Yoga: Sitting Postures In English

Part-3

Hello friends, in today's post, we will know about some of the initial yoga postures, its rules and benefits. So let's start ...

3.  YOGĀSANAS                    

                    

B. SITTING POSTURES

BHADRĀSANA (The Firm/Auspicious Posture)

Bhadra means firm or auspicious.

Sthiti: Long sitting posture (Viśrāmāsana)

• Sit erect with both the legs stretched forward.
• Support the back with hands. Body should be relaxed totally. This is Viśrāmāsana.

  

   Bhadrasan 

  
  

Technique

• Sit erect with the legs stretched out straight in the front.
• Keep the hands beside the hips and palms resting on the floor. This is Daṇḍāsana.
• Now put the soles of your feet together.
• Exhale and clasp your hands together over your toes. Inhale, pull your heels as close as possible up to perineum region. If your thighs are not touching or are not close to the floor, place a soft cushion underneath the knees for support.
• This is the final position.
• Stay in this position for sometime with normal breathing.

Benefits

• Helps to keep the body firm and stabilize the mind. Keep the knees and hip joints healthy.
• Beneficial for pregnant woman.
• Acts on the abdominal organs and releases any tension in the abdomen.
• Benefits women by relieving abdominal pain often experienced during menstruation.

A word of caution

• Avoid this practice in case of severe arthritis and sciatica.  

VAJRĀSANA (Thunderbolt Posture)

This is considered as one of the meditative posture. While practicing it for meditative purposes, one should close his/her eyes at the final stage.

 Vajrasan 

Sthiti: Daṇḍāsana.

Technique

• Sit with extended legs together, hands by the side of the body, palm resting on the ground, fingers pointing forward.
• Fold the right leg at the knee and place the foot under the right buttock.
• Similarly folding the left leg, place left foot under the left buttock.
• Place both the heels so that the big toes touch each other.
• Position of the buttocks is in the space between the heels.
• Keep both hands on respective knees.
• Keep the spine erect, gaze in front or close the eyes.
• While returning to the original position, bend a little towards right side, take out your left leg and extend it.
• Similarly extend your right leg and return to the original position.
• Relax in Viśrāmāsana.

  

   Vajrasan 

  
  

Benefits

• This āsana strengthens thigh muscles and calf muscles.
• This āsana is good for digestion.
• It provides firm base to the body and helps to keep the spine healthy.

A word of caution

• Persons suffering from piles should not practise this āsana.
• Those who are suffering from knee pain and ankle injury should avoid this practice.

ARDHA UṢṬRĀSANA (The Half Camel Posture)

Sthiti: Long sitting posture(Viśrāmāsana)

 Ardh Ustrasan

Uṣṭrā means camel. The final version of this āsana resembles the hump of a camel. In this version, only the first stage (half) of the āsana is being practiced.

Technique

• Sit in Viśrāmāsana.
• Come to Daṇḍāsana.
• Fold your legs and sit in Vajrāsana.
• Stand on your knees.
• Place the hands on the hips with fingers pointing downwards.
• Keep the elbows and shoulders parallel.
• Bend the head back and stretch the neck muscles; inhale and bend the trunk backwards as much as possible. Now exhale and relax.
• Keep the thighs perpendicular to the ground.
• Remain in the posture for 10-30 seconds with normal breathing.
• Return with inhalation; sit in Vajrāsana.
• Relax in Viśrāmāsana.

Benefits

• It helps to strengthen back and neck muscles. Relieves constipation and back pain.
• Increases blood circulation to the head and cardiac region.
• Very useful practice for cardiac patient, but needs to be practiced with caution.

A word of caution 

• In case of hernia and abdominal injuries, arthritis and vertigo please avoid doing this āsana.   

USṬRĀSANA (Camel Posture)

Uṣṭra means camel. The body in this pose resembles a camel, hence the name.

Sthiti: Vajrāsana

Technique

• Sit in Vajrāsana.
• Bring the knees and the feet about few inches apart and stand on your knees.
• While inhaling bend backward place the right palm on right heel and left palm on left heel and exhale.
• Be careful not to jerk the neck while bending backward.
• In final position, thighs will be vertical to the floor and head tilted backwards.
• Weight of the body should be evenly distributed on the arms and legs.
• Remain in the posture for 10-30 seconds with normal breathing.
• Return with inhalation; sit in Vajrāsana.
• Relax in Viśrāmāsana.

Benefits

• Uṣṭrāsana is extremely useful for defective eyesight.
• This is useful in relieving back and neck pain.
• It helps to reduce fat over the abdomen and hips.
• It is helpful in digestive problems and cardio-respiratory disorders.

A word of caution

• Those suffering from heart diseases and hernia should not practice it.   

ŚAŚAKĀSANA (The Hare Posture)

Śaśaka means hare. The body in this pose resembles the hare, hence the name.

Sasakasana

Sthiti: Daṇḍāsana.

Technique

• Sit in Vajrāsana.
• Spread both the knees wide apart, keep the big toes touching.
• Keep the palms between the knees.
• Inhale and raise your arms.
• Exhale & bend forward with arms outstretched.
• Bend forward and place the chin on the ground.
• Keep the arms parallel. Look in front and maintain the posture.
• Inhale and come up.
• Exhale, arms down and come back to Vajrāsana.
• Come to Daṇḍāsana and rest in Viśrāmāsana.

Benefits

• It helps to reduce stress and anxiety etc.
• It tones up reproductive organs, relieves constipation, improves digestion and helps to relieve back pain.

A word of caution

• Please avoid this posture in case of acute backache.
• Patients with osteoarthritis of the knees should avoid Vajrāsana.  

UTTĀNA MANDŪKĀSANA (Stretched up-frog posture)

Uttāna means upright and Maṇḍūka means frog. The final position of Uttāna Maṇḍūkasana resembles an upright frog, hence the name.

Sthiti:Daṇḍāsana.

Technique

• Sit in Vajrāsana
• Spread both the knees wide apart while big toes touching each other.
• Raise your right arm, fold it from elbow and take it backward above the left shoulder and place the palm on the left shoulder blade.
• Now fold left arm similarly and place the palm on the right shoulder blade.
• Maintain the position for a while, then come back slowly in the reverse order.
• Relax in Viśrāmāsana.

Benefits

• This āsana is helpful in back and neck pain especially cervical spodolyosis.
• It helps in improving the diaphragmatic movements and also improves lungs capacity.

A word of caution

• Person with severe knee joint pain should not perform it. 

VAKRĀSANA (The Spinal Twist Posture)

Vakra means twisted. In this āsana, the spine is twisted which has a rejuvenating effect on its functioning.

 Vakrasan 

Sthiti: Daṇḍāsana

Technique

• Bend the right leg and place the right foot beside the left knee.
• Bring the left arm around the right knee and clasp the right big toe or place the palm beside right foot.
• Take the right arm back and keep the palm on the ground with the back straight.
• Exhale, twist your body to the right.
• Remain in the posture for 10-30 seconds with normal breathing and relax.
• Inhale take out your hands and exhale to relax.
• Repeat the same on the other side.

Benefits

• Helps to increases flexibility of the spine.
• Helps to overcome constipation, dyspepsia.
• Stimulates pancreas functions and helps in the management of diabetes.

A word of caution

• Please avoid this posture in case of acute back pain, vertebral and disc disorders, after abdominal surgery and during menstruation.    

Part- 4 : Click Here

C. PRONE POSTURES

I hope you have liked and understood all the information we have given in this post today. So keep learning and wait for the next post which will help you learn something new.

  Thank you so much for reading. And take care of yourself and your family.