Curlasana Yoga
Method: Lie down supine on a carpeted floor keeping your arms stretched in line with your shoulders. Bend your knees while keeping feet about 18 inch apart. Inhaling take the knees to the left to touch the floor and at the same time take the head to the right, stretching the body fully. Exhaling come back to the original position.
By this asana the full back and neck is exercised making them flexible and supple. It also increases the blood circulation in the body, and has a positive effect on the abdomen.
Kukkutasana Or the Cock Pose
A cock is called kukkut in Sanskrit, hence the name.
Method: Sit in Padmasana. Now insert your hands between the opening in your calves and thighs. Then push the hands further and keep your palms firmly planted on the floor with your fingers fully spread. Push your thighs and legs up your arms, using your arms as the fulcrum of exerting the force to lift your body up. Try to keep your torso as upright as possible. Breathe normally. Do it at least for a minute.
As could be seen from the illustration, this posture puts enough pressure on your chest and shoulder muscles to make them firm. The females will have their firm breast line if they do this exercise regularly.
Shava means a dead-body in Sanskrit Hence this name. This asana is to be performed at the end of the exercise session as it helps body to get complete rest and bring peace to the mind.
Method: Lie down supine on a hard surface. Don’t use any pillow. Let your body take the most naturally comfortable position. Now gradually begin to concentrate on each external limb of your body, starting from the toes. Try to convince yourself by auto-suggestion that your toes are quite relaxed. Try to move your toes a little and believe that they are so relaxed that you can’t even move them. Gradually shift the focus of your mind to the upper limbs-feet, heels, shins, thighs, abdominal region, stomach, heart region, neck and finally, the head. Then relax and lie totally motionless like a dead-body. Close your eyes and try to be thoughtless. Remain in that position for about five minutes. By the time you end this exercise, your whole body and mind would have taken complete rest. Remain lying for a couple of minutes more and come gradually out of this trance-like state.
As hinted already, this asana takes away the whole mental and physical stress and strain and revitalises your entire sense with an euphoria of a fully rested body. Do this asana for 5 or 10 minutes or more after your yogic exercises. The pleasant and exhilarating feelings can only be realised by those who can successfully do this asana. You will enjoy perfect peace and relaxation which are imperative after yogic exercises or any other hard work.
Method: Stand with feet about 18 inch apart, arms on the sides, palms facing backward. Inhaling lift arms over the head and lean backward slightly. After a pause , exhale and bend forward bringing the arms in front. Try to touch the floor if possible with your palms while keeping the head between the arms and upper body loose. After a pause, inhale and lift the arms back and repeat the asana three to five times.
This makes the spine flexible and also exercises the lungs, arms, shoulders, waist and the neck.
Kukurasana Or The Dog Pose
Method: Lower your hips on to the insides of your feet, the heels at the sides of the hips in vajrasana. Now raise hips and stand on the knees as shown in the diagram, while placing both hands on the floor in front of the body, beneath the shoulders. Inhale, depress the spine and raise the head. Follow this with exhaling; lower the head and arch the spine. Again depress the spine and raise the head, keeping the arms straight and vertical.
The asana strengthens neck, shoulders and keeps the spine flexible. Try and contract the stomach during exhalation.
Method: This requires you to lie on your abdomen. Keep feet together, toes pointing backwards, arms on the sides, chin resting on the floor. Inhaling, raise one leg slowly without bending the knee till you feel a drag on the other leg. Repeat a few times.
This asana improves the functioning of the liver, pancreas and the intestines in addition to making the spine flexible and the lungs strong.
Method: First of all, take the posture of padmasana. Thereafter touch your abdomen with both your heels. Then take both your hands behind your back and hold with the right hand, the big toe of your left leg and vice versa. If you find it difficult to touch the toes, then bend forward, hold the toes and return to the erect sitting posture. Keep your eyes closed. Make your breathing slow and deep. Engage your mind and attention either to meditation or some spiritual activity. In the beginning this asana should be performed for about 11/2 to 2 minutes and gradually its duration can be raised to about 10 minutes.
This asana provides peace, purity and stability. It enhances intelligence, and strengthens lungs. It makes supine supple, broader chest, and a healthy body.
Note: Article by Simon Slade. When not working on online business and marketing Mr. Slade studies health and fitness.
Ekpad Uttan Asana
Method: Lie down with your arms by your sides. Inhaling slowly raise on leg without bending the knee as far as possible, and without causing any discomfort. Hold for a few seconds and then exhale, and lower it. Repeat five to six times with each leg.
This asana brings flexibility to the hip and knee joints and has a curative effect on backache by strengthening the spine. The nervous system is also activated.
Pavan Mukta Asana
Method: Lie down supine with your heels together, arms stretched by your sides. Inhale and slowly bend one knee as you raise it. Tuck the knee into your chest, holding and press it with interlocked fingers. Exhaling, straighten the knee bringing the leg on to the floor. Repeat with the other leg. Do this asana a few times alternating the legs. Then bend both the legs together and do the asana in the same manner.
This asana loosens the knee and hip joints addition to curing constipation, acidity and getting rid of gas. But avoid this, especially if you are pregnant.
Method: Lie down on your abdomen, chin touching the ground, arms on both sides of the body, fists with knuckles touching the ground and close to the body, heels and toes together. Inhaling lift one leg without bending the knee as far as comfortable and stop lifting, the
moment you feel a drag on the bottom of the spinal chord. Hold for 3 sec. and exhaling bring it down to the floor. Do it with alternate legs for 5 times. Once you are comfortable lifting one leg, then try to lift both the legs together, holding your breath and putting a slight pressure on your fists.
Shalbhasana activates the entire abdominal area and cures acidity, constipation, wind troubles, indigestion, gastro-intestinal disorders and also eliminates nervous tension.