOOD CIRCULATION IN YOUR HEAD. TAKE NOTE THAT THIS POSE IS NOT ADVISABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPINAL PROBLEMS.

STEPS 

1. START WITH THE MOUNTAIN POSE.
2. AS YOU INHALE, RAISE YOUR ARMS ABOVE YOUR HEAD.
3. BEND FORWARD UNTIL YOUR HANDS TOWARDS YOUR FEET.
4. SLOWLY BEND FURTHER SO THAT YOUR BELLY IS TOUCHING YOUR UPPER LEGS. GRASP YOUR TOES AND BREATHE DEEPLY IN THE POSE.

WHEN YOU HAVE GRABBED YOUR ANKLES OR TOES, USE A SLIGHT STRETCHING FORCE TO LENGTHEN THE BODY. WITH THE PULL FROM THE HANDS, MOVE YOUR BELLY TO YOUR UPPER LEGS AND PREVENT YOUR CHEST TO SINK. BE CAREFULL! YOU PERFORM THIS FORWARD BEND THROUGH RELAXATION AND NOT THROUGH BRUTE FORCE BY PULLING YOUR FEET WITH TOO MUCH PHYSICAL STRENGTH. WHEN YOU PULL TOO HARD, THE BODY STIFFENS, YOUR THINKING AND BREATHING BECOME AFFECTED AND WORST OF ALL, YOU RUN A RISK OF INJURING YOURSELF.

BENEFITS 

• MAKES THE SPINE FLEXIBLE.
• HELPS TO REMOVE BACK PAIN.
• STRENGTHENS THE THIGH.
• HELPFUL IN PREVENTING CONSTIPATION.
• CORRECTS MENSTRUAL PROBLEMS IN WOMEN.

PADMASANA

LOTUS POSE

THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST KNOWN AND A VERY POPULAR MEDITATION POSE ROUTINELY USED BY BUDHA. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS EASY FOR WESTERNERS TO MASTER. IT MAY TAKE TIME FOR THE LIGAMENTS TO BECOME EXTENDED SO THAT THE LOTUS POSE IS COMFORTABLE. IF ONE CANNOT MASTER THE LOTUS POSE. ANY OF THE OTHER SEATED POSES WILL DO QUITE WELL FOR THE PURPOSE OF MEDITATION. START SLOWLY AND ACQUIRE PROFICIENCY OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. THIS IS ONE OF THE BASIC YOGA POSTURES.

 

PARIPURNA NAVASANA

FULL BOAT POSE

THIS ASANA STRENGTHENS THE BELLY MUSCLES, THE LEGS AND THE LOWER BACK. IT IS ALSO BENEFICIAL TO THOSE SUFFERING FROM KIDNEY, THYROID, PROSTRATE AND INTESTINE PROBLEMS. THIS ASANA IS A GREAT STRESS RELIEVER AND ALSO IMPROVES DIGESTION.

STEPS 

1. SIT DOWN WITH YOUR PALMS ON THE FLOOR. PULL IN YOUR LEGS AND GRAB YOUR UPPER LEGS ON THE BACK SIDE BELOW THE KNEES. TILT YOUR UPPER BODY BACKWARD SO THAT YOUR LOWER BACK CARRIES YOUR WEIGHT AND THE ENTIRE UPPER BACK IS ALIGNED IN A STRAIGHT PERPENDICULAR LINE.
2. SLIGHTLY PULL YOUR LEGS WITH YOUR ARMS TO MAINTAIN THE POSTURE.
3. EXTEND YOUR ARMS FORWARD AND PARALLEL TO THE FLOOR.
4. STRETCH YOUR LEGS AND FEET TOGETHER. SEE IT THAT YOUR BACK REMAINS STRAIGHT. WHEN YOU FIND THE POSITION EASY, YOU CAN REDUCE THE STRETCHING POWER OF YOUR ARMS WITHOUT CHANGING THE POSITION. EVENTUALLY BRING YOUR ARMS ALONG THE BODY PARALLEL TO THE FLOOR AND FOCUS ON A PARTICULAR SPOT FOR YOUR BALANCE. QUIETLY BREATHE IN AND OUT THROUGH YOUR BELLY AND TRY TO MAINTAIN YOUR RELAXATION DURING YOUR EFFORTS.

BENEFITS 

• THIS ASANA REMOVES TENSION FROM THE NECK AND THE SIDE MUSCLES AND OPENS UP THE CHEST AND EXPANDS IT.
• TONES THE HIPS AND THE BUTTOCKS.
• THIS ASANA REDUCES EXCESS FAT IN THE ABDOMEN, WAIST AND HIPS AND MASSAGES THAT AREA OF THE FLANK WHERE FAT ACCUMULATES.

PARIVRATTA PARSVAKONASANA

REVOLVED SIDE ANGLE POSE

IN SANSKRIT, "PARIVRATTA" MEANS TO REVOLVE OR TO TURN ROUND, "PARSVA" IS THE SIDE OR FLANK.  "KONA" MEANS ANGLE. THIS STANDING POSE IS AN INTENSE TWIST. FOR MANY PEOPLE, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT BASIC STANDING POSES. FOCUS, PRESENCE OF MIND, GOOD BALANCE AND FLEXIBLITY ARE REQUIRED AND "THUS" DEVELOPED BY PRACTISING THIS POSTURE.

THE COMBINATION OF STRETCHING AND TWISTING IN THIS ASANA MAKES THE SPINAL COLUMN STRAIGHTER AND FREER. IT ALSO MOBILIZES PARTS OF THE BACK AND THE BIP, WHICH IN DAILY LIFE DO NOT MOVE A LOT. THE TWISTING MOTION TRAINS THE NERVES AND THE SINEWS IN THE SPINAL COLUMN AND IMPROVES DIGESTION.

STEPS 

1. TO START OFF, PUT YOUR RIGHT FOOT FORWARD, BEND YOUR KNEE AT 90 DEGREE, AND KNEEL WITH YOUR LEFT KNEE.
2. BRING YOUR LEFT ELBOW OR LEFT UPPER ARM YOUR RIGHT KNEE. MOVE YOUR RIGHT HAND CLOSE TO YOUR HIPS.
3. PLACE BOTH PALMS IN THE PRAYER POSITION. MAKE A UPWARD MOTION OUT OF THE LOWER BACK, SO THAT THE ELBOW SLIGHTLY PRESSES UPWARD AGAINST YOUR RIGHT KNEE AND YOU NO LONGER LEAN ON YOUR LEG.
4. PUT SOME COUNTER PRESSURE WITH YOUR ARM AGAINST THE KNEE, STRETCH YOUR BACK, MOVE YOUR SHOULDER BLADES BACKWARDS, AND TURN TO THE RIGHT WITH YOUR UPPER BODY. STRAIGHTEN YOUR LEFT LEG BACKWARDS.
5. PUT YOUR LEFT HAND ON THE FLOOR AND ALIGN YOUR RIGHT ARM WITH YOUR LEFT LEG. AT THIS POINT, YOUR RIGHT ARM  AND LEFT LEG SHOULD FORM A DIAGONAL LINE. TRY TO STRETCH YOUR NECK, BREATHE TOWARDS THE BREAST BONE AND TWIST FROM THE LOWER SHOULDER BLADE WHICH STEERS ON THE TWIST. REPEAT THE EXERCISE ON THE OTHER SIDE. 

BENEFITS

 

 

• STRENGTHENS AND STRETCHES THE LEGS, AND ANKLES, GROIN MUSCLES, SPINE, CHEST AND DIAPHRAGM, AND SHOULDERS.
• BRINGS FRESH CIRCULATION OF BLOOD TO YOUR ABDOMINAL ORGANS.
• CHARGES THE CELLS, ESPECIALLY IN YOUR ABDOMEN, WITH NEW OXYGEN AND NUTRIENTS.
• INCREASES BALANCE.
• SQUEEZES OUT BODY TOXINS WITH THE TWISTING ACTION.
• CREATES HEALTHY SPINAL FLEXIBLITY.
• THE POSE MAY HELP THOSE WITH CONSTIPATION, BACKACHE, OSTEOPOROSIS AND SCIATICA.

PASCHIMOTTANASANA

SEATED FORWARD BEND

IN SANSKRIT "PASCHIM" MEANS BACK AND "UTHAN" MEANS STRETCH. IT IS A SIMPLE YET POWERFUL POSITION TO PRACTICE. THE ORIGINAL POSTURE IS STRENUOUS, BUT BEGINNERS CAN TRY OUT AN EASIER VERSION WHICH IS EXPLAINED BELOW. THIS ASANA CAN BE PERFECTED ONLY AFTER A WEEK OF PRACTICE.

THIS ASANA GIVES A COMPLETE STRETCHING TO THE NECK, THE BACK, THE HAMSTRINGS AND CALVES. AT THE SAME TIME, IT DIRECTS YOUR ATTENTION INWARD. YOU STIMULATE THE ENTIRE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND LEARN TO FIND STILLNESS AND RELAXATION DURING A PERIOD OF EFFORT OR EVEN DISCOMFORT, WHEN DOING THIS STRETCHING EXERCISE.

STEPS

 

 

1. SIT DOWN WITH YOUR LEGS STRETCHED. THE LEGS LIE SIDE BY SIDE AND TO TOES POINT UPWARDS. STRETCH YOUR LOWER BACK AND RAISE YOUR ARMS. LOOK FORWARD, LENGTHEN YOUR BACK, AND KEEP THE CHEST AND YOUR BREATHING FREE.
2. SLOWLY BEND FORWARD, STRETCH YOUR CROWN UPWARD AND TRY NOT TO LOSE THE SUPPORTING DYNAMISM OF THE LOWER BACK. SEE IT IT THAT YOUR LEG DO NOT MOVE OR TILT UP.
3. THE MOMENT YOU NOTICE THAT YOU CAN ONLY BEND FURTHER BY BENDING THE LOWER BACK, MOVE YOUR HANDS TO YOUR LOWER LEGS, ANKLES OR FEET. LIGHTLY PULL YOUR LEGS, ANKLES OR FEET AND CONTINUE STRETCHING.

KEEP YOUR SHOULDERS DOWN. BREATHE IN DEEPLY AND OUT ACROSS THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF YOUR SPINAL COLUMN AND IN A RELAXED WAY. EVERTYTIME YOU EXHALE, YOU SHOULD BEND FURTHER TOWARDS YOUR LEGS WITHOUT LOSING THE LENGTH IN YOUR BACK AND THE DYNAMISM IN THE LOWER BACK. WHEN YOU LOSE THE DYNAMISM IN THE LOWER BACK, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT YOU LOSE A MAJOR PART OF THE STRETCHING AND YOU WILL HAVE A HARD TIME BREATHING.

4. STRETCH OUT YOUR ARMS FORARD.

5.SLOWLY RAISE YOUR UPPER BODY. KEEP YOUR LEGS LYING SIDE BY SIDE AND THE TOES POINTING UPWARDS.

6. SIT STRAIGHT UP AGAIN, JUST LIKE YOUR ORIGINAL POSITION.

BENEFITS 

 

 

• PASCHIMOTTANASANA IS A FIRE STRETCHING EXERCISE FOR THE BACK OF THE WHOLE BODY, FROM THE HEELS TO THE TOP OF THE SPINE. IN ONE CONTINUOUS MOVEMENT, ALMOST ALL THE POSTERIOR MUSCLES OF THE BODY, PARTICULARLY THE HAMSTRING MUSCLES AT THE BACK OF THE THIGHS AND THE MUSCLES OF THE SMALL OF THE BACK, ARE FULLY STRETCHED AND RELAXED. THE MUSCLES OF THE NECK, CHEST, SHOULDERS, THE SPINAL COLUMN, HIPS AND THE RECTI ARE ALSO BROUGHT INTO PAY.
• THIS ASANA STRETCHES THE SPINE TO ITS MAXIMUM LENGTH, WHICH MAKES IT SUPPLE AND FLEXIBLE.
• THE ASANA STRETCHES THE RIBCAGE AND ITS IRREGULAR PRACTICE WILL EXPAND THE LUNGS MORE.
• THE PRACTICE OF THIS ASANA IMPROVES DIGESTION AND THE PERISTALTIC ACTION OF THE BOWELS.
• THE JOINTS OF THE ARMS, SHOULDERS, LEGS, KNEES, ANKLES NAD HIPS BECOME MORE ELASTIC.
• IT IS A GOOD REMEDY FOR CONSTIPATION, DYSPEPSIA, FLATULENCE, BELCHING, HICCOUGHS AND DIGESTIVE DISTURBANCES.

PRASARITA  PADOTTANASANA

WIDE LEGGED FORWARD BEND

THIS IS GOOD STRETCHING EXERCISE THAT REDUCES THAT STIFFNESS, TIREDNESS AND TENSION IN THE MUSCLES IN YOUR HIND LEGS. AT THE SAME TIME, THE MUSCLES OF THE BACK AND THE NECK ARE THOROUGHLY STETCHED AND YOU LEARN TO DEAL WITH POSSIBLE STRETCHING ACHES.

STEPS 

1. START WITH THE MOUNTAIN POSE.
2. JUMP SO THAT YOUR FEET ARE AROUND FOUR FEET APART. SLIGHTLY TURN HEELS TOWARDS WHILE YOU LOOK FORWARD.
3. BEND FORWARD UNTIL THE UPPER BODY STANDS HALFWAY PARALLEL TO THE GROUND. PLACE YOUR HANDS RIGHT UNDER YOUR SHOULDERS ON THE GROUND AND SEE TO IT THAT YOUR LOWER BACK IS STRAIGHT AND STILL SUPPORTS YOUR POSITION.
4. PUSH, AS IT WERE, YOUR PELVIS UPWARD, LOOK TO THE GROUND AND STRETCH FROM THE NECK TOWARDS THE GROUND. IF YOU DO THIS EASILY, YOU CAN GRAB THE OUTSIDES OF YOUR FEET AND SLIGHTLY PULL AT THEM SO THAT THE FRONT PART OF YOUR BODY FEELS LONG AND YOU CAN STRETCH EVEN FURTHER. THE STRETCHING SHOULD BE THE RESULT OF RELAXATION, LETTING LOOSE, GRAVITATION AND THE STRETCHIG MOTION ITSELF AND NOT THE RESULT OF PULLING, YOUR HANDS WITH FORCE.

WHEN YOU COME BACK, STAND STRAIGHT UP AGAIN AND THEN YOU JUMP BACK TO TADASANA. TRY TO MAINTAIN THE FEELING OF STRETCHING AND GIVING LENGTH TO THE BACK AND THE CHEST AT ALL TIMES IN THE FORWARD BEND. WHEN THE BACK SINKS DOWN THE CHEST AND YOUR BREATHING GET OPPRESSED AND YOU LOSE A MAJOR PART OF THE STRETCHING.

BENEFITS 

• THIS ASANA STRENGTHENS AND STRETCHES THE INNER AND BACK LEGS, AS WELL AS THE SPINE.
• TONES THE ABDOMINAL ORGANS.
• CALMS THE BRAIN.
• RELIEVES THE MILD BACKACHE.
• THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS OF THE ASANA INCLUDES HEADACHE, FATIGUE AND MILD DEPRESSION.

PURVOTTANASANA

INCLINED POSE

PURVOTTANASANA IS AN INTENSE STRETCH FOR THE FRONT OF THE BODY FROM THE TOES TO THE COLLAR BONES WHICH AWAKENS AND STIMULATES THE ENERGY PATHWAYS IN THE BODY.

STEPS

1. BEGIN BY SITTING UP WITH BOTH LEGS STRAIGHT OUT IN THE FRONT. PLACE THE HANDS FLOAT ON THE FLOOR BEHIND YOUR BACK WITH THE FINGER POINTING BACKWARDS. DROP YOUR HEAD BACK AND REST ON YOUR HANDS.
2. INHALE AS YOU LIFT THE HIPS TO AS MUCH HEIGHT AS POSSIBLE, TRYING TO BRING THE FEET FLAT ON THE FLOOR. TRY TO HOLD THE POSE FOR AT LEAST 10 SECONDS, GRADUALLY INCREASING TO 1 MINUTE. BREATHE NORMALLYAS YOU HOLD THE POSITION. LOWER THE HIPS TO THE GROUND, AND GENTLY SHAKE OUT THE HANDS TO RELAX.

BENEFITS 

PURVOTTANASANA STRENGTHENS AND STRETCHES YOUR ARMS, ABDOMEN, LEGS AND NECK. AS A BALANCE POSE IT HELPS WITH YOUR SENSE OF BALANCE AND CALM.

PRECAUTIONS

DON'T DO THIS POSE IF YOU HAVE ANY SORT OF NECK OR LOWER BACK PROBLEM.

SARVANGASANA

(STAND ON SHOULDER)

IT IS KNOWN AS THE QUEEN OF ASANAS WHICH WORKS OUT TO BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO YOUR MIND, BODY AND SOUL. SARVANGASANA IS A COMBINATION OF THREE PARTS SUCH AS "SARVA" "ANGA" AND "ASANA" WHICH MEANS "ALL BODY POSTURE". IT IS ONE OF THE ASANA WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT AND HELPFUL FOR YOUR ENTIRE BODY INCLUDING THE PRESSURE MASSAGES FOR YOUR THYROID GLANDS.

SARVANGASANA IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE CANDLE STAND AS YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR BODY STRAIGHT AS A CANDLE.

STEPS 

1. LIE DOWN WITH YOUR BACK ON THE FLOOR.
2. YOUR SHOULDERS SHOULD LIE ON THE EDGE AND YOUR HEAD RESTS ON THE MAT. YOUR LEGS ARE DRAWN IN AND STILL STAND ON THE MAT.
3. LIFT YOUR HIPS OFF THE FLOOR AND BRING YOUR LEGS UP, OVER THE BEYOND YOUR HEAD.
4. AT THIS POINT, LIFT YOUR BACK AND MOVE YOUR LEGS FURTHER BEYOND YOUR HEAD.
5. STRAIGHTEN YOUR SPINE AND KEEP YOUR BACK STRAIGHT. MOVE YOUR HANDS TOWARDS YOUR BACK.
6. PLACE YOUR ARMS AGAINST YOUR UPPER BACK AND TRY TO PLACE YOUR HANDS AS NEAR AS POSSIBLE TO THE SHOULDER BLADES. TRY TO PLACE YOUR ELBOW AT SHOULDER-WIDTH. IF YOU CANNOT DO THIS, PUT THEM AT A SOMEWHAT WIDER DISTANCE FROM EACH OTHER. IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN USE A BELT TO KEEP THE ARMS TOGETHER.
7. PUSH YOUR BACK UPWARDS WITH YOUR HANDS. YOUR WILL GET A FORCE UPWARDS COMING FROM THE SEVENTH NECK-VERTEBRA. USE YOUR HANDS TO PUSH THE BACK FORWARD WITH THE RESULT THAT IT GETS NARROWER AND STRAIGHTER AND THERE IS AN INCREASED PRESSURE ON YOUR SHOULDERS. AT THE SAME TIME, THIS REQUIRES MORE POWER OF THE MUSCLES OF THE LOWER BACK. REST YOUR WEIGHT ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE SHOULDERS. SEE TO IT THAT YOU DO NOT BEND THE UPPER BACK AND THE CHEST.
8. LIFT UP YOUR LEGS, ON AT A TIME, AND MAKE IT SURE THAT THE PELVIS IS PLACED STRAIGHT OVER YOUR BACK AND YOUR HANDS. YOUR LEGS ARE PLACED A LITTLE FORWARD. DIVIDE THE WEIGHT OF YOUR LEGS BETWEEN THE HANDS AND THE SHOULDERS. BUILD UP STRENGTH IN THE UPPER BACK AND GIVE SPACE TO YOUR CHEST AND SHOULDER MUSCLES A SLIGHT BENDING OF THE LEGS SEES TO IT THAT THE BACK REMAINS STRAIGHT AND THAT THE DYNAMISM FROM THE SACRUM AND THE HIP IS MAINTAINED. WAIT UNTIL YOUR SHOULDERS START TO RELAX MORE. TRY TO INCREASE THE RIGHT DYNAMISM THROUGH THE ANGLE OF THE LEGS AND VIA THE HANDS.
9. AFTER SOME TIME, TRY PLACING YOUR ARMS A LITTLE LOWER IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SHOULDER BLADES ON YOUR BACK. SEE TO IT THAT THE ELBOWS DO NOT STAND TOO FAR APART. BREATHE IN AND OUT QUIETLY AND TRY TO FIND YOUR BALANCE. SLOWLY BRING YOUR LEGS BACK TO THE MAT, ONE BY ONE, STRETCH OUT YOUR ARMS (LENGTHWISE), AWAY FROM YOU AND SLOWLY ROLL YOUR BACK DOWNWARD.

BENEFITS 

• BY DOING THIS ASANA PROPERLY IT COULD HELP YOU IN CURING YOUR AILMENTS RELATED TO BRONCHITIS, ASTHMA, HEAVY BREATHING AND SHORTNESS IN BREATH. DIGESTON IS ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS WHICH MANY PEOPLE FACE, DUE TO FAST FOOD AND OTHER JUNK WE FILL IN OUR STOMACH. YOUR DIGESTION WOULD COME IN TERMS WITH YOUR FOOD BY THIS ASANA AS WELL AS YOUR BODY WOULD BE A PLACE OF BETTER HEALTH. IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE ANAEMIC YOUR CONDITIONS COULD IMPROVE BY SIMPLY DOING THIS ASANA AS WELL AS HAVE DAILY ROUTINE IN DIETARY AND EXERCISE HABITS.
• THIS ASANA HELPS THE SEX GLANDS WHICH WE ALL KNOW WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL FOR FUTURE PARENTS AS WELL AS FOR A GOOD SEX LIFE.