Pavanamuktasana (Gas releasing posture)

Position

• Lie down on your back
• Stretch your legs out straight
• Place your hands beside the body, 4 to 6 inches away from the trunk

Note: This posture can be done with one leg at a time (Ardhapavanamuktasana), or with both legs together (Pavanamuktasana)

Steps

• While inhaling raise the right leg about 2 to 3 inches from the floor
• Take that leg to the right side, and then bring it down in a straight line.
• While inhaling, bend the leg at the knee, bring it close to the chest and touch the heel to the buttock
• While exhaling, clasp the fingers together at the knee, and touch the nose to the knee
• While inhaling, lower the neck to the floor
• While exhaling, release the fingers and stretch the right leg straight. Repeat the process using the left leg

Time

Three to five minutes

Caution

To perform this posture with both legs together, follow the same pattern of lifting and movement but move both legs together, bend both legs together, and position the nose between the knees rather than touching one knee or another.

Benefits

• This posture releases excessive gas from accumulating in the abdomen
• It affects the entire system of the body, and strengthens the digestive system, purifies impure air, helps in diabetes, high blood pressure and belching

Bhujangasana (Snake pose) - First Type

Bhujanga is a Sanskrit word used for snake. This asana resembles a snake with its hood raised, hence the name.

Position

• Lie on the chest and stomach
• Keeps the legs straight and together, with the toes touching the ground and pointing backward
• Bending the arms at the elbow, place the palms one foots a part from the chest

Steps

• While inhaling, raise the chest and neck half a foot of the ground
• Breathe out through the mouth with a hissing sound
• Again, inhaling, raise the body slowly up to the navel
• Bend the neck backward as far as possible and look to the style
• Retain the pose for a while
• While breathing out with a hissing sound, bring the chest and neck to the original position of lying on the stomach
• Relax the body

Time

Practice three to five minutes

Benefits

• It provides energy
• It removes abdominal problems and constipation
• It also tones up the reproductive system, the spinal cord, liver, kidneys and memory power

Bhujangasana (Snake pose) - Second Type

Position

• Lie on the chest and stomach
• Keeps the legs straight and together, with the toes touching the ground and pointing backward
• Bending the arms at the elbow, place the palms one foots a part from the chest

Steps

• While inhaling, raise the chest and neck half a foot of the ground
• Breathe out through the mouth with a hissing sound
• Again, inhaling, raise the body slowly up to the navel
• Bend the neck backward as far as possible and look to the style
• Retain the pose for a while
• While breathing out with a hissing sound, bring the chest and neck to the original position of lying on the stomach
• Relax the body

Bhujangasana (Snake pose) - Third Type

Position

• Lie on the chest and stomach
• Keeps the legs straight and together, with the toes touching the ground and pointing backward
• Bending the arms at the elbow, Place palms near chest

Note: Bhujangasana must be followed by pashchimottasana (Posterior pose)

Steps

• While inhaling, raise the chest and neck a half foot off the ground
• Breathe out through the mouth with a hissing sound
• While inhaling, raise the chest and neck gradually
• Retain the breath as long as comfortable, and then while hissing, breathe out through the mouth and bring down the chest and neck
• Relax the body

Makarasana (Crocodile pose)

This posture resembles a crocodile resting in the ocean. The crocodile keeps its neck and face above the water. The same shape is seen here.

Position

• Lie on the chest and stomach

Steps

• Lift the head and chest
• Bend the arms at the elbows
• Rest the elbows on the ground
• Form a cup shape with both hands. Place the head on the heels of the hands
• An alternative process is to cross the arms in the prone position
• Keep each palm on the opposite shoulder
• Place the head between the palms
• Breathe normally

Time

Thirty seconds to three minutes

Benefits

• It helps in removing pain of the neck and jaws
• This posture rests the body and keeps the spine and neck straight

Shirshasana (Health stand)

Position

• Sit on the knees

Steps

• Have a fourfold blanker or bedsheet
• Place it on the floor in front of you
• Fold the hands
• Place your interlocked fingers into the form of a cup
• Place your forehead on the blanket, supported by your cupped hands
• Bringing your weight forward, raise the hips while keeping the legs bent
• By shifting your weight bring the legs up
• Raise the legs gently and slowly off the floor
• Straighten the legs, keeping the spine erect
• The whole body is now inverted, with head down and the entire body straight
• Maintain the crown of the head rests on the cupped palms
• The elbows will be in the position of a triangle
• Retain this pose for as long as possible without discomfort
• While exhaling, lower the legs by first bending at the knees
• Straighten the legs on the floor
• After performing shirshasana, practice Tadasana, standing on toes

Time

Thirty seconds to three minutes

Caution

Those who suffer from heart problems, blood pressure, eye disease, neck pain, impurity of blood and ear disease should not perform this asana

Benefits

• This asana is very helpful for preventing a sudden reverse flow of blood from the head
• It makes the neck strong and powerful
• Strengthens the stomach, shoulders and memory power
• The endocrine system is well toned up, it also up the blood content
• It is good for the brain
• It removes emission, diabetes, headache, asthma, etc

Sarvangasan (Shoulder stand)

"Sarva" means whole, and "anga" means part. As the combination suggests, it tones up all organs of the body.

Position

• Lie on the back
• Place the hands 4 to 6 inches away from the trunk
• Rest the palms facing downward your side
• Keep the feet together and the legs straight

Steps

• While inhaling, lift both legs up to 90 degrees
• Exhale and retain the pose for a moment
• Now, while inhaling, raise the waist, support it with the help of your hands, keeping the thumb towards the front and the fingers at the back
• Now push the legs upwards, keeping the elbows resting o the floor
• Press the chin to the throat cavity
• Support the body at the hip region by the hands
• Try to keeps the legs, hips and trunk as vertical as possible
• Hold this pose until it becomes uncomfortable
• Let the eyesight focus on the big toes
• Retain this posture for as long as possible
• Gradually bring down the whole body, letting the legs fall forward
• Return to the supine position
• Vipareetkarani posture is just like sarvangasana, having a little difference in the position of the body
• In Vipareetkarani, the legs are not as straight as in sarvangasana
• In a slanted position, the legs bend to 120 degrees

Time

Thirty second to five minutes. Increase by one minute every week. While lifting the legs, remember to inhale and then exhale. When lifting shoulders again breathe in. After that, breathe normally.

Caution

Those people who suffer from high blood pressure and heart disease should not attempt this asana.

Benefits

• This asana circulates the rich supply of blood to the body
• It produces vitality in the whole body
• It helps in banishing signs of age, wrinkles, and gray hair
• It stimulates the center of purity (location of the thyroid and parathyroid glands)
• It also influences the brain, heart, lungs and abdominal organs

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