Vrikshasana - Tree Pose

"Vriksha" means 'tree' in Sanskrit language. In this pose the practitioner holds his/her body and stays like a tree.

Sequence:

1. Stand erect in Tadasana with your feet joined together.
2. Keep your legs straight and your arms on either side.
3. Lift your right leg and fold it at the knee.
4. Hold the ankle with both hands, pull the leg up.
5. Rest your right foot on  upper part of your left thigh.
6. The toes of the right foot must be pointing down.
7. The folded right leg must be perpendicular to the left leg.
8. Balance your body properly on your left leg.
9. Join the palms of both hands in front of your chest, fingers pointing up.
10. Inhale slowly and gradually raise both your hands up above your head.
11. Keep your arms slightly bent.
12. Stretch your hands and body further up to your maximum limit.
13. Gaze ahead.
14. Keeping your balance, relax for as long as possible.
15. Bring down your hands to the chest level.
16. Lower your right leg.
17. Repeat the above steps with the opposite leg.

Benefits:

• Muscles in the legs become stronger and get toned.
• This asana also strengthens the ligaments of arches, feet, and tendons.
• Nervous system gets boosted by practicing this yoga pose.
• Patients suffering from rheumatic disorder should practice this pose to alleviate the pain.

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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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Vakasana - Crane Pose

"Vaka" connotes 'crane' in Sanskrit. The final posture of the body resembles a crane.

Sequence:

1. Stand erect in Tadasana.
2. Squat down with your soles flat on the floor.
3. Spread your knees apart wider than your hips.
4. Lean your body forward between your thighs.
5. Place your palms on the floor.
6. Support your elbows on the shins.
7. Place your knees in the armpits and the thighs against the sides of the trunk.
8. Lift your feet up gradually and keep leaning forward.
9. Shift your weight to the upper arms.
10. Lift your feet completely off the floor.
11. Also raise your waist and buttocks to the maximum limit.
12. Look in front or gaze down.
13. Stay in this position for about 10-20 seconds.
14. To return, exhale and bring your feet down to the floor.

Caution:

• People suffering from spondylitis should not perform this pose.
• Pregnant women should not practice Vakasana.

Benefits:

• Arms and wrists attain power.
• The biceps get stronger and toned.

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Talasana - Palm-Tree Pose

"Tal" refers to 'palm tree' in Sanskrit. In this pose the upper part of the body is extended straight up like a palm tree.

Sequence:

1. Stand erect with your legs shoulder-width apart.
2. The toes should be pointing outwards.
3. Inhale deeply and raise your hands above the head.
4. Keep the palms facing each other.
5. Raise your heels from the ground.
6. Standing on your toes, exhale slowly.
7. Keeping yourself well-balanced on the toes, stretch your arms further up as you inhale.
8. Try raising your heels and stretching your body to the optimum level.
9. Bend your neck and head backwards and look up.
10. Stay in this position till you feel uncomfortable.
11. Exhale slowly and return to starting position by lowering the arms and simultaneously lowering the heels.
12. Bring the neck and head forward.
13. Relax.

Benefits:

• This yoga pose straightens the spinal column and thus any abnormal curvature can be rectified.
• The lung capacity increases.
• Regular practice of Talasana not only strengthens your body but also makes it supple and flexible.
• The upper body is totally stretched.
• The respiratory muscles become firmer.
• This yoga posture strengthens the muscles of the neck, lower back, abdomen and pelvis.

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Akarshan Dhanurasana - Pulled Bow Pose

"Akarshana" means 'pulled' and "dhanur" means 'bow' in Sanskrit. In this pose the final posture resembles an archer when taking aim before shooting an arrow.

Sequence:

1. Sit erect on the floor, with hands on the sides and legs stretched out together.
2. Keep your palms resting on the floor.
3. Bend your right leg at the knee, cross it over your left leg and place the foot near the left ankle.
4. Hold the big toe of the right foot by forming a finger lock with your thumb, index and middle fingers.
5. Similarly catch your left big toe with the right hand.
6. Inhale slowly and raise your right foot at the level of the right arm pit.
7. Try to touch your right big toe to the left ear.
8. Simultaneously, the right hand should be pulling the left toe.
9. Concentrate your gaze on the toe of the outstretched leg.
10. Exhale slowly and lower your right leg and place it near the left ankle.
11. Release the big toes and bring the legs back to the starting position.
12. Repeat the same on the other side.

Benefits:

• All parts of your body get stretched.
• The arms, shoulders, chest and back gain strength with regular practice.
• Akarshan Dhanurasana helps get thighs and waist into shape.

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Prithvi Mudra

"Prithvi" means 'earth' in Sanskrit. This mudra restores balance of the earth element in your body.

Sequence:

1. Spread out your fingers.
2. Join the thumb and ring finger at the tips.
3. Straighten all the other fingers.

Benefits:

• Balance of your body is achieved.
• When applied with meditation Prithvi Mudra can provide spirituality.
• Prithvi Mudra helps develop tolerance and patience.
• Prithvi Mudra can help build body strength.

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Abhaya Mudra

"Abhaya" means 'fearless' in Sanskrit. This mudra is a sign of benevolence and peace.

Sequence:

1. Sit comfortably in Padmasana.
2. Raise both your hands to ear level.
3. Join the thumb and index finger at the tips.
4. Keep the hands raised.

Benefits:

• This yoga mudra restores inner strength.
• It develops a sense of fearlessness.

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Moorcha Pranayama

In Sanskrit, "Moorcha" means fainting. This pranayama involves slow inhalation and retention of air for a long period.

Sequence:

1. Sit comfortably in Padmasana.
2. Take a deep and slow breath through your mouth.
3. Focus on the space between your eyebrows.
4. Lower your face to place the chin in the jugular notch.
5. Apply Jalandhara Bandha .
6. Exhale slowly.
7. Start with nine rounds and gradually build up to 15 times.

 

Benefits:

• It gives a great sense of relaxation and happiness.
• Moorcha Pranayama helps to get in touch with your inner self.

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Bhastrika Pranayama - Bellow Breathing

Sequence:

1. Sit down in Padmasana.
2. Place your left hand on your left knee.
3. Place your right hand on your nose.
4. Take a few shallow breaths in quick succession.
5. Close off both nostrils.
6. Hold your breath and perform both Jalandhara and Moola Bandha.
7. Raise your head.
8. Exhale through the right nostril keeping the left nostril closed.
9. Immediately after exhalation apply Uddiyana Bandha.
10. This completes one round of Bhastrika.
11. Beginners can start off with three rounds of ten pumpings.
12. Later you can increase it to eight rounds of 100 pumpings.

Caution:

• Stop practicing if you feel dizziness.

Benefits:

• This pranayama increase your concentration power.
• The abdominal muscles gain strength.
• Bhastrika provides relaxation and revitalization.

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Agnisara

Sequence:

1. Stand erect with your legs fairly apart and hands hanging by the sides.
2. Bend your trunk forward and bend your knees slightly.
3. Place your palms on the corresponding knees.
4. Exhale completely.
5. As in Uddiyana Bandha, retain your breath.
6. Blow out your stomach without inhaling.
7. Keep this for about 2 seconds.
8. Pull in your stomach.
9. Pull in and blow out your stomach 4-6 times.
10. Inhale.
11. Repeat steps 4-10 four to five times.

Caution:

• Do not practice this pranayama after a meal.
• Pregnant and menstruating women should not perform this pose.
• This pranayama should be avoided by people with abdominal surgery.

Benefits:

• This pranayama improves digestion.
• Agnisara is an energy booster.
• This pranayama helps reduce fat from your abs.
• Blood circulation to the digestive system is increased.

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