Urdhva Cakrasana (Upward Bow or Wheel Pose)
Urdhva Cakrasana (Upward Bow or Wheel Pose) This is the upward wheel pose or upward bow pose. Lie flat on your back on your mat. Your legs are bent at the knees and your feet are flat on the ground, hip distance apart. Place your palms on the ground near your ears, your elbows are pointing to the sky and your fingers are facing towards your head. Now push up into bridge while you inhale. Exhale and stay here. On an inhale, while balancing your entire weight on your feet push your upper body off while balancing your weight on your palms and feet. Your body at this point will look like half a wheel. Make sure your neck isn’t being strained, here. Then lower back down and relax. Precaution: Shoulder or wrist concerns Glaucoma or high blood pressure Low-back injury Benefits: Strengthens the shoulders, arms, wrists, legs, and spine. Opens the chest and shoulder girdle. Relieves asthma symptoms by expanding the lungs. Strengthens the legs. It is beneficial to the nervous, digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular and glandular systems. Relieve various gynaecological disorders.
Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulder Stand Pose)
Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulder Stand Pose) This is the supported shoulder stand. Start by lying flat on your back on the floor with your legs stretched straight out in front of you. Your arms are by your side. Breathe easily and then on an exhale life both your legs until they are at a right angle to the body. Breathe easily and then on an exhale raise your legs further up supporting yourself with your arms on the floor. Continue to rise up off the floor and when your back is off the floor, support yourself with your hands pressed against your back and elbows on the floor. Raise your torso off the ground until you are supported only by your shoulders, neck and head which are on the floor. Straighten your whole body so that your torso to the feet are straight, with the feet pointing straight up at the ceiling. Stay here breathing easily for thirty seconds to one minute. Gradually try to increase this to five minutes. Then release the pose, place your hands back down as you relax back down until you are flat on the floor. Precaution: People with high blood pressure, heart conditions, inflammation of the ear, weak eye capillaries, severe near-sightedness, problems in the pituitary or thyroid glands, arteriosclerosis, cerebral or other thrombosis, severe asthma, tuberculosis, cold or sinusitis, excessively impure blood, slipped disc, weak spine or vertigo should not practice this asana. Benefits: Mother of asanas Low blood pressure. Strengthens the neck muscles and brings a rich supply of blood to the brain. thyroid and parathyroid glands. urinary disorders and uterine displacement, menstrual trouble, piles and hernia. Helps to relieve epilepsy, low vitality and anaemia. Activates the abdominal organs and relieves people suffering from stomach and intestinal ulcers, severe pains in the abdomen and colitis.
Jathara Parivartanasana(Master Revolved Abdomen Pose)
Jathara Parivartanasana(Master Revolved Abdomen Pose) This is an abdominal twist. Start by lying flat on your back on the floor. Reach your arms out to either side of the body so your body looks like a cross. Press your legs together from the inner thigh down to the heels. Exhale and raise the legs together until they are perpendicular to the mat or floor. Make sure your knees are straight. Take a few breaths. Now exhale and place the legs to the right side of the body, just below your right hand. Make sure your shoulders are not rising off the floor. Stay here breathing easily for thirty seconds. Then exhale and move the legs back until they are perpendicular to the floor. Breathe here. On an exhale, place the legs stretched back out in front of you. Now repeat this on the other side. Precaution: Hip replacement Pregnancy Benefits: Tones and eradicates sluggishness of the liver, spleen and pancreas. Cures gastritis and strengthens the intestines. Helps to relieve sprains and catches in the lower back and the hip region.
Supta Pavanamuktasana(Reclining Wind Relieving Pose)
Supta Pavanamuktasana(Reclining Wind Relieving Pose) This is the reclined wind relieving pose. You must lie flat on your back on your mat. Slowly inhale and hug your right knee to your chest and raise your head slightly off the ground. Try and touch your nose to your knee. Then exhale and relax back down to Shavasana. Repeat this on the other side. You can do this pose hugging both knees into your chest, as well. Precaution: Neck concern Abdominal surgery Pregnancy Benefits: Strengthens the lower back muscles and loosens the spinal vertebrae. It massages the abdomen and the digestive organs and is therefore very effective in removing wind and constipation. By massaging the pelvic muscles and reproductive organs, it is also useful for impotence, sterility and menstrual problems.
Ananda Balasana(happy baby pose)
Ananda Balasana(happy baby pose) This is the happy baby pose. Lie on your back. Now exhale and raise your knees so the backs of your thighs are pushing into your stomach. You have to spread your legs as far as is comfortable here. Inhale and reach your hands and grasp your feet with them. You can rock gently from side to side here. Stay in this pose, breathing easily for thirty seconds. Then slowly come out of the pose. Benefits: Get relief from back pain. Hip opening pose. Wind relieving pose. Strengthen core.
Savasana(corpse pose)
This is the corpse pose. You must lie flat on your back on your mat. Keep your feet slightly apart and your hands on the floor facing upwards. Close your eyes and relax your breathing. Stay here until your breathing slows down and you feel the tension leaving your body. Benefits: 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 Namaskara.
Eka Pada Raja Kapot Asana(One Legged King Pigeon Pose)
Eka Pada Raja Kapot Asana(One Legged King Pigeon Pose) This is pigeon pose or single legged pigeon pose. Start by sitting on the floor with your legs stretched straight out in front of you. Now draw your left leg behind you in a half split, while you bend your right leg and take it in front of you with your right foot placed close to your groin. Place your palms on the floor by your hips. Arch your back as you feel the stretch in your back leg. Stay here, breathing easily for thirty seconds. Then come out of the pose and relax. Repeat this on the other side. Precaution: Knee or hip injury Sacroiliac concerns Benefits: Opens the hips and chest. Stimulates and stretches the abdominal organs. Recommended for runners and sprinters. It relaxes and strengthens the abductor muscles of the thighs.
Krounchasana(heron pose)
Krounchasana(heron pose) This is the heron pose. Start in dandasana, sitting with your legs stretched out in front of you. Sit in half Virasana, with your right knee bent and placed on the floor, your foot by your buttocks, toes pointing backwards. The inner right calf should touch the back of the right thigh. As you exhale, bend the left knee and grasp the left foot with both hands. Raise the left leg until it is pointing to the sky with the knee straight. Make sure your spine is straight. Try and press your nose or chin to your knee. Stay here, breathing easily for thirty seconds. Then come out of the pose and relax. Precaution: Who having knee problem should avoid this pose. Benefits: Abdominal organs all get rejuvenated.
Parighasana(gate pose)
Parighasana(gate pose) This is the gate pose. Start in a kneeling position on your mat. Inhale and rise up so that your upper thighs are perpendicular to the floor. Exhale and bring your left thigh out to the side of your body, placing the foot flat on the mat. The knee should be straight as you stretch the left leg out to the side, supported on your right leg. Inhale and take your left hand out and place it below your left knee as you bend the torso to the left side. Exhale Inhale and take your right hand over your head so that you are leaning over to the left side with your whole upper body, including the right arm. Stay here, breathing easily for thirty seconds. Then come out of the pose and relax. Repeat the pose on the other side. Precaution: Who having knee problem should avoid this pose. Benefits: Pelvic region is stretched and strengthened. Abdomen is extended and keep healthy. Sideways spinal movement will help persons suffering from stiff rigid back.
Malasana(garland pose)
Malasana(garland pose) This is the garland pose. It is a low squat. Step your feet slightly apart so there is about enough place for your body to fit in between them. Then lower down into a squat, while keeping your feet flat on the ground. Fold your hands in Anjali mudra or prayer pose and press your elbows against your inner thighs. Stay here, breathing easily for thirty seconds. Then come out of the pose and relax. Precaution: Knee concern Benefits: Abdominal organs are exercised and gain strength. Pain in the back during the menstrual period, will get relief.