Dhanurasana

DHANURASANA: 

Dhanus means a bow in Sanskrit. This is called Dhanurasana because when the full pose is demonstrated, it resembles a bow with a string in it. The hands and the legs represent the string, whereas the trunk and the thighs take the place of the bow.

Steps:

1. As you did in the previous two poses, lie on the blanket face down. Relax all the muscles of the body.
2. Bend the legs slowly at the knee-joint until the hands catch hold of the ankles.
3. Raise the head, chest and knees. Keep the arms and the forearms stiff end straight.
4. Try to keep the knees close together.
5. Now the whole body rests on the abdomen A good convex arch is formed resembling a bow with a string.
6. You can either breathe as usual or retain the breath according to your convenience.
7. Remain in this pose as long as you can comfortably do so. When you have done this, lower the knees and the chest first. Then bring the hands and legs down and stretch flat on the ground

Timing: .

Morning or evening at 5 to 6 pm is the best time to do this yuga pose. Do this Asana four to six times.

 Benefits:

1. Asana gives the full benefits of both Bhujangasana and Salabhasana.
2. The abdominal region gets a good massage. By rocking and swinging the bow-shaped body from side to side, forward and backward, a thorough massage and exercise to the abdomen is ensured.
3. Chronic constipation, dyspepsia, sluggishness of the liver, rheumatism of the legs, knee-joints
   and the hands, gastro-intestinal disorders are all prevented and cured.
4. Ladies desirous of undergoing a course of slimming will do well to try this Asana first.
5. Dhanurasana keeps the spine strong and elastic.
6. You will bubble with untiring energy, vigour and vitality. Everlasting youth is yours.

Salabhasana

 

SALABHASANA: (THE LOCUST POSE)

Salabha means a locust in Sanskrit. When this pose is demonstrated, it gives one the appearance of a locust.

Steps: Lie on the blanket face down and the arms touching the ground.

Let the palms face upwards with the fingers clenched. Inhale slightly.

Then stiffen the whole body and raise the legs the hips and the lower abdomen up. putting the whole weight of the body on the chest and the hands. Raise the head also slightly.

*Remain in this pose for 10 seconds in the beginning and prolong the time little by little as long as you can retain the breath.

Bring the legs down slowly, relax the muscles of the whole body and exhale. Repeat this pose four or five times taking care to see that the lungs are not unduly strained.

*( Some specialists in Hatha-Yoga recommend the resting of the chin, mouth and nose on the ground, whilst some others the chin alone.)

Timing: : Morning or evening at 5 to 6 pm is the best time to do this yuga pose.

 Benefits: This posture bends the spine backwards and gives intra-abdominal pressure.

While Bhujangasana exercises the upper part of the body, Salabhasana develops the lower half of the body.

It relieves constipation and tones the liver, pancreas and the kidneys. Several other diseases of the stomach are also removed.

It is highly beneficial to persons suffering from lumbago.

It increases the digestive fire removes dyspepsia and promotes good appetite.

A high standard of vitality and strength is assured.

Bhujangasana

BHUJANGASANA: (THE COBRA POSE)

Bhujanga means a cobra in Sanskrit. This pose is called Bhujangasana because when the full pose is displayed, it lends one the appearance of a hooded cobra.

Steps:

1. Spread a blanket on the ground. Lie on it face down and the muscles of the body completely relaxed. Place the palms on the ground just below the shoulders, bending them in the elbows.
2. Touch the ground with the forehead and raise the head and the upper part of the body slowly just as a cobra raises its hood.
3. Bend the spine backwards. Let the lower part of the body from the navel downwards right up to the toes touch the ground.
4. Breathe normally through the nose. Retain the breath till the head is raised and the spine bent nicely. Then again exhale.
5. Then retain the breath while bringing the head down and as soon as the head touches the ground, slowly inhale again.
6. Repeat this process of raising the head and bringing it down half a dozen times or more.

Timing: Morning or evening at 5 to 6 pm is the best time to do this yoga pose.

 Benefits:

1. This is another good exercise for the spine. The spine becomes flexible and elastic.
2. Rigidity and fatigue of the back are removed. Hunch-back, back pain, lumbago and myalgia of the back are relieved.
3. Bhujangasana increases the intra-abdominal pressure and removes constipation.
   
4. It augments appetite by increasing bodily heat and destroys a host of other ailments.
5. This pose is specially useful for ladies to tone the ovary and uterus. It is a powerful tonic. Absence of menstruation (amenorrhoea), painful menstruation (dysmenorrhoea), whites (leucorrhoea) and various other utero-ovarine diseases are removed
6.  

Matsyasana

 MATSYASANA:

This pose is called Matsyasana because by assuming this posture and doing Plavini Pranayama you can float like the fish on water as long as you like

Steps:

1. Spread a thick blanket on the ground. Sit on it with legs fully stretched in front of you. Do Padmasana. 
2. Then lie flat on the back. 
3. Then resting the whole body on the elbows raise the trunk and head.
4. Pressing the head well on the ground on the one side and the buttocks on the other, make an arch or a bridge of the trunk. 
5. Rest the hands on the thighs or catch hold of the toes the right hand holding the left toe and the left hand the right toe.

Timing:

Practise this Asana soon after Sarvangasana for one third of the time you devote to the latter, if you want the maximum benefits. Sarvangasana and Matsyasana go hand in hand. They must always be
practiced one after the other. When you have finished doing this Asana, slowly release the head with the help of the hands, sit erect and unlock the foot-lock.

Benefits: 

1. Matsyasana gives a soothing massage to the neck and the shoulders. 
2. The stiffness of the neck is removed. 
3. Matsyasana helps deep breathing. 
4. The cervical and upper dorsal nerves are abundantly nourished with blood and toned up nicely. 
5. The endocrine the pituitary and the pineal glands located in the brain are stimulated and toned. These glands play a vital part in the proper functioning of the various systems of the human body. 
6. Matsyasana is also the destroyer of many diseases. It cures constipation, asthma, consumption, chronic bronchitis, epilepsy, a certain type of obesity, the evil effects of masturbation, excessive sexual indulgence and waste of seminal powers, and is said to have cured leprosy also. 
7. It dispenses with the transplantation of monkey-thyroids to human beings for rejuvenation. Enlargement of the spleen is cured. 
8. Lost manhood, wasted vitality and misspent energy could be effectively regained by the assiduous practice of this posture. 
9. The heart is also massaged and you feel new and young.

Sarvangasana

SARVANGASANA: (ALL-MEMBERS POSE)

It is so called because all parts of the body function during its performance.

Steps:

1. Spread a thick blanket on the ground.
2. Lie flat on your back. Then slowly raise the legs up, lifting the trunk and the hips vertically.
3. Let the two hands support the back at the hips. Let the elbows rest on the ground.
4. Form a chin-lock by firmly pressing the chin against the chest.
5. In this posture the hinder part of the neck lies on the ground, and the trunk and legs stand in a straight line.
6. Concentrate the mind at the thyroid gland that is situated at the root of the neck.

Timing: Do this for 2 minutes to start with and increase the time to half an hour. Let the breathing be normal during the whole process.

Benefits:  

1. Sarvangasana will build for you a healthy thyroid. A healthy thyroid means healthy functioning of all organs of the body.
2. This pose centralises the blood in the spinal column and feeds it abundantly.
3. It keeps the spine strong and elastic. You will have everlasting youth.
   
4. It helps you not a little in keeping up Brahmacharya. It checks wet-dreams and rejuvenates the impotent.
5. It is a blood and nervine tonic too.
6. It removes dyspepsia, constipation and several other gastro-intestinal disorders.
7.  The benefits you derive from Sirshasana are also derived from Sarvangasana.
8. A course of Sirsha-Sarvangasana will cure leprosy, powerfully rejuvenate the body and dispense with monkey-gland grafting.

Siddhasana

 

SIDDHASANA: (THE PERFECT POSE)

The Asana is so called because it is capable of giving the practitioner all Siddhis (psychic powers). Moreover it was and is the favourable pose of several Adepts in Yoga (Siddhas).So This is called THE PERFECT POSE.

Steps:

siddhasana

Stretch the legs forward. Place the left heel carefully at the anal aperture and the other heel on the root of the generative organ.

Fix the chin on the chest.

Gently gaze at the space between the two eyebrows without in any way straining your eyes.

*Keep the spine erect. You can keep the hands and fingers just as in Padmasana.

*( This is known as the Frontal Gaze. Take particular care not to strain your eye in any manner. Gaze very very gently. If you find it difficult to do this also, simply close your eyes and concentrate on the heart-lotus or the space between the two eye-brows. This practice is doubly beneficial. It will not only not strain your eyes, but will also protect them from the risk of some foreign matter getting into them and causing unnecessary eye-trouble.)

Timing:  Start doing this for 5 minutes and slowly increase it to 3 hours.

Benefits:

Persons suffering from syphilis, spermatorrhoea, piles, diabetes and gonorrhoea be greatly benefited by assuming this pose regularly for some time.

Young aspirants who wish to get themselves established in Brahmacharya should practice this Asana. “Through this posture the Yogi, leaving the world, attains the highest end and throughout the world there is no posture more sacred than this. By assuming and contemplating in this posture, the Yogi is freed from sin.” (Siva-Samhita: Ch. III-87).

Shirshasana

 

SHIRSHASANA: (THE TOPSY-TURVY POSE)

This is the king of all Asanas. The advantages that are derived from this Asana are incalculable and indescribable. This is specially designed for stopping nocturnal discharges and helping the flow of semen towards the brain in the form of Ojas Sakti or spiritual energy.

Steps:

1. Spread a folded blanket on the ground.
2. Make a finger-lock and keep it over the blanket.
3. Now place the top of your head between the two hands.
4. Slowly raise the legs up without any jerk till they become vertical.
5. Get the help of a wall in the beginning of your practice or ask one of your friends to catch hold of your legs.
6. After due practice, you will be able to keep up balance. When the Asana is over, bring down the legs very, very slowly.
7. When you remain in the Asana, breathe only through the nose.
8. When you find your legs tossing, retain the breath for a short time. Then the legs will become steady.

Irregular Kumbhaka, Rechaka and Puraka—retention, exhalation and inhalation—will make your Asana unsteady.

Timing: Do this Asana when your stomach is empty or light. Morning is best for it.

Benefits:

1. Persons suffering from diseases of the eye, nose, head, throat, stomach, genito-urinary system, liver, spleen, lungs, renal colic, deafness, piles, asthma, consumption, pyorrhoea, constipation, and many other troubles will find great relief by its practice.
2. Grey hairs and wrinkles will disappear.
3. It augments the digestive fire and increases appetite.
4. Ladies also can do this Asana. Sterility vanishes. Many uterine and ovarine diseases are cured.
5. During the practice of this Asana the brain draws plenty of blood and energy. Memory increases wonderfully.