BALANCING ASANAS (GAINING MAXIMUM ENERGY)

ABOUT

BALANCING ASANAS DEVELOP THE FUNCTIONS OF THE CEREBELLUM, THE BRAIN CENTRE THAT CONTROLS HOW THE BODY WORKS IN MOTION. MOST PEOPLE ARE UNCOORDINATED IN THEIR MOVEMENTS, SO THEIR BODIES CONSTANTLY HAVE TO COMPENSATE FOR THEIR LACK OF BALANCE IN ORDER TO AVOID FALLING OR KNOCKING THINGS OVER.

THIS EXPENDS MAXIMUM EFFORT AND ENERGY FOR MINIMUM RESULTS. CREATING CONSIDERABLE ADDITIONAL STRAIN. SUCH PEOPLE WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS SERIES. HOWEVER. PEOPLE WITH DISEASES WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS SERIES.

THE FOCUS REQUIRED TO PERFORM THESE ASANAS WITH STEADINESS DEVELOPS CONCENTRATION AND BALANCE AT THE EMOTIONAL, MENTAL AND PSYCHIC LEVEL, REMOVING STRESS ANXIETY. FOR RELIEF OF EXCESSIVE TENSION THESE PRACTICES SHOULD BE HELD FOR AS LONG AS COMFORTABLE.

BALANCING ASANAS MAY DIFFICULT TO PERFORM AT FIRST. HOWEVER, THE BODY IS VERY ADAPTABLE AND PROGRESS WILL QUICKLY BE MADE WITH A FEW WEEKS OF REGULAR PRACTICE. CAREFULLY OBSERVE THE CONTRA-INDICATIONS GIVEN FOR INDIVIDUAL PRACTICES.

EKA PADA PRANAMASANA

STAND UPRIGHT WITH THE FEET TOGETHER AND THE ARMS AT TEH SIDES.
FOCUS THE GAZE ON A FIXED POINT IN FRONT OF THE BODY.
BEND THE RIGHT LEG, GRASP THE ANKLE AND PLACE THE SOLE OF THE FOOT ON THE INSIDE OF THE LEFT THIGH.
THE HEEL SHOULD BE CLOSE THE PERINEUM AND THE RIGHT KNEE SHOULD POINT OUT TO THE SIDE.
WHEN THE BODY IS BALANCED, PLACE THE HANDS IN PRAYER POSITION IN FRONT OF THE CHEST FOR THE FINAL POSITION.
RELEASE THE HANDS AND THEN THE FOOT.
RELAX COMPLETELY IN THE STARTING POSITION, AND CHANGE SIDES.

BREATHING

BREATHE NORMALLY THROUGHOUT THE PRACTICE.

DURATION

PRACTICE UP TO 3 ROUNDS ON EACH LEG, HOLDING THE FINAL POSITION FOR UP TO 2 MINUTES.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - ON A FIXED POINT AT EYE LEVEL.

SPIRITUAL - ON AJNA OR ANAHATA CHAKRA.

BENEFITS

THIS ASANA DEVELOPS NERVOUS BALANCE. IT ALSO STRENGTHENS THE LEG, ANKLE AND FOOT MUSCLES.

VARIATION

ASSUME THE FINAL POSITION OF EKA PADA PRANAMASANA. KEEPING THE GAZE FOCUSED AT EYE LEVEL, INHALE AND RAISE THE ARMS ABOVE THE HEAD, PALMS TOGETHER. HOLD THE POSITION WITH THE BREATH INSIDE AND, ON EXHALATION, LOWER THE HANDS BACK IN FRONT OF THE CHEST. REPEAT ON THE OTHER SIDE.

NATAVARASANA

(LORD KRISHNA POSE)

STAND WITH THE FEET TOGETHER AND FOCUS ON A FIXED POINT.
BRING THE RIGHT LEG AND LETTLE FORWARD AND PLACE THE RIGHT FOOT TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE LEFT CALF WITH THE TOES ABOUT THE FLOOR AND THE SOLE OF THE FOOT ALMOST VERTICAL.
REST THE SIDE OF THE RIGHT CALF AGAINST THE LEFT SHIN.
RAISE BOTH HANDS TO THE RIGHT AS IF PLAYING A FLUTE.
THE RIGHT PALM SHOULD FACE FORWARD AND THE LEFT PALM BACKWARD.
THE INDEX AND LITTLE FINGERS OF THE HANDS ARE STRAIGHT AND THE MIDDLE FINGERS ARE CURLED INTO THE BASE OF THE THUMB.
TURN THE HEAD SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT AND FOCUS THE EYES AT A FIXED POINT.
HOLD THE FINAL POSITION FOR AS LONG AS IS COMFORTABLE.
TO RELEASE, BRING THE HEAD TO THE CENTRE, LOWER THE ARMS TO THE SIDES AND THE RAISED FOOT TO THE FLOOR.
REPEAT THE STANCE ON THE OTHER SIDE.

BREATHING

BREATHE NORMALLY THROUGHOUT THE PRACTICE.

DURATION

PRACTICE UP TO 3 ROUNDS ON EACH LEG, HOLDING THE FINAL POSITION FOR UP TO 2 MINUTES.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - ON MAINTAINING BALANCE WHILE FOCUSING ON A FIXED POINT.

SEQUENCE

THIS ASANA MAY BE PRACTICED AS A PREPARATORY POSE FOR MEDITATION.

BENEFITS

NATAVARASANA HELPS DEVELOP NERVOUS BALANCE AND CONCENTRATION.

GARUDASANA

ASSUME THE STANDING POSITION AND FOCUS THE GAZE ON A FIXED SPOT.
BEND THE RIGHT LEG AND TWIST IT AROUND THE LEFT LEG.
THE RIGHT THIGH SHOULD BE IN FRONT OF THE LEFT THIGH AND THE TOP OF THE RIGHT FOOT SHOULD REST ON THE CALF OF THE LEFT LEG.
BEND THE ELBOWS AND BRING THEM IN FRONT OF THE CHEST.
TWIST THE FOREARMS AROUND EACH OTHER WITH THE LEFT ELBOW REMAINING BELOW.
PLACE THE PALMS TOGETHER TO RESEMBLE AND EAGLE'S BEAK.
BALANCE IN THIS POSITION FOR SOME TIME, THEN SLOWLY BEND THE LEFT KNEE AND LOWER THE BODY, KEEPING THE BACK STRAINGT, UNTIL THE ELBOWS COME DOWN TO THE KNEES AND THE TIP OF THE RIGHT BIG TOE TOUCHES THE FLOOR.
KEEP THE EYES FOCUSED ON THE FIXED POINT.
HOLD THE FINAL POSITION FOR AS LONG AS IS COMFORTABLE, THEN RAISE THE BODY, AND RELEASE THE LEGS AND ARMS.
RELAX WITH THE EYES CLOSED.
REPEAT WITH THE LEGS AND ARMS THE OPPOSITE WAY AROUND.
PRACTICE UP TO 3 ROUNDS ON EACH SIDE.

BREATHING

BREATHE NORMALLY THROUGHOUT THE PRACTICE.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - ON MAINTAINING BALANCE WHILE LOWERING AND RAISING THE BODY.

SPIRITUAL - ON MOOLADHARA CHAKRA.

BENEFITS

GARUDASANA IMPROVES CONCENTRATION, STRENGTHENS THE MUSCLES AND LOOSENS THE JOINTS OF THE SHOULDERS, ARMS AND LEGS, AND IS GOOD FOR THE UPPER BACK.

TANDAVASANA

(LORD SHIVA DANCE)

STAND UPRIGHT WITH THE FEET SLIGHTLY APART.
BEND AND RAISE THE LEFT KNEE SO THE THIGH IS HORIZONTAL, THE FOOT POINTING AWAY FROM THE BODY AND SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT OF THE RIGHT LEG.
BEND THE RIGHT KNEE SLIGHTLY.
PLACE THE LEFT ARM ACROSS THE BODY IN LINE WITH THE LEFT THIGH, WITH THE PALM AND FINGERS FACING DOWN.
BEND THE RIGHT ELBOW SO THAT THE RIGHT PALM FACES FORWARD AND THE FOREARM IS VERTICAL.
THE RIGHT ELBOW SHOULD BE JUST BEHIND THE LEFT WRIST.
PRACTICE JNANA MUDRA WITH THE RIGHT HAND AND GAZE TOWARD THE HORIZON.
THIS IS THE FINAL POSITION.

BREATHING

BREATHE NORMALLY THROUGHOUT THE PRACTICE.

DURATION

UP TO 3 TIMES ON EACH SIDE, HOLDING EACH TIME FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT STRAIN.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - ON MAINTAINING BALANCE WHICH FOCUSING ON JNANA MUDRA.

SPIRITUAL - ON AJNA CHAKRA.

BENEFITS

THIS ASANA BALANCE THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, DEVELOPS CONTROL OF THE BODY AND MENTAL CONCENTRATION, AND MAKES THE LEGS SUPPLE.

SARAL NATARAJASANA

STAND WITH THE FEET TOGETHER AND FOCUS ON A FIXED POINT.
BEND THE RIGHT KNEE AND GRASP THE ANKLE WITH THE RIGHT HAND BEHIND THE BODY.
KEEP BOTH KNEES TOGETHER AND MAINTAN THE BALANCE.
SLOWLY RAISE AND STRETCH THE RIGHT LEG BACKWARD, AS HIGH AS COMFORTABLE.
MAKE SURE THE RIGHT HIP DOES NOT TWIST AND THE LEG IS RAISED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE BODY.
REACH UPWARD AND FORWARD WITH THE LEFT ARM, BRINGING THE TIP OF THE INDEX FINGER AND THUMB OF THE LEFT HAND TOGETHER TO FORM JNANA MUDRA.
FOCUS THE GAZE ON THE LEFT HAND.
THIS IS THE FINAL POSITION.
HOLD THE POSITION FOR AS LONG AS IS COMFORTABLE.
LOWER THE LEFT ARM TO THE SIDE.
LOWER THE RIGHT LEG, BRINGING THE KNEES TOGETHER.
RELEASE THE RIGHT ANKLE AND LOWER THE FOOT ON THE FLOOR.
LOWER THE RIGHT ARM TO THE SIDE.
RELAX, THEN REPEAT WITH THE LEFT LEG.

BREATHING

BREATHE NORMALLY THROUGHOUT THE PRACTICE.

CONTRA-INDICATIONS

PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM A WEAK HEART, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, BACK PROBLEMS, HERNIA, COLITIS, PEPTIC OR DUODENAL ULCERS, OR VERTIGO SHOULD NOT PRACTICE THIS ASANA.

BENEFITS

THIS ASANA STRENGTHENS THE BACK, SHOULDERS, ARMS, HIP AND LEGS. IT HELPS DEVELOP A SENSE OF BALANCE AND COORDINATION AND IMPROVES CONCENTRATION.

VARIATION

ADVANCED PRACTITIONERS WITH FLEXIBLE BODIES MAY BE ABLE TO TOUCH THE BACK OF THE HEAD WITH THE TOES OR TO HOLD THE TOES WITH BOTH HANDS.