Virabhadrasana - Warrior Pose

"Virabhadrasana" is a warrior incarnation of Lord Shiva.

Sequence:

1. Stand erect in Tadasana with legs together and hands joined in front of the chest.
2. Spread apart your legs.
3. Turn your right foot in to make an angle of 45 degrees and your left foot out to the left 90 degrees.
4. Make sure the left and right heels are in alignment.
5. Stretch out your arms and make them parallel to the floor at shoulder level.
6. Exhale and bend your left leg at the knee. The shin should be straight and thigh should be parallel to the floor so as to make a right angle.
7. To maintain balance press your right heel firmly into the floor.
8. Keep the trunk erect.
9. Rotate your arms so that the left hand is pointing in front and the right hand is extended backwards.
10. Stay in this position and look ahead.
11. Maintain this posture for about 30 seconds, breathing normally.
12. Inhale and come up.
13. Return to standing position in the reverse order.
14. Repeat by changing the limbs and side.

Caution:

• Hypertension and high blood pressure patients should not perform this pose.
• If you have a history of hips, knees, back or shoulders, do not practice Virabhadrasana.

Benefits:

• Pregnant women can get relief from backaches.
• Virabhadrasana can boost your energy.
• The stretching involved tones the body and makes it flexible.
• Regular practice can build your concentration power.
• Blood circulation as well as respiration capacity improves.
• Legs and ankles get strengthened.
• The yoga pose is beneficial to people with carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Infertility and insomnia can be treated with Virabhadrasana.

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Viparit Karani - Inverted Pose

"Viparit" means 'inverted' and "Karani" means 'action'. In this pose the body is kept inverted.

Sequence:

1. Lie down on the floor on your back with your legs together.
2. Keep your hands on either side with palms facing the floor.
3. Inhale and pressing down the palms, raise both your legs together.
4. Both legs should be straight without any bending of knees.
5. Keep raising the legs till they are perpendicular to the ground.
6. Exhale.
7. Inhale.
8. Exhaling slowly tale your legs back towards the head.
9. Raise the hips and lower back too.
10. Make the legs parallel to the floor.
11. Complete exhalation.
12. Stay in this posture and breathe normally a couple of times.
13. Fold your arms at the elbow and place your palms on the buttocks.
14. Inhale slowly.
15. Supporting your hips with the palms, bring the legs back so they are again perpendicular to the ground.
16. Exhale and again breathe normally.
17. Both legs should still be straight and joined together.
18. Keep your view fixed on the toes of the feet.
19. Hold this posture for as long as you can, breathing normally.
20. Slowly return to the starting position.

Benefits:

• Blood circulation to the neck, head and face is augmented.
• Adrenal, gonad, pituitary and thyroid glands function better.
• The pose can help you develop inner harmony.
• It is beneficial to women in menopause.
• Bridge pose helps rejuvenate tired legs.

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Tolangulasana - Weighing Scale Pose

"Tolangul" means 'weighing balance' in Sanskrit. In this pose the body posture is balanced on your waist and resembles a weighing scale..

Sequence:

1. Sit erect on the floor and assume Padmasana.
2. Take your arms back and rest the elbows on the ground.
3. Taking support of the elbows lean back gradually, until you are lying on your back.
4. Raise the foot-lock and the buttocks off the ground. Elbows should be touching the ground.
5. Raise your head, neck and back.
6. Balance the body at the waist with your fists or palms.
7. Remain in this posture for as long as you can.
8. To return to the starting posture, bring your head and neck back to the ground taking the support of the elbows.
9. Remove the fists from the waist and return to Padmasana.

Caution:

• If you have pain in the neck or back, do not practice this pose.

Benefits:

• This pose improves digestion and can cure flatulence.
• The spinal column becomes flexible and toned.
• Diabetes and piles patients can get relief with this yoga pose.
• Blood circulation improves.
• The biceps and back muscles strengthen and get toned.

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Surya Namaskar -Sun Salutation

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"Surya" refers to 'sun' and "Namaskar" means 'salutation' in Sanskrit. Surya Namaskara involves series of 12 yoga postures which are done in one long continual process.

Sequence:

1. Stand erect in Tadasana with your legs close together and palms joined together in front of your chest.
2. Exhale completely.
3. Inhale and raise your hands above your head and bend backwards.
4. Exhale and bend forward.
5. Inhale and extend your right leg behind as far as possible supporting yourself on the hands and left leg.
6. Keep the right leg straight and look in front.
7. Exhale and take your left leg behind and place it in alignment with the right leg.
8. Your body should be resting on your hands and feet. Keep your body straight and firm.
9. Exhale and lower your body to touch the floor.
10. Inhale and raise your head and trunk with a slight back arch.
11. Exhale and now raise your body up, keeping the palms and feet still on the ground to form an inverted 'V'.
12. Keep your head hanging in between your hands. Look at your navel.
13. Inhale and bring your right leg forward and look up.
14. Keep the left leg extended backwards.
15. Exhale and bring the left leg forward and keep bending down from your waist.
16. Inhale and raise your trunk.
17. Stretch your arms overhead with palms joined.
18. Exhale and bring your arms down to the sides slowly.
19. This completes one round of Surya Namaskar.

Caution:

• Expectant mothers should not perform this yoga pose.
• It is advised not to practice Surya Namaskar if you are menstruation.
• Do not practice this yoga pose if you suffer from back aches.
• Hernia and high blood pressure patients should never practice Surya Namaskar.

Benefits:

• The nervous system gets toned.
• Surya Namaskar enhances memory.
• Hair related problems like dandruff, hair fall, premature graying can all be treated with this pose.
• Blood circulation to all parts of the body improves.
• Surya Namaskar helps in reducing abdominal flab.
• Your spine gets stretched and becomes supple.
• It restores a young glow to your face and helps get rid of signs of aging.
• Insomnia can be overcome with this yoga pose.
• Surya Namaskar revitalizes you and makes you stronger.
• It stimulates the peristalsis and thereby helps in regulating bowel functioning.

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Supta Vajrasana - Reclining Adamant Pose

"Supta" means 'reclining' and "Vajra" means 'adamant' in Sanskrit. In this posture the yoga practitioner will be lying down in a supine position in Vajarasana.

Sequence:

1. Sit erect and assume Vajrasana.
2. Lean back slowly from the waist onwards using your elbows for support.
3. Continue leaning back until your back, shoulders and head are touching the floor.
4. Ensure that the knees are not raised from the floor.
5. Cross the arms behind your head.
6. Place the palms beneath the opposite shoulders.
7. Your head should rest on the wrists which serve as a cushion.
8. The knees should be joined together and touching the floor at all times.
9. Close your eyes and relax in this posture for some time.
10. For coming out of the pose hold your ankles and lift the body up to sitting posture.

Caution:

• People with knee, hip or shoulder injury should avoid this pose.Labels

Benefits:

• The pose tones the muscles of the bowels, pancreas, liver, and kidneys.
• Circulation of blood to the thighs, knees, back and neck is improved.
• Supta Vajrasana keeps the gonads and pelvic organs in better health..
• The muscles of the legs, thighs, pelvis and abdomen are stretched and toned up in the final position of the asana.
• This pose increases your lung capacity by expanding the chest.

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Simhasana - Lion Pose

"Simha" means 'lion' in Sanskrit. In this pose you assume the posture of a seated lion.

Sequence:

1. Sit erect in Vajrasana.
2. Keep your palms on the respective thighs.
3. Raise your buttocks and criss-cross your legs, right leg over the left leg.
4. Keep your head, neck and spine erect.
5. Spread out your fingers on the knees.
6. Inhale deeply.
7. Open your mouth gradually.
8. Exhale slowly and take out your tongue and stretch it out as much as possible. Make a "ha" sound like the roar of a lion from the back of your throat.
9. Look up at your eyebrows.
10. Make the roaring sound 2-3 times.
11. Exhale and come back to starting posture.
12. Alternate the cross of the legs and repeat.
13. Note: Beginners can perform this posture in Vajrasana.

Caution:

• Do not perform this pose if you have a knee injury.

Benefits:

• It helps clear the air in the chest.
• It can cure bad breath.
• Blood circulation of neck muscles improves.
• Simhasana helps relax chest and facial muscles.

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Pavanamuktasana- The Wind-Releasing Pose

"Pavan" means 'wind' and "Mukta" means 'free' or 'release'. This posture helps in removal of excess wind in the digestive system.

Sequence:

1. Lie down on your back with legs stretched out and arms on the sides.
2. Rest your palms on the ground.
3. Inhale and lift your legs up and keep it perpendicular to the ground.
4. Fold your legs at the knee and bring the knees close to your chin.
5. The thighs should rest on the abdomen.
6. Keep the knees and ankles of both legs together.
7. Wrap your arms around the knees.
8. Try to catch the elbows of the opposite hands.
9. Raise your head above the ground.
10. Bend your neck and try to touch the forehead on the knees.
11. Breathing normally, maintain this posture for some time.
12. Straighten your neck and bring your head back to the ground.
13. Release your knees and bring the hands to the sides.
14. Inhale slowly and lift your legs up to make 90 degrees with the ground.
15. Exhale and bring the legs back on the ground.

Caution:

• Do not strain your neck.
• Avoid any kind of overstretching of thighs.
• Breathe normally while holding the posture.

Benefits:

• The pose cures flatulence.
• It gives relief from constipation and also improves the digestive system.
• The lower back is strengthened.
• Pavanmuktasana also helps remove flab from your back and abdomen.
• The neck and back is stretched.
• Impotency can be treated with the practice of this posture.
• Circulatory system performs better.
• Pavanmuktasana should be practiced by persons suffering from jaundice.
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Januhastasana - Knee-to-Hand Pose

The word "Janu" means 'knee' and "Hasta" means 'hand'. In this pose the hand is placed just beside the knee, hence the name.

Sequence:

1. Sit down on the floor with your legs bent at the knees and folded backwards, soles upturned and toes touching the ground.
2. Similar to Vajrasana, place the palms on the ground in front of the knees.
3. Push your neck backwards, chest outwards and the waist downwards..
4. Relax your entire body.
5. Breathe normally.

Caution:

• People with stiff joints should avoid this posture.
• Practice this pose only when joints have free movement.

Benefits:

• This posture improves blood circulation to the waist and lower portion of the body.

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Halasana- Plough Pose

The word "Hala" connotes 'plough' in Sanskrit. In this posture the practitioner's body is akin to an Indian plough.

Sequence:

1. Lie down on the floor on your back and come into Ardha Halasana posture.
2. Exhale slowly and press the palms on the floor.
3. Raise your posterior, hips and lower back off the ground.
4. While raising the lower part of your body, bring the feet closer down to the ground near your head. Keep your knees straight.
5. Try to touch the ground with your feet.
6. Inhale and breathe normally.
7. Move your toes away from the head along the floor with further curvature of the spine until it reaches the maximum limit.
8. Assume a steady posture and exhale completely.
9. Breathe deeply.
10. Exhale and slide the toes further such that your lower thighs lie just above the forehead.
11. Continue to breathe normally.
12. Form a chin-lock with your chin pressing against the chest.
13. Bring both hands to the side of your head.
14. Form a finger lock encircling your head.
15. Keep your legs straight and toes should be pressing the ground.
16. Hold this posture as long as you comfortably can. Maintain normal breathing.
17. Bring the hands back to the sides of the body.
18. Inhale slowly and bring the legs back to the vertical position without bending the knees.
19. Exhale and now bring the legs back on the ground.
20. Resume normal breathing.
21. Relax with Savasana.

Caution:

• Never practice this pose after meals.
• Menstruating and pregnant women should not practice this pose.
• Do not apply excessive pressure on your abdomen while practicing the pose.
• Halasana should not be practiced by people having heart problems, high blood pressure or hernia.

Benefits:

• The pose helps in treatment of rheumatism.
• It relieves tension from the neck and back, by stretching the muscles of the region.
• It cures slouching and helps in attaining a straight standing posture..
• It helps attain a slimmer waist as well as makes the hips suppler..
• Halasana exercises the entire spinal column and provides flexibility.
• This pose should be practiced by people wanting to lose weight and attain a flat tummy.
• It helps in removing laziness and fatigue
• Your heart gets strengthened owing to the alternate pressure put on the heart muscle. Blood circulation is also improved.

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Ardha Shalabhasana - The Half-Locust Pose

The word "Shalabh" means 'locust' and "Ardha" means 'half'. This pose is an easier version of Shalabasana performed with one leg at a time. The final posture resembles a feeding locust, head lowered and tail up.

Sequence:

1. Lie down on your stomach with legs close together and hands on the sides.
2. Make sure your abdomen, chest and chin are touching the ground.
3. Clench your fists and keep them facing upwards.
4. Inhale and hold your breath.
5. Taking support of the fist, raise your left leg backwards straight up, without bending the knee.
6. The body from navel upwards should be on the ground.
7. Hold the leg in the raised position for five seconds.
8. Keep your right leg straight and steady.
9. Exhale slowly and bring your left leg down. Complete exhalation.
10. Repeat the same steps with your right leg.
11. Do three cycles of the above, alternating your legs.

Caution:

• The clenching of fist should neither be too tight nor too loose.
• Hernia and Heart patients should not perform Ardha Shalabhasana.
• The asana should not be practiced by expecting mothers.

Benefits:

• It helps improve circulation of blood.
• It firms thighs, hips and buttocks by dissolving excess fat.
• Regular practice of Ardha Shalabhasana can help control diabetes.
• People suffering from constipation should practice this pose for relief.
• Women with ovaries and uterus disorders can benefit from this pose.

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Anantasana - Sleeping Vishnu Pose

"Ananta" is another name for Vishnu. This pose reflects the sleeping pose of Vishnu on his serpent.

Sequence:

1. Lie down on the floor on your back, legs extended and hands by the side.
2. Turn to the left, fold your left hand at the elbow.
3. Place the elbow on the ground.
4. Raise your head and support it with the left palm.
5. Place your right hand in front of the chest.
6. Breathe normally.
7. Fold the right leg at the knee and place the toes of right foot on the upper left thigh.
8. Keep the right leg straight so that the knee is pointing up..
9. Hold the big toe of the right leg with your right hand.
10. Breathing normally, hold this posture for about a minute
11. Release the right leg and slowly return to supine position.
12. Turn on the other side and repeat by alternating legs.

Benefits:

• Anantasana can improve blood circulation.
• This yoga pose helps stretch hamstring and calves.

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Uddiyana Bandha - Abdominal Lock

In Sanskrit, "Uddiyana" refers to 'flying'. In this bandha the diaphragm is raised up to the thoracic region.

Sequence:

1. Stand erect with your feet fairly apart.
2. Bend your head and trunk forward.
3. Bend your knees forward.
4. Place your hands on your thighs.
5. Grasp the thighs a little above the knee.
6. Raise your head and relax your abdominal muscles.
7. Exhale completely with force.
8. Simultaneously contract the abdominal muscles.
9. Hold your breath and do not let any air into your lungs.
10. Press your hands gently on the thighs and perform 'mock inhalation'. Keep your glottis closed to prevent air from flowing into your lungs.
11. Expand the thoracic cage and raise the ribs quickly followed by relaxation of abdominal muscles.
12. When the ribs rise, your relaxed diaphragm will also move upwards.
13. At the same time, the abdominal front muscles get sucked inwards and up towards the ribs. As a result the thoracic cavity vacuum is automatically filled up.
14. A deep depression takes place in the relaxed abdominal wall. The abdomen assumes a hollow concave shape.
15. Concentrate on the solar plexus.
16. Hold on to this position without any air in the lungs for as long as you comfortably can.
17. Inhale slowly and deeply to bring the chest and abdomen back to its original shape.
18. Return to the starting position by straightening your head, trunk and legs.
19. Take rest for about 15 seconds between two rounds.
20. You can perform three rounds of the bandha.

Caution:

• Menstruating and pregnant women should not perform this bandha.
• High blood pressure and heart patients should not perform this yoga bandha.

Benefits:

• It strengthens the abdominal muscles and diaphragm.
• The lung capacity increases with practice of Uddiyana bandha.
• Your abdominal muscles become more resilient.
• Uddiyana bandha tones up the solar plexus - the root locations of all the nerves.
• The coordination between voluntary and the involuntary nervous systems improves.
• Blood circulation to the abdominal muscles increases.
• Vital organs such as heart, stomach, liver, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, gall bladder, the transverse colon, get massaged and thus their performance gets enhanced with this yoga bandha.
• Increased mobility of the diaphragm helps you take deeper and fuller breaths.

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Jalandhara Bandha - Chin Lock

"Jala" means 'net' and "Dhar" means 'to hold'. In this bandha the network of energy channels or nadis of the body is locked. This bandha is also known as chin lock.

Sequence:

1. Sit down on the floor.
2. Assume Padmasana, keeping your head and neck erect.
3. Keep your palms on the corresponding knees facing outwards.
4. Exhale completely.
5. Take a long and deep breath, raising your chest as you breathe in.
6. Hold your breath for about 10 seconds.
7. Raise your chin to the maximum limit without tilting your head.
8. Slowly bend forward and push your neck and head towards the chest.
9. Contract your throat and neck muscles simultaneously.
10. Lower your chin slowly and place it on the jugular notch.
11. Press your chin firmly down.
12. Keeping your back up and straight, continue to contract the neck and throat muscles.
13. Concentrate your gaze on the tip of your nose.
14. Continue holding your breath with the chin lock as long as you comfortably can.
15. Raise your chin first and then your neck and head and then return to erect sitting posture.

Caution:

• Patients suffering from pressure problems should not perform this bandha.
• If you have breathing problems, do not do Jalandhara bandha.

Benefits:

• The bandha is beneficial to thyroid and parathyroid glands.
• Regular practice of the bandha can get rid of a double chin.
• Blood circulation in the throat and adjacent region is increased.
• People with throat problems can apply this bandha for treatment.
• Spinal nerve centers are stimulated.

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