Sitting Posture
Janusirasana(Head to knee pose)
JanuSirasana is perfomed by placing your head with the knee joints. So it is also known as Head to knee Pose. Head to Knee Pose is easy to do and best exercise for children.
The Sanskrit name comes from three different words:
“Janu” means “knee or Knee joint”
“Sira” means“head”
“Asana” means “pose”
Caution:
Please avoid if you have any of the following indications:
Asthma
Intestinal problems
Knee Injury
Practice under expert guidance if you are pregnant or have high blood pressure or heart issues.
Instruction:
Step 1
Sit with legs extended. Bend the left leg and place hell snugly against the perineum.
Inhaling raise both arms to the sides.
Exhaling, bend from the hips and place the right arm, palm up, against the inside of the right leg.
As the body is lowered, bring the left arm next to the head and grasp the outside of the right foot, fingers extending to the instep.
Breathe evenly. Hold for 10-20 seconds.
Repeat on the opposite side.
Step 2
Repeat the posture as described above, only place the right arm on the outside of the right leg and grasp the heel and toes with the hands.
Benefits:
- Increases rotational flexibility of the spine
- Aids Digestion
- Stretches the muscles along the side of the torso and the arms
Step 3
Sit with the head, neck and trunk straight
Extend the legs keeping both knees flat on the floor.
Lower the head to the right leg and grasp the right feet with both hands.
Keep the knees straight.
Breath evenly
Hold for 20 seconds.
Repeat on the opposite side.
Common mistakes to watch out:
- Rounded Spine
- Not able to get bent leg thing towards floor.
Paschimottanasana(Seated Forward Bend)
Paschimottanasana is a calming yoga pose that helps to relieve stress. In this asana, the body is folded almost in half, giving a complete stretch to the entire back of the body, from the head to heels.
This pose is often practiced later in a sequence, when the body is warm.
It is commonly referred to as “Seated Forward Bend,” its Sanskrit name translates to “Intense West Stretch.” This comes from four Sanskrit words:
“Paschima” means “west”
“Ut” means “intense”
“Tan” means “to stretch”
“Asana” means “pose”
Caution:
It takes patience and a dedicated practice to perform this asana at its fullest expression.
Better to be cautious if you are pregnant because it involves widening legs.
It can take time to reach the deepest variation of the pose, making it very easy to injure yourself if you push your body to attain the full pose too soon.
If you don’t have the flexibility to do the pose in correct alignment, be sure to practice with a strap or with a bolster under your knees until you can fold without over-rounding your spine.
Also avoid practicing this pose if you are currently suffering from asthma or diarrhea.
People with back injuries should only practice this pose with the guidance of an experienced and knowledgeable teacher.
Always work within your own range of limits and abilities. If you have any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practicing yoga.
Instruction:
To come into this asana, sit with head, neck and back in a straight line.
The legs are together in front of the body with the knees flat on the floor.
Inhale as you stretch both arms over the head, stretching them up alongside the ears.
Try to breathe more, stretch more.
It lengthens the spine and sternum, feel as though you are making yourself as tall as possible.
Exhaling, bend forward from the hip joints. Do not bend at the waist. Lengthen the front of your torso.
Imagine your torso coming to rest on your thighs, instead of tipping your nose toward your knees.
Reach forward to grab hold of the feet as you bring the chest down towards the thighs.
Hold onto your shins, ankles, or feet — wherever your flexibility permits.
You can also wrap a yoga strap around the soles of your feet, holding it firmly with both hands.
Keep the front of your torso long; do not round your back.
Let your belly touch your legs first, and then your chest. Your head and nose should touch your legs last.
With each inhalation, lengthen the front torso. With each exhalation, fold a bit deeper.
Hold for up to one minute. To release the pose, draw your tailbone towards the floor as you inhale and lift your torso.
Remember to take it slowly and never push yourself in the pose.
Common mistakes to watch out:
- Not sitting straight.
- Knees are bent upward.
- Back is rounded and the head, rather than the chest, is down towards the knees.
- The feet are apart and the toes are rotating outward.
- Toes are not pointed back.
- Rounded shoulders.
- Leading with head or chin.
Benefits:
Powerfully massages all the abdominal organs.
Stretches the spine, shoulders, pelvis, and hamstrings.
Stimulates and balances the liver, kidneys, adrenal glands, ovaries, and uterus.
Stimulates and tones digestive organs, increases appetite and relieves constipation.
Relief from menstrual pain and symptoms of menopause.
Relief from stress and promotes a calmer mind. Reduced anxiety and fatigue.
Relieves compression of the spine and sciatica.
Improved sleep and relief from insomnia.
Therapeutic for high blood pressure, infertility, and sinusitis.
Counteracts obesity and enlargement of the spleen and liver.
Baddhakonasana (The Butterfly)
Paschimottanasana is a calming yoga pose that helps to relieve stress. In this asana, the body is folded almost in half, giving a complete stretch to the entire back of the body, from the head to heels.
This pose is often practiced later in a sequence, when the body is warm.
It is commonly referred to as “Seated Forward Bend,” its Sanskrit name translates to “Intense West Stretch.” This comes from four Sanskrit words:
“Paschima” means “west”
“Ut” means “intense”
“Tan” means “to stretch”
“Asana” means “pose”
Caution:
If you are suffering from groin or knee injury, make sure you keep a blanket under the outer thighs for support. Do not perform this pose without blanket support.
Also, sciatica patients should either completely avoid the pose or sit on a cushion to raise the hips.
If you have any lower-back disorders, do the posture only while keeping the spine erect.
Avoid rounding up the spine by bending forward.
Instruction:
Sit with your spine erect and legs spread straight out.
Now bend your knees and bring your feet towards the pelvis. The soles of your feet should touch each other.
Grab your feet tightly with your hands. You may place the hands underneath the feet for support.
Make an effort to bring the heels as close to the genitals as possible.
Take a deep breath in. Breathing out, press the thighs and knees downward towards the floor. Make a gentle effort to keep pressing them downward.
Now start flapping both the legs up and down like the wings of a butterfly. Start slow and gradually increase the speed. Keep breathing normally throughout.
Fly higher and higher, as fast as you comfortably can. Slow down and then stop. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, bend forward, keeping the chin up and spine erect.
Press your elbows on the thighs or on the knees, pushing the knees and thighs closer to the floor.
Feel the stretch in the inner thighs and take long, deep breaths, relaxing the muscles more and more.
Take a deep breath in and bring the torso up.
As you exhale, gently release the posture. Straighten the legs out in front of you and relax.
Benefits:
Stimulates abdominal organs, ovaries, prostate gland, bladder and kidneys.
A good stretch for the inner thighs, groins and knees, improving flexibility in the groin and hip region.
Stimulates the heart and improves general circulation.
Helps in intestine and bowel movement.
Helps relieve mild depression, anxiety and fatigue.
Removes fatigue from long hours of standing and walking.
Offers relief from menstrual discomfort, sciatica and menopause symptoms.
Helps in smooth delivery if practiced regularly until late pregnancy.
Common mistakes to watch out:
- Not able to get knees towards the floor.
- Rounding spine.
ArdhaMatsyendrasana( The Spinal Twist)
ArdhaMatsyendrasana also known as “Half Lord of the Fishes Pose” is a popular seated twist. Twisting poses are a common addition to any yoga practice because they provide a multitude of benefits for the entire body. Twists increase flexibility in the spine, calm the mind, relax the nervous system, improve digestion, and cleanse the internal organs.
Its Sanskrit name, “ArdhaMatsyendrasana” comes from four words:
“Ardha” means “half”
“Matsya” means “fish”
“Indra” means “ruler”
“Asana” means “pose”
It is named after Matsyendra, a legendary yoga master from India. Practicing this twist will bring many benefits to your body, mind, and spirit — which may make you feel like a yoga master today!
Caution:
Do not practice this pose if you are currently experiencing any of the following:
- Pregnancy
- People who had undergone Heart, abdominal, spinal or vertebral surgeries or brain surgeries.
- People with peptic ulcer or hernia.
- Severe spinal problems or injuries.
- Recent or chronic hip, back or shoulder injury or inflammation.
Benefits:
- Increases the elasticity of the spine and tones the spinal nerves.
- Tones the roots of the spinal nerves and the sympathetic nerves and brings a fresh supply of blood to the area
- Helps to get relief in stiffness of vertebrae.
- Massages the abdominal muscles, relieving digestive problems.
- Loosens the hip joints, relieving stiffness.
- Helps to relieve muscular problem in back and hips.
- Removes adhesions in the joints caused by Rheumatism.
- Increases the synovial fluid of the joints and makes the joints active.
- Specifically stimulates Navel chakra or Manipura chakra.
Instruction:
Start in the sitting position with back straight.
Raise the right knee and place the right foot flat on the floor.
Allow the left leg to turn on this side, with the left foot below the right leg.
Place the right foot on the floor outside the left thigh
Place the right hand flat on the floor behind the back.
Make sure the right hand is not too far away from the body, since this will make you lean and not twist.
Bring the left arm over the right side of the right knee.
Reach around to catch hold of the right ankle.
Hold the pose for atleast 30 seconds, working upto one minute, breathing deeply.
Release and repeat on the other side.
Common mistakes to watch out:
- Buttocks are lifting off the floor.
- Back is not straight and the body is leaning, rather than twisting laterally.
- Looking over wrong shoulder.
- Hand is allowed to hang freely, rather than clasping opposite ankle.
- Foot is not flat on the floor.
- Back hand is too far from the body.
ANTHARVANI
The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.
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