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Yogasana Video/Slide Show
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Description
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Benefits
Limitations
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VAJRASANA
Diamond pose
Vajrasana Google Video
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It is one of the meditative postures
stimulates Vajra nadi at the ankles which increases the awareness.
Fold the right leg and bring the right heel under the right buttock.
Sitting on the right heel, fold the left leg and bring the left heel
under the left buttock. Sit erect comfortably with the buttocks
resting on both the heels and palms resting on the thighs.
Note
In the final posture the soles of the
feet face upwards, heels are kept together and the entire weight of
the body is felt on the back of the feet.
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Starting Sthiti:
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Dandasana
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Ending Sthiti
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Shithila Dandasana
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Type:
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Sitting, Meditative
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Count:
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8
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Go to top
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Benefits
Keeps the spine erect and prevents
drowsiness.
Helps for cases of Varicose veins
prevents deep vein thrombosis. Makes the ankles flexible and prevents
flat foot. The only posture which can be performed even after heavy
food. Useful for heel pain.
Limitations
People suffering from stiff ankle due to
Rheumatic problems may avoid this posture.
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SHASHANKASANA
Moon Pose
Shashankasana
Google Video
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Fold the right leg at the knees and then the
left leg and sit on the heels in vajrasana
resting the palms on thighs. Take the hands behind the back, make a
fist of the right palm and hold the right wrist with the left palm.
Relax the shoulders. Inhale and lean backwards
a little from the waist opening up the chest. Exhale and slowly bend
forwards from the waist bringing the forehead on to the ground in
front of the knees. Collapse the shoulders. Maintain this position
for about one minute with normal breathing.
Inhale and slowly come up to the vertical
position. Release your hands and come back to sthiti. Relax in
Sithila Dandasana.
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Starting Sthiti:
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Dandasana
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Ending Sthiti
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Shithila Dandasana
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Type:
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Sitting, Cultural
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Count:
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8
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Go to top
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Benefits
Enhances blood flow to the head,
stimulates the brain and gives flexibility to the spine, ankles and
knees. A good posture for breathing ailments.
Limitations
Patients with gastritis and peptic ulcer
may avoid this posture.
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SUPTA-VAJRASANA
Lying Diamond Pose
Supta Vajrasana Google
Video
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Repeat positions of Vajrasana
as described earlier (1-3). Recline slowly backwards taking the body
weight on the right elbow first and then the left. Lie flat on the
back. Keep the hands crossed above the head. Keep the knees close
together in touch with the ground. Maintain with normal breathing.
Return to Sthiti.
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Starting Sthiti:
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Dandasana
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Ending Sthiti
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Shithila Dandasana
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Type:
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Sitting, Cultural
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Count:
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8
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Go to top
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Benefits
Stretches the lumbar vertebra, stimulates
the lumbar spinal nerves. Helps to prevent sciatica. Mobilises the hips, ankles and
lower back. Helps in cases of vericose veins.
Limitations
Person with slip disc, spondylolisthesis
and knee pain have to avoid this posture.
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PASCIMO-TTANASANA
Extreme (Back) Stretching Pose
Paschimo-ttanasana
Google Video
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Inhale and raise both the arms sideways
at shoulder level parallel to the ground. Turn the palms facing upwards.
Continue to inhale and raise the arms further up vertically biceps
touching the cars and stretch the trunk from the coccyx region. Now
turn the palm forwards.
Exhale and bend the trunk forwards from
the lower back. Stretchy the arms Hands parallel to the ground.
Exhale completely, form hooks of index fingers and catch hold of the
big toes. Bend the back further forward from the lumbar sacral region
so that the trunk is stretched along the thighs and the face rests on
the knee. Bend the hands at the elbow and relax the abdomen muscles.
Maintain the position for about a minute
with normal breathing. Return to sthiti reversing the steps and the
breathing Relax in Sithila Dandasana.
Note
Do not allow the knees to bend.
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Starting Sthiti:
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Dandasana
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Ending Sthiti:
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Shithila Dandasana
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Type:
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Sitting, Cultural
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Count:
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8
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Go to top
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Benefits
Gives flexibility to the back bone.
Stimulates the spinal nerves and back muscles. Improves digestion, Energizes
the whole I body and removes constipation
Limitations
People with heart ailments, back problems
and spondylosis should avoid this posture.
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USTRASANA
Camel Pose
Ustrasana
Google Video
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Sit in Vajrasana. Stand on the knees.
Place the palms on the waist with fingers pointing forwards. Inhale
and bend the trunk backwards and place the palms on the heels.
Maintain for about one minute with normal breathing. Exhale while
coming back to Sthiti. Relax in Sithila Dandasana.
Note
The thighs should be perpendicular to the
ground
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Starting Sthiti:
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Dandasana
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Ending Sthiti:
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Shithila Dandasana
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Type:
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Sitting, Cultural
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Count:
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8
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Go to top
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Benefits
Makes the spine flexible. Increases
circulation to the head region.
Limitations
Those who have undergone any recent
operation at the chest or abdomen, people with hernia problems,
severe hypertension and low back must be cautious.
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VAKRASANA
Twisting Pose
Vakrasana
Google Video
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Bend the right leg at the knee and place it
beside the left knee. Straighten and twist the waist towards the
right as you exhale. Bring the left arm around the right knee and
catch the right big toe. Take the right arm back and keep the palm on
the ground in such a way that the trunk is kept erect with a proper
twist. After maintaining for about a minute with normal breathing
return to sthiti and relax for a while in Sithila DaJ) Qasana. Repeat
the same on the other side.
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Starting Sthiti:
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Dandasana
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Ending Sthiti:
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Shithila Dandasana
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Type:
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Sitting, Cultural
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Count:
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8
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Go to top
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Benefits
Lateral twist gives flexibility to the
spine, tones up the spinal nerves.
Prepares the spine for Matsyendrasana.
Helps to cure constipation and
Dyspepsia. Stimulates the pancreas and
useful for diabetes. Improves the lung capacity.
Limitations
People who have recently undergone
abdominal surgery may avoid.
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ARDHA MATSYENDRASANA
Half Twisting Pose (Named after Rishi
Matsyendra)
Ardha
Matsyendra asana Google Video
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Bend the right leg at the knees by
drawing it along the ground. Place the sole of the right foot against
the inner side of the left thigh.
Keep the right heel about 4 to 5 inches
away from the perineum. Bend the left knee and place the left foot on
the outer side of the right thigh near the right knee. Do not sit on
the heels.
Inhale, raise the right arm up vertically
and stretch up the shoulder. Exhale, twist the waist to the left and
bring the right arm over onto the outer side of the left knee. The
left knee acts as a fulcrum for getting maximum twist of the spine.
Catch the left big toe with the right hand. The right triceps rests
on the outer side of the left knee. Now take the left hand behind the
back and try to touch the right thigh. Look back over the left
shoulder keeping the trunk erect. Maintain for about a minute with
normal breathing. Come back to Sthiti. Relax for a while in Sithila
Dandasana. Repeat the same, on the other side.
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Starting Sthiti:
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Dandasana
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Ending Sthiti:
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Shithila Dandasana
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Type:
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Sitting, Cultural
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Count:
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8
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Go to top
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Benefits (Same as Vakrasana)
Lateral twist gives flexibility to the
spine, tones up the spinal nerves.
Prepares the spine for Matsyendrasana.
Helps to cure constipation, dyspepsia, stimulates the pancreas and
useful for diabetes. Improves the lung capacity.
Limitations (Same as Vakrasana)
People who have recently undergone
abdominal surgery may avoid.
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SHIRSHASANA
Head Stand Pose
Shirshasana
Google Video
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Place a four- fold blanket in front of
you on which you will be resting your head in the final position.
Place the forearms on the blanket in front of you with the fingers
interlocked and the elbows in front of the knees. The distance
between the elbows should be equal to the distance from each elbow to
the interlocked fingers, forming an equilateral triangle. Place the
crown of the head on the blanket in between the interlocked hands.
Slowly raise the buttocks and lift the
knees off the ground and straighten the legs, keeping the toes on the
floor. Thus, you have formed a triangle of the body.
This is Ardha Shirshasana sthiti. Slowly walk towards the trunk and
head, until the back researchs vertical position. Bend the knees
slightly and press the thigh against the abdomen and lower chest.
Transfer the body weight slowly from the
toes on to the head and arms, maintaining a steady balance. Lift the
feet off the ground to about 20 cms, carefully balance on the head
and the arms. Bending the knees, gradually raise the calves in a
controlled movement. Adjust the trunk slightly to counter balance the
weight of the legs.
Fold the legs back so that the heels move
towards the buttocks. To accomplish this movement, contract the
muscles of the lower back. The knees are now pointing down with the
legs together.
Maintain this position for a few seconds,
being aware of complete balance before proceeding. Slowly straighten
the hips so that the thighs move up, bringing the knees to vertical
position, Keep the heels near the buttocks, Straighten the knees
until the legs are in line with the trunk. The whole body should be
in one straight line with the feet relaxed. Balance the body.
Maintain the position for one minute with
normal breathing. Return to sthiti reversing the steps with control
on each movement.
Note
After returning to sthiti it is mandatory
to rest for a while in the following position:
Make a fist of both the palms and place
them one above the other in front of the knees. Slowly bend forward
to rest the forehead on the fist till the pressure in the head gets
lighter. Then relax in Tadasana so that the pressure in the head
comes back to normalcy.
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Starting Sthiti:
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Dandasana
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Ending Sthiti:
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Shithila Dandasana
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Type:
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Sitting, Cultural
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Count:
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8
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Go to top
|
Benefits
Due to improved circulation to the brain
the whole nervous system becomes healthy. Memory improves. Endocrine
glands such as the pituitary and the thyroid get revitalized. Helpful
in hernia. Seminal weakness can be cured. Improves concentration
power remarkably.
Limitations
Those who have running ears, heart
trouble, high blood pressure and weak eye capillaries should not
practice Shirshsana.
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