Swastikasana - Auspicious Pose

"Swastika" refers to 'auspicious' in Sanskrit.

Sequence:

1. Sit down on the floor.
2. Stretch out your legs in front.
3. Hold the ankle of the right foot and place it in between left thigh and knee.
4. Likewise put the left foot in between right thigh and knee.
5. Keep your neck, head and back erect.
6. Put the palms on the corresponding knees and arrange your fingers in Gyan Mudra.
7. Fix your gaze at the tip of the nose.
8. Come out of the pose by stretching out the right leg and then the left leg.

Benefits:

• This is a good pose for meditation and relaxation.
• Spinal column is stretched and becomes stronger.
• Abdominal muscles get toned with regular practice of Swastikasana.
• The asana relaxes your mind and body.
• High blood pressure patients can practice this pose to alleviate B.P.

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Setu Bandha Sarvangasana- Bridge Pose

"Setu" means 'bridge' and "bandha" means 'locked' in Sanskrit. In this pose, the final posture of the practitioner resembles a bridge.

Sequence:

1. Lie down on the mat on your back with the legs straightened out and hands on the sides.
2. Bend your legs at the knee and rest your feet on the mat.
3. Bring your feet closer to the buttocks.
4. Press your palms and feet firmly.
5. Lift your hips off the mat and push it towards the ceiling.
6. Keep your knees and feet in one straight line.
7. Clasp your hands below your pelvis.
8. Extend your arms.
9. Raise your hips further up so that your thighs are parallel to the floor.
10. Lift your chin.
11. Open up your shoulders and lift your chest up, resting on the shoulder blades.
12. Press the sternum towards the chin.
13. Hold this pose for 10-15 seconds.
14. Exhale and return to the original position rolling the spine slowly.

Caution:

• People with low back pain or knee pain should avoid this posture.
• If you have suffered any neck injury, practice the pose under supervision.

Benefits:

• This yoga posture alleviates stress and mild depression.
• Patients of asthma, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and sinusitis can benefit from this pose.
• The neck, chin and spine are stretched.
• Regular practice of this pose improves digestion.
• The yoga pose can relieve headache, insomnia and fatigue.
• It is beneficial to women in menopause.
• Bridge pose helps rejuvenate tired legs.

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Makarasana - The Crocodile Pose

"Makar" is Sanskrit for 'crocodile'.

Sequence:

1. Lie down on the floor on your stomach with your hands on the sides. Your chin and chest should also be touching the ground.
2. Stretch out both legs to full length.
3. Separate both legs and place them on the floor such that the toes are pointing outwards and heels inwards.
4. The feet should be at right angles to the legs.
5. Raise your head and trunk.
6. Take your right hand under the left shoulder.
7. Hold the left shoulder gently with your right hand.
8. Grasp the right shoulder with your left hand gently.
9. The two hands should be making a double triangle one above the other.
10. Place your forehead on the triangle. Your face should be within the space created by both arms.
11. Close your eyes and relax your whole body.
12. Practice abdominal breathing. Remain in this position as long as you are comfortable.
13. Turn over.
14. Lie on your back and start again.

Benefits:

• Makarasana is the perfect pose for relaxation of both mind and body.
• It helps relieve fatigue after a strenuous yoga session.
• The asana helps keep control over high blood pressure.
• Breathing problems and genito-urinary disorders are cured.
• Makarsana is beneficial to the digestive system.
• It helps get rid of flatulence and scoliosis.

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Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Facing Dog Pose

In Sanskrit, "Adho" means downward, "mukh" means face and "svan" means dog. In this asana, the practitioner's face is downwards, hence the name.

Sequence:

1. Lie on the floor on your abdomen.
2. Raise your body to position the body on all fours, palms, knees and toes touching the floor.
3. Keep your knees apart and right beneath the hips and the palms a bit ahead of the shoulders.
4. Spread out your fingers.
5. Exhale and raise your knees off the ground.
6. Keep your knees slightly bent and your heels off the ground.
7. Raise your body up further, lengthening your tail bone.
8. Lift your buttocks further up so they face towards the ceiling.
9. Lengthen your thighs and stretch the heels so that they touch the ground.
10. Keep your knees straight but still apart.
11. Roll the upper thighs inward slightly and roll the heels outward slightly.
12. Press your palms on the floor and straighten your arms from the wrists to the tops of the shoulders.
13. Open up your shoulders and move them towards the tailbone.
14. Keep your head in between the two arms.
15. Hold the pose for about a minute. Gradually raise it to three minutes.
16. Return to initial position in reverse order.

Caution:

• Pregnant women should avoid this yoga posture
• If your wrists are sensitive or injured do not perform this yoga posture.

Benefits:

• The yoga pose can be used to overcome stress and depression.
• It improves the digestive system.
• Adho Mukha Svanasana can be very beneficial for patients of high blood pressure, asthma, sciatica and sinusitis.
• The shoulders, legs, spine and whole body get stretched.
• Woman with menopause can benefit from this posture.
• This yoga pose relieves fatigue and rejuvenates the body.

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Mritsanjeevani Mudra

'Air' is referred to as "Mritsanjeevani" in Sanskrit. This mudra helps in balancing the air element in your body.

Sequence:

1. Spread out the fingers of your hands.
2. Fold the index finger and bring it close to the thumb pad.
3. Put your thumb over the index finger and press it on the pad of the thumb.
4. Bend your middle and ring finger to touch the tip of the thumb.

Benefits:

• Heart patients can benefit from this mudra.
• Blood pressure patients can practice Mritsanjeevani Mudra to normalize blood pressure.
• Self-confidence gets a boost with regular practice of Mritsanjeevani Mudra.

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Ujjayi Breathing

The word "Ujjayi" means 'victorious' in Sanskrit.

Sequence:

1. Sit comfortable in Padmasana.
2. Take a long and deep breath through both the nostrils.
3. Close your glottis slightly.
4. The inhalation should produce a sonorous sound.
5. Hold the breath, applying Jalandhara Bandha and Moola Bandha.
6. Exhale slowly through both nostrils, opening the glottis simultaneously.
7. This should again produce a frictional sound.
8. Complete exhalation and now apply Uddiyana Bandha.
9. You can practice this pranayama three times spread throughout the day.
10. Later you can increase to 27 times each day, with 9 in the morning, nine at noon and nine in the evening.

Benefits:

• The nervous and the digestive systems benefits from this Pranayama.
• This pranayama helps relax and calm your mind.
• Ujjayi breathing alleviates high blood pressure.
• You can develop a sweet voice with regular practice.
• It can give you relief from cold, cough and tonsillitis.
• This Pranayama can cure phlegm.

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Sheetali Breathing

"Sheetal" means 'cool' in Sanskrit. This pranayama has a cool effect on the body by lowering the body temperature.

Sequence:

1. Sit in Padmasana.
2. Place your hands on the corresponding knees with palms facing up.
3. Assume Gyana Mudra with your fingers.
4. Open your mouth and take out the tongue.
5. Move to each side of the mouth.
6. Inhale through your mouth and suck air into your lungs.
7. Take in your tongue.
8. Close your mouth.
9. Retain your breath for about 5 seconds.
10. Exhale completely through your nostrils.
11. You can start off with one minute and build up to five minutes.

  
Benefits:

• High blood pressure patients can benefit from this pranayama.
• Sheetali Breathing cools down your body and quenches thirst.
• Liver functions well.

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