Base Position: Lie on the back with feet together and head, spine in a line. Place the hands beside your body with palms facing down.
Starting Position: Contract the abdominal position and with the support of the arms, raise the legs with the vertical position, keeping them straight.
Getting into the pose: Press the palms and hands down to the floor and slowly, smoothly roll the buttocks and spine off the floor, raising the trunk to a vertical position.
Final Position: Place the palms behind the ribcage slightly away from the spine to support the back. Push the chest gently close to the chin. The legs are vertical with the trunk and supported by the shoulder, neck and back of the head. Arms provide support, legs relaxed chin touching chest. Relax the whole body in final position as long as is comfortable.
Coming out of the pose : Bring the legs forward above the back of the head and slowly release the position of the hands from the back to the floor and lower each vertebrae of the spine to the floor followed by buttocks to resume legs to the vertical position. Lower the legs slowly to the floor keeping knees straight.
This asana should be done followed by fish pose to realign the neck.
Breathing: Inhale while in lying position and hold your breath while going into the final position. Practice slow deep abdominal breathing in final position and again hold the breath while coming back to base position.
Awareness: on the control movement of breath and in thyroid gland or vishuddhi chakra.
Contra-indication: Should not be practice by the people suffering from high blood pressure, cervical spondylitis, slipped disc, heart ailments, and weak blood vessels in eyes, impure blood or during menstruation for female and advanced stage of pregnancy.
Benefits: By creating pressure in throat stimulates the thyroid gland, balancing the circulatory, digestive, reproductive, nervous and endocrine system. With the enriched flow of blood towards brain, it also tranquilizes the mind, relieves mental and emotional stress, fear, headache and helps clear psychological disturbances. It tones the legs, abdomen and reproductive organs, draining stagnant blood and fluid, increasing circulation to these areas. Increase circulation to these areas revitalising the ears and tonsils, preventing and relieving various nose and throat ailments. This asana is used in the therapy for the treatment of asthma, diabetes, colitis, thyroid disorder, impotence, prolapse, menopause, menstrual disorders and regular practice helps to prevent cough, cold and flu.
Note: Expert teachers guidance is always recommended before starting the practice especially those having any physical ailment or complications. |
