Ustrasana – Camel Posture
Ustrasana – Camel Posture (ustra – camel) Practice: Come to kneeling posture called (Vajrasana) thunder bolt posture, by keeping knees together, hips touching heels, toes pointing outward. Now stand on your knees, support both palms at back of waist, and exhale bend backward make nice arch on spine, place palms on respective heels. Thighs perpendicular to the floor. Push hip, waist, coccyx, sacral towards sky. Open chest and expand, neck falling backward. Stay in this posture for 10 to 20 seconds, breath deeply through nose. Inhales come up and relax at (Balasana) child posture. Benefits: Give flexible, suppleness to lower back especially at sacral, lumbar region. Remove hunch back or droop shoulders, by regular practice. Improves breathing. Strengthen entire spine, neck, shoulders, shoulder. Make spine flexible, supple and strong. Improves back pain.
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana – Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana – Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (urdhva – upward, mukha – face, svana – dog) Practice: Come to Makrasana (crocodile posture), place palms beside chest at last rib bone, elbows up and close to each other. Keep the feet about one foot apart. The toes should point backward. Place the palms by the side of the waist, Inhale raise head, neck, chest, pelvic, hip, legs off the floor by keeping elbow straight and locked. Stretch and lengthen the head neck and trunk as far back as possible, without placing the knees on the ground. Keep the legs straight and tightened at the knees, balancing at your palms and your toes. Distribute the pressure evenly at your back. Do not shrug your back open your chest and widen your shoulder. Tighten calf, thigh, butt muscles. Open chest broad by pushing arms down against floor. Stay for 10 to 30 second, with deep inhalation and exhalation. Exhale, come back to Makrasana and relax. Benefits: The compressing action on the abdomen helps in squeezing out stagnant blood from the abdominal organs and encouraging fresh flow of blood. It is very useful for all stomach ailments, including indigestion and constipation. Arching the back exercises the spine, making the muscles supple and revitalizing the spinal nerves. God for all back related problems.
Utthita Trikonasana – Extended Triangle Posture
Utthita Trikonasana – Extended Triangle Posture (utthita – extended, tri – three, kon- angle) Practice: Come to (Tadasana) Mountain Posture, by palms beside thighs. Inhale keep legs apart for 3 to 4 foot according to your height, By arms straight, fingers together, inner palms facing downward. Turn right foot outward to 90 degree, same left foot for 45 degree. Keep both legs straight and strong. Exhale Slide towards right side laterally, catch hold big toe with index, middle and thumb finger. Keep spine and tail bone straight and extended, turning spine towards left side, gazing at tip of middle finger. Stay for 10 to 20 seconds, by breathing normally. Now bend right leg knee and come back to Tadasana. Repeat same for left side, same length of duration. Benefits: Good for flat feet, neck pain, and sciatica. Improves height, makes body aligned and balance both side. Improves droop or hunch back. Makes legs very stronger. Strengthens the Calf, thigh muscles, and waist muscles and makes the spine flexible. Strengthen the hips, groins, hamstrings, and calves, shoulders, chest, and spine .
Vrksasana – Tree Posture
Vrksasana – Tree Posture (vrksa – tree) Practice: Come to Tadasana( mountain posture), shift your whole body weight to left foot , bend right leg knee, help of right arm rest the right foot close to left inner thighs , foot pointing downward and straight. Inhale raise your both arms side way, adopt namaskara mudra. Keep your left knee straight, whole body weight evenly distributed over left foot, spine and arms straight, beside ears. Lengthen tail bone, remain pelvic straight not tilting sideway. Remain in this posture for 10 to 30 seconds, breathing smoothly and deeply at your nostrils. Exhale and drop arms down, with right arm help drop right foot on floor. Repeat the same for left foot. Benefits: Removes fatigue of legs. Bring concentration and memory. Balances right and left side of brain hemisphere. Reduce stress and back pain.
Tadasana – Mountain Posture
Tadasana – Mountain Posture (tada – mountain) Practice: Come to standing posture. Stand straight with the feet together, the inner heels and big toes touching each other. (For beginner can keep feet apart for hip distance wide). Lengthen all the toes flat on the floor. Straighten the knees and pull the knee-caps up. While inhale contract the hips and pull up the muscles of the thighs, Keep the stomach in, chest forward, spine stretched up and the neck straight. Inhale, and lift your hips, stomach in, rib cage up, chest up, neck and head straight. Make sure you are not bearing the weight of the body either on the heels or the soles, it should be evenly distributed on both feet and firmly grounded, by adopting mountain pose (Tadasana). Place both palms together in front of the chest (Namaskara Mudra). Benefits: Align whole body evenly both left and right side of body. Remove lower back pain and reduces breathing rate, improves lungs holding capacity. Strengthen ankle, knee, hip, spine and shoulder joints. Establishes a state of concentration and calmness in mind.
Sukhasana – Easy Posture
Sukhasana – Easy Posture (sukha – easy or comfortable) Practice: Come to (Dandasana) staff posture, fold right leg knees place it beneath left knee. Now bend left leg knee place it, under right leg knee. Make sure shin touching each other, foot under opposite knee; allow space between shin bones to pelvic. Try to balance your posture with support of pubic bone and tail bone. Lengthen your tail bone, spine, neck and head. Benefits: Calms the brain, improves memory and concentration. Strengthens the back, neck and head. Stretches the knees and ankles. Improves one patience and forbearance capacity.
Sirsasana – Head Standing Posture
Sirsasana – Head Standing Posture (sirsa – head) Practice: Come to knelling posture called Vajrasana. Lean forward by knee apart for one fore arm distance. Interlock fingers; place it at one forearm distance, straight to knees. Place head pressing against the inside of the interlocked fingers. Now move spine straight perpendicular to floor, legs parallel to ground, by toes touching ground. Press toes down against floor; come up by shifting your lower part of body over elbows and head. Adjust posture by elbows, give minimum weight to head region. Keep whole body in a straight line, keep knees straight, suck abdomen in. Gaze at two feet front of floor at eye level. Stay for 10 to 20 seconds, breathing at nose normally. Exhale and return the back to the Vajrasana, relax at (Balasana) child posture. Benefits: This is called king of asana, by doing this asana alone get all benefits of other asanas. Improves balance, skill, memory and concentration. Optimize all organs, system and limbs of body. By regular practice hair grows blacker and controls falling hair.
Siddhasana – Perfect Posture
Siddhasana – Perfect Posture (siddha – perfect) Practice: Come to Dandasana (staff posture), by palms on floor beside hips. Bend the right leg at knee; place the right heel pressing at below perineum, end of reproductive organs. Bend left leg knee place left heels at root of reproductive organ, by left ankle resting over right ankle, soles, toes between calf and thigh muscles. Keep the trunk, neck, and head in a straight line. Gazing upward in between eye brows, by adopting Jnana Mudra at both arms by touching tip of index and thumb finger, rest on your thighs. Stay for 1 to 3 minutes; breathe calmly, aware about your breathing movements. Then unfold legs one by one come back to Dandasana. Repeat same for opposite leg. Benefits: Makes reproductive organs stronger, awaken Mooladhara Cakra, and makes to move energy upward instead of going downward vainly. It is one of the best among all the asana, according to Hatha Yoga Pradipika classical text. This posture is recommended for (Dhyana) Meditation and (Pranayama) breathing practices. Strengthen spinal muscle stamina to sit for long time. Increase awareness and expands consciousness. Leads to meditative state spontaneously Nadi.
Salabhasana – Locust Posture
Salabhasana – Locust Posture (salabha – locust) Practice: Come to (Makrasana) Crocodile relaxation posture, bring legs together toes pointing outward, heels together , knees together , legs , torso in a straight line. Place palms under inner thigh, exhale, and tighten buttocks, hips, thighs, and knee and ankle joints. Inhale, with support of palms lifts both legs up as height as possible, by knees straight, chin chest abdomen touching floor. Balance legs by chest and chin. Breathing very deep in and out, stay for 10 to 20 seconds, come back to Makrasana by exhaling, and relax. Benefits: This asana tones and adjusts the functioning of the liver and other abdominal organs, especially the intestines, pancreas, and kidneys. It is very useful for relieving and eliminating diseases of the stomach and bowels, and it stimulates the appetite. It strengthens the lower spine and heart, and tones the sciatic nerves. Stimulates abdominal organs. Helps relieve stress.
Sethu Bandha Asana – Bridge Lock Posture
Sethu Bandha Asana – Bridge Lock Posture (sethu- bridge, bandha – lock) Practice: Lie down on your back with the legs bent at the knees and the heels touching the buttocks. Hold the ankles. Inhale, raise the hips and arch the back, keeping feet flat on the floor. Do not move the position of the feet or shoulders. The body should be supported by the feet, neck, shoulders and arms. Maintain Retain the breath inside when practicing this posture. Stay for 20 to 40 seconds with normal breathing for curative purpose. Exhale and relax at Savasana. Benefits: Good for thyroid secretion. This asana is useful to return displaced vertebral discs. It stretches and massages the colon and other abdominal organs. It also straightens round shoulders and relieves backache. It is recommended especially for women who have a tendency towards miscarriage as it tones the female sexual organs. It is a good preparatory pose for cakrasana.