WHAT IS THE IMPORTANT PART OF RELAXATION ASANAS?

RELAXATION ASANAS

THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS SERIES OF RELAXATION POSES CANNOT BE OVERPHASIZED. THEY SHOULD BE PERFORMED BEFORE AND AFTER THE ASANA SESSION AND AT ANY TIME WHEN THE BODY BECOMES TIRED. THE ASANAS IN THIS GROUP APPEAR VERY EASY AT FIRST, YET TO DO THEM PROPERLY IS QUITE DIFFICULT AS THE TENSION IN ALL THE MUSCLES OF THE BODY MUST BE CONSCIOUSLY RELEASED. THE MUSCLES OFTEN SEEM TO BE COMPLETELY RELAXED BUT, IN FACT, TIGHTNESS STILL REMAINS. EVEN DURING SLEEP, RELAXATION IS ELUSIVE.

SHAVASANA

LIE FLAT, ON THE BACK WITH THE ARMS ABOUT 15 CM AWAY FROM THE BODY, PALMS FACING UPWARD.
A THIN PILLOW OR FOLDED CLOTH MAY BE PLACED BEHIND THE HEAD TO PREVENT DISCOMFORT.
LET THE FINGERS CURL UP SLIGHTLY.
MOVE THE FEET SLIGHTLY APART TO A COMFORTABLE POSITION AND CLOSE THE EYES.
THE HEAD AND SPINE SHOULD BE IN A STRAIGHT LINE.
MAKE SURE THE SPINE SHOULD BE IN A STRAIGHT LINE.
MAKE SURE THE HEAD DOES NOT FALL TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER.
RELAX THE WHOLE BODY AND STOP ALL PHYSICAL MOVEMENT.
BECOME AWARE OF THE NATURAL BREATH AND ALLOW IT TO BECOME RHYTHMIC AND RELAXED.
AFTER SOME TIME, AGAIN BECOME AWARE OF THE BODY AND SURROUNDINGS, AND GENTLY AND SMOOTHLY RELEASE THE POSTURE.

BREATHING

NATURAL AND RELAXED, OR BEGIN TO COUNT THE BREATHS FROM NUMBER 27 BACKWARDS TO ZERO.
MENTALLY REPEAT, "I AM BREATHING IN 27, I AM BREATHING OUT 27, LIKE TO ZERO.
IF THE MIND CAN BE KEPT ON THE BREATH FOR A FEW MINUTES, THE BODY WILL RELAX.

DURATION

ACCORDING TO TIME AVAILABLE, IN GENERAL, THE LONGER THE BETTER, ALTHOUGH A MINUTE OR TWO IS SUFFICIENT BETWEEN ASANA PRACTICES.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - FIRST ON RELAXING THE WHOLE BODY, THEN ON THE BREATH.

SPIRITUAL - ON AJNA CHAKRA.

BENEFITS

THIS ASANA RELAXES THE WHOLE PSYCHO-PHYSIOLOGICAL SYSTEM. IT SHOULD IDEALLY BE PRACTICED BEFORE SLEEP, BEFORE DURING AND AFTER ASANA PRACTICE, PARTICULARLY AFTER DYNAMIC EXERCISES SUCH AS SURYA NAMASKAR, AND WHEN THE PRACTIONER FEELS PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY TIRED. IT DEVELOPS BODY AWARENESS. WHEN THE BODY IS COMPLETELY RELAXED, AWARENESS OF THE MIND INCREASES, DEVELOPING PRATYAHARA.

PRACTICE NOTES

DO NOT MOVE THE BODY AT ALL DURING THE PRACTICE AS EVEN THE SLIGHTEST MOVEMENT DISTURBS THE PRACTICE. A PERSONAL MANTRA MAY BE REPEATED WITH EVERY INHALATION AND EXHALATION.

FOR MAXIMUM BENEFITS, THIS TECHNIQUE SHOULD BE PERFORMED AFTER HARD DAY'S WORK, BEFORE EVENING ACTIVITIES, OR TO REFRESH THE BODY AND MIND BEFORE SITTING FOR MEDITATION, OR JUST BEFORE SLEEP.

ADVASANA

LIE ON THE STOMACH.
STRETCH BOTH ARMS ABOVE THE HEAD WITH THE PALMS FACING DOWNWARD.
THE FOREHEAD SHOULD BE RESTING ON THE FLOOR.
RELAX THE WHOLE BODY IN THE SAME WAY AS DESCRIBED FOR SHAVASANA.
IF THERE IS DIFFICULTY BREATHING OR A SENSE OF SUFFOCATION IS EXPERIENCED.
A PILLOW MAY BE PLACED UNDER THE CHEST.
AFTER SOME TIME, AGAN BECOME AWARE OF THE BODY AND SURROUNDINGS, AND GENTLY AND SMOOTHLY RELEASE THE POSTURE.

BREATHING

NATURAL AND RHYTMIC. THE NUMBER OF BREATHS MAY BE COUNTED AS IN SHAVASANA WHILE GENTLY PUSHING THE ABDOMEN AGAINST THE FLOOR.

DURATION

FOR RELAXATION IN THE TREATMENT OF AILMENTS, IT SHOULD BE PERFORMED FOR AS LONG AS IS COMFORTABLE. BEFORE OR DURING AN ASANA SESSION, A FEW MINUTES IS SUFFICIENT.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - ON RELAXING THE WHOLE BODY, AND ON THE BREATH.

SPIRITUAL - ON AJNA OR MANIPURA CHAKRA.

BENEFITS

RECOMMENDED FOR THOSE WITH SLIPPED DISC, STIFF NECK AND STOOPING FIGURE.

PRACTICE NOTES

MANTRA MAY ALSO BE SYNCHRONIZED WITH THE BREATH AS IN SHAVASANA.

JYESTIKASANA

LIE FLAT ON THE STOMACH WITH THE LEGS STRAIGHT AND THE FOREHEAD RESTING ON THE FLOOR.
INTERLOCK THE FINGERS AND PLACE THE PALMS ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD OR NECK.
ALLOW THE ELBOWS TO REST ON THE FLOOR.
RELAX THE WHOLE BODY AND BECOME AWARE OF THE BREATHIG PROCESS AS DESCRIBED FOR SHAVASANA.
AFTER SOME TIME, AGAIN BECOME AWARE OF THE BODY AND SURROUNDINGS, AND GENTLY AND SMOOTHLY RELEASE THE POSTURE.

BREATHING

NATURAL AND RHYTHMICAL.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - ON RELAXING THE WHOLE BODY, FEELING THE SOOTHING WARMTH OF THE PALMS MELTING AWAY THE TENSIONS IN THE NECK AND RELATED AREAS, AND FEELING THE BREATH.

SPIRITUAL - ON AJNA OR MANIPURA CHAKRA.

BENEFITS

THIS ASANA IS HELPFUL FOR ALL SPINAL COMPLAINTS, ESPECIALLY CERVICAL SPONDYLITIS AND STIFF NECK OR UPPER BACK.

VARIATION

THIS ASANA MAY ALSO BE PERFORMED WITH THE FINGERS OF BOTH HANDS INTERLOCKED AND PLACED UNDER THE FOREHEAD, PALMS FACING UP.

MAKARASANA

LIE FLAT ON THE STOMACH.
RAISE THE HEAD AND SHOULDERS AND REST THE CHIN IN THE PALMS OF THE HANDS WITH THE ELBOWS ON THE FLOOR.
KEEP TH ELBOWS TOGETHER FOR A MORE PRONOUNCED ARCH TO THE SPINE.
SEPARATE THE ELBOWS SLIGHTLY TO RELIEVE EXCESS PRESSURE ON THE NECK.
IN MAKARASANA THE EFFECT IS FELT AT TWO POINTS, THE NECK AND THE LOWER BACK.
IF THE ELBOWS ARE TOO FAR IN FRONT, TENSION WILL BE FELT IN THE NECK, IF THEY ARE DRAWN TOO CLOSE TO THE CHEST, TENSION WILL BE FELT MORE IN THE LOWER BACK.
ADJUST THE POSITION TO THE ELBOWS SO THAT THESE TWO POINTS ARE EQUALLY BALANCED.
THE IDEAL POSITION IS WHEN THE WHOLE SPINE IS EQUALLY RELAXED.
RELAX THE WHOLE BODY AND CLOSE THE EYES.
AFTER SOME TIME, AGAIN BECOME AWARE OF THE BODY AND SURROUNDINGS, AND GENTLY AND SMOOTHLY RELEASE THE POSTURE.

BREATHING

NATURAL AND RHYTHMIC, OR PRACTICE INHALING, MOVING THE AWARENESS UP ALONG THE SPINE FROM THE TAIL BONE TO THE NECK TO THE TAIL BONE.

FEEL THE BREATH MOVING UP AND DOWN THE SPINE. THIS WILL QUICKLY ACTIVATE THE HEALING ENERGIES IN THIS AREA.

FOR LOWER BACK PAIN DUE TO TENSION, CONCENTRATE ON THIS AREA AND FEEL IT EXPANDING AND RELAXING WITH EVERY INHALATION AND EXHALATION.

DURATION

FOR AS LONG AS IS COMFORTABLE.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - WITH CONCENTRATION ON THE LOWER BACK, AND RELAXING THE WHOLE BODY, AND ON THE BREATHING PROCESS.

SPIRITUAL - ON MANIPURA CHAKRA.

INDICATION

THOSE WITH BACK CONDITIONS, SUCH AS EXAGERATED LUMBAR CURVE, SHOULD NOT PRACTICE THIS ASANA IF ANY PAIN IS EXPERIENCED.

BENEFITS

THIS ASANA IS VERY EFFECTIVE FOR PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM SLIPPED DISC, SCIATICA, AND CERTAIN TYPES OF LOWER BACK PAIN.
THEY SHOULD REMAIN IN THIS ASANA FOR EXTENTED PERIODS OF TIME AS IT ENCOURAGES THE VERTEBRAL COLUMN TO RESUME OF TIME AS IT ENCOURAGES THE VERTEBRAL COLUMN TO RESUME ITS NORMAL SHAPE AND RELEASES COMPRESSION OF THE SPINAL NERVES.

MATSYA KRIDASANA

LIE ON THE STOMACH WITH THE FINGERS INTERLOCKED UNDER THE HEAD.
BEND THE LEFT LEG SIDEWAYS AND BRING THE LEFT KNEE CLOSE TO THE RIBS.
THE RIGHT LEG SHOULD REMAIN STRAIGHT.
SWIVEL THE ARMS TO THE LEFT AND REST THE LEFT ELBOW NEAR THE LEFT KNEE.
REST THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HEAD ON THE CROOK OF THE RIGHT ARM, OR A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE ARM FOR MOVE COMFORT.
RELAX IN THE FINAL POSE AND AFTER SOME TIME, CHANGE SIDES.
THIS POSITION RESEMBLES A FLAPPING FISH.
AFTER SOME TIME, AGAIN BECOME AWARE OF THE BODY AND SURROUNDINGS, AND GENTLY AND SMOOTHLY RELEASE THE POSTURE.

BREATHING

NORMAL AND RELAXED IN THE STATIC POSE.

DURATION

PRACTICE THIS ASANA FOR AS LONG AS COMFORTABLE ON BOTH SIDES. IT MAY BE USED FOR SLEEPING AND RESTING.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - ON RELAXING THE WHOLE BODY, AND ON THE BREATH.

SPIRITUAL - ON MANIPURA CHAKRA.

BENEFITS

THIS ASANA STIMULATES DIGESTIVE PERISTALSIS. IT RELIEVES SCIATIC PAIN BY RELAXING THE NERVES IN THE LEGS. PEOPLE FOR WHOM THE PRACTICE OF FORWARD BENDING ASANAS IS NOT RECOMMENDED MAY PRACTICE MAYSYA KRIDASANA AS A COUNTERPOSE AFTER BACKWARD BENDING ASANAS.

IT RELAXES TENSION IN THE PERINEUM. IN THE LATER MONTHS OF PREGNANCY, LYING ON THE BACK MAY CAUSE PRESSURE OVER MAJOR VEINS AND BLOCK THE CIRCULATION. IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, THIS POSTURE IS IDEAL FOR RELAXING, SLEEPING OR PRACTISING YOGA NIDRA. THE BENT KNEE AND THE HEAD MAY BE SUPPORTED ON A PILLOW FOR FURTHER COMFORT.

VAJRASANA

KNEEL ON THE FLOOR WITH THE KNEES CLOSE TOGETHER.
BRING THE BIG TOES TOGETHER AND SEPARATE THE HEELS.
LOWER THE BUTTOCKS ON TO THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE FEET WITH THE HEELS TOUCHING THE SIDES OF THE HIPS.
PLACE THE HANDS ON THE KNEES, PALMS DOWN.
THE BACK AND HEAD SHOULD BE STRAIGHT BUT NOT TENSE.
AVOID EXESSIVE BACKWARD ARCHING OF THE SPINE.
CLOSE THE EYES, RELAX THE ARMS AND THE WHOLE BODY.
BREATHE NORMALLY AND FIX THE ATTENTION ON THE FLOW OF AIR PASSING IN AND OUT OF THE NOSTRILS.

DURATION

FOR EXTENTED PERIODS OF TIME IF PERFORMED FOR SPIRITUAL AIMS. A FEW MINUTES DAILY IS SUFFICIENT TO LOOSEN UP THE LEGS. IF ANY STRAIN IS EXPERIENCED, STOP THE ASANA. PRACTICE VAJRASANA DIRECTLY AFTER MEALS, FOR AT LEAST 5 MINUTES TO ENHANCE THE DIGESTIVE FUNCTION. IN CASE OF ACUTE DIGESTIVE DISORDER, SIT IN VAJRASANA AND PRACTICE ABDOMINAL BREATHING FOR 100 BREATHS BEFORE AND AFTER FOOD. DO NOT STRAIN.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - ON THE SENSATIONS IN THE LEGS, BUTTOCKS AND SPINE. WHEN COMFORTABLE INTHE ASANA BECOME AWARE OF THE NORMAL BREATHING PROCESS. THIS WILL BRING TRANQUILLITY TO THE MIND IF PRACTICED WITH THE EYES CLOSED.

SPIRITUAL - ON MANIPURA CHAKRA.

BENEFITS

VAJRASANA ALTERS THE FLOW OF BLOOD AND NERVOUS IMPULSES IN THE PELVIC REGION AND STRENGHTHENS THE PELVIC MUSCLES. IT IS A PREVENATIVE MEASURE AGAINST HERNIA AND ALSO HELPS TO RELIEVE PILES. IT REDUCES THE BLOOD FLOW TO THE GENITALS AND MASSAGES THE NERVE FIBRES WHICH FEED THEM, MAKING IT USEFUL IN DILATED VEINS OF THE TESTICLES AND HYDROCELE IN MEN.

VAJRASANA IS A VERY IMPORTANT MEDITATION POSTURE BECAUSE THE BODY BECOMES UPRIGHT AND STRAIGHT WITH NO EFFORT. IT IS THE BEST MEDITATION ASANA FOR PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM SCIATICA. IT STIMULATES THE VAJRA NADI, ACTIVATES PRANA IN SUSHUMNA AND REDIRECTS SEXUAL ENERGY FOR SPIRITUAL PURPOSES.

NOTES

VAJRASANA IS USED BY MUSLIMS AND ZEN BUDDHISTS AS A POSITION FOR PRAYER AND MEDITATION. PEOPLE WHO CANNOT PERFORM PADMASANA OR SIDDHASANA, OR FIND THEM UNCOMFORTABLE, MAY SIT IN VAJRASANA FOR MEDITATION PRACTICE.

ANANDA MADIRASANA

SIT IN VAJRASANA.
PLACE THE PALMS ON TOP OF THE HEELS SO THAT THE FINGERS ARE POINTING TOWARDS EACH OTHER.
IF THIS IS UNCOMFORTABLE, PLACE THE PALMS JUST ABOVE THE HEELS.
KEEP THE HEAD AND SPINE ERECT, CLOSE THE EYES AND RELAX THEWHOLE BODY.
FIX THE ATTENTION AT BHRUMADHYA, THE EYEBROW CENTRE.

BREATHING

SLOW AND DEEP. IMAGINE THAT THE BREATH IS MOVING IN AND OUT OF THE EYEBROW CENTRE. INHALE FROM THE EYEBROW CENTRE TO AJNA CHAKRA AND EXHALE FROM AJNA TO THE EYEBROW CENTRE.

DURATION

FOR EXTENTED PERIODS OF TIME IF PERFORMED FOR SPIRITUAL AIMS.

A FEW MINUTES DAILY IS SUFFICIENT TO LOOSEN UP THE LEGS. IF ANY STRAIN IS EXPERIENCED, STOP THE ASANA.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE PRACTICE, AWARENESS SHOULD BE ON THE PHYSICAL SENSATIONS, THEN ON THE BREATHING PROCESS. WHEN SUFFICIENT RELAXATION HAS BEEN ACHIEVED, AWARENESSMAY BE TRANSFERRED TO THE EYEBROW CENTRE.

SPIRITUAL - ON AJNA CHAKRA.

BENEFITS

THIS ASANA IS USED PRIMARILY TO AWAKEN AJNA CHAKRA. IT ALSO CALMS THE MIND, RELAXES THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND GIVES ALL THE BENFITS OF VAJRASANA.

NOTES

ANANDA MADIRASANA MAY BE PERFORMED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO CLASSICAL MEDITATION POSTURES.

PADADHIRASANA

SIT IN VAJRASANA.
CROSS THE ARMS IN FRONT OF THE CHEST, PLACING THE HANDS UNDER THE OPPOSITE ARMPITS WITH THUMBS POINTING UPWARD, OR, FOR A STRONGER EFFECT, MAKE FISTS OF THE HANDS AND PLACE THEM UNDER THE ARMPITS.
CLOSE THE EYES AND BECOME AWARE OF THE BREATHING PROCESS.

BREATHING

SLOW, DEEP AND RHYTHMICAL. PRACTICE UNTIL THE FLOW OF THE BREATH IN BOTH NOSTRILS BECOMES EQUALIZED.

DURATION

TO PREPARE FOR PRANAYAMA, PRACTICE UNTIL THE FLOW OF THE BREATH EQUALIZES, OR FOR 5 TO 10 MINUTES.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - ON THE BREATHING PROCESS IN THE NOSE.

SPIRITUAL - ON AJNA CHAKRA.

BENEFITS

THE PRESSURE UNDER BOTH THE ARMPITS HELPS TO OPEN THE NOSTRILS TO FACILITATE THE PRACTICE OF PRANAYAMA. SINCE THE BREATH FLOW IN THE RIGHT AND LEFT NOSTRILS INFLUENCE THE ACTIVITIES OF THE SYMPATHETIC AND PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEMS RESPECTIVELY, OPENING OF THE TWO NOSTRILS INDUCES A STATE OF AUTOMATIC BALANCE.

PRACTICE NOTES

PADADHIRASANA MAY BE USED AS A PREPARATION OR PRANAYAMA. IT IS SPECIALLY USEFUL WHEN ONE OR BOTH NOSTRILS ARE BLOCKED.

IF ONLY ONE NOSTRIL IS BLOCKED, OR PARTIALLY BLOCKED, PLACE THE HAND OF THAT SIDE UNDERNEATH THE OPPOSITE ARMPIT. MAINTAIN THE PRESSURE FOR A MINUTE OR TWO, ALTHOUGH CHANGES MAY SOMETIMES OCCUR WITHIN A FEW SECONDS.