Asanas, an intrinsic part of yoga, are body postures modeled to blend the mind and body and achieve complete physical and mental relaxation. Regular practise of yogasana rejuvenates the entire physiological system. In fact, yogasana postures help the body to maintain good health by improving its immune system.
Asanas work mainly on the endocrine and nervous systems. Since both the systems are inter-related, the effects produced on these two reflect on the other systems as well.
However, a few things need to be remembered while practising Asanas, namely:
1. Develop a habit of drinking water before and after the practise, and if required even during practise.
2. Maintain the asana posture with ease as long as possible and gradually increase the time. If unable
to retain the posture for long, repeat it several times to make it easier.
3. Avoid jerky movements while assuming or releasing the posture. Perform slowly and steadily without
any strain. Start with the simple postures and then take up the more difficult ones.
4. Understand the purpose of each asana so that while retaining it, concentration can be bestowed on theed.
In fact, regular practise of yogasana helps in controlling various diseases and improving physical fitness, and improving flexibility of various joints by removing stiffness, increasing immunity and toning up the functioning of kidneys, lungs, intestine, liver and skin. It also helps in breaking down excess fat and increases blood circulation. It increases the coronary blood flow, oxygen assimilation and eases the flow of prance energy to the whole body. Asanas should be practised by individuals depending on age, capacity and the diseases to be treated. They should be performed on an empty stomach. The final position should be maintained with deep and slow breathing. The time limit of retaining the final posture depends on one’s capacity, which can be increased gradually.
Lie flat on the back, feet comfortably apart, arms and hands extended about 6” away from the body, palms facing upwards with half-folded fingers. Close your eyes and gently relax your feet, keeping them completely still. Then relax your knees, chest and the arms. Keep both your hands still to achieve a relaxed position. Concentrate next on the head. Move it gently to the side, let it rest and keep it free of all thoughts. Then concentrate the mind on rhythmic breathing. Breathing should be as slow and as effortless as possible. Thus, all parts of the body are loosened to create a state of complete relaxation, which should be maintained for 10 to 15 minutes. Shavasana helps to bring down high blood pressure (arterial hypertension) and gives immense relief to the mind (any individual who has been restricted from doing other asanas due to high blood pressure can perform this asana). It also helps ease tension and stress for those involved in physical activities. This asana should be performed after completing the daily round of yogic asanas. Shavasana done during fasting soothes the nervous system.
Lie on your back with feet together. Keep your palms beside the thighs, facing the ground. Now inhale and raise your right leg, as much as possible, without bending at the knees. Remain in this posture for some time and while exhaling bring the leg down slowly. Then repeat the asana with the left leg. This asana is an excellent exercise for the pelvic region. Any pain in the lumbar region due to strong posture or pressure can be rectified to a great extent by regular practice. Ardha Halasana also burns excess fat in the thighs, hips and abdomen.
Lie on your back gently, bend both the legs at the knees and bring your feet near the tips. While inhaling, slowly raise hands and shoulders and try to touch the knees. Retain this posture for a few seconds. While exhaling, return to the starting position. This asana strengthens the abdominal and vertebral muscles. It is good for patients suffering from arthritis, stiff back, respiratory disorders, diabetes and constipation.
Lie down flat on your back and stretch your hand side-ways to your shoulder with palms on the floor. Now keep the heel of your right leg between the big and small toe of the left foot. Keep both feet erect, one upon the other, in this position. Now, without changing the position of your feet, try to touch the right foot to the ground on the left side. While turning your head to the right and vice verse, stay in the position for some time. The same should be repeated by keeping the left foot over the right. Breathing should be normal. Do this exercise three to four times with each leg, and then rest in Shavasana for a while. This exercise is a variation of Katichalana and is useful in relieving pain in the back, legs and shoulders. as and liver.
Lie down straight on the abdomen with forehead resting on the floor. Keep your feet together and arms extended forward with palms on the floor. While inhaling, raise your arms, head, neck, shoulders, trunk and legs simultaneously as high as possible. Keep your elbows and knees straight. Balance the entire weight of your body on the navel. Maintain this posture as long as possible. While exhaling, bring down your legs, hands and forehead to the ground. Then relax in Makarasana. Naukasana improves the functioning of the lungs, is useful in treating disturbed navel and relieves body stiffness and back pain. It also reduces excess fat from the abdomen. It improves digestion and relieves constipation.
Sit with your legs fully stretched out. Bend your right leg and place the heel against the perineum and anus. Bend you’re left leg and place the foot above the pubis and insert the toes of both your legs between the opposite thigh folds, pressing the heels against the testicles. Rest your hands on your knees. Gently close your eyes and relax your entire body, merging consciousness with super consciousness. This is the most suitable posture for Pranayama and meditation. It also generally calms the nervous system and one attains more physical, mental, emotional and spiritual stability.
For Hastha Parshvasana, sit in any comfortable pose, entwine your fingers behind the back and, while inhaling, stretch the chest forward and hands backwards. At the same time, stretch your neck slightly backwards. Exhaling, come back to the normal sitting posture. Repeat this three to four times. This asnana improves the functioning of the lungs, diaphragm, ribs and cardiac muscles. It also helps in relieving constipation, back pain, arthritis, and pain in the joints.
Yoga therapy also plays an important role in the treatment of myopia and other refractive errors, besides general improvement of eyesight and general health. In this respect, yogic exercises of extra ocular muscles help to strengthen and relieve the strain or tension upon these muscles to overcome defective vision. The following eye exercises are useful in improving eyesight. Sun treatment: Look at the rising sun early in the morning. Gaze at the sun until the rays emerge. Avoid looking at the emerging or hot sun.
Swing: Stand straight, comfortably with feet apart, facing the sun. Keep your hands relaxed. Gently close your eyes and sway your body from one side to the other. The sun is a source of energy. It tones up and increases the working efficiency of all six-eye muscles and increases blood circulation to the eye. Splashing: After the sun treatment, go under a shed. Fill your mouth with cold water and gently close your eyes. Fill your palms with cold water and splash against the eyes. Do the same at least seven to eight times and gently wipe later.
Palming: Sit comfortably and close your eyes gently. Rub your palms and cover your eyes with them, avoiding any pressure on the eyeballs and without allowing light to pass through. If one does not experience complete darkness during palming, and if any colour appears, this indicates that the eyes and mind are under strain. This exercise should be practised for a minimum of two to three minutes. This is one of the best exercises for removing tension, fatigue and myopia. Regular practice improves eyesight. It is a very good exercise for the eye muscles and the optic nerves. Blinking. Sit straight comfortably. Close and open your eyelids rapidly. Repeat three to four times, followed by palming.
Gazing at the thumb: Sit straight in any comfortable posture. Stretch both your arms forward up to the shoulder Siddhasana, Sukhasana or Padmasana. This kriya increases stability and concentration of the mind, strengthens the optic nerves, and corrects weakness and certain disorders of the eyes. It cures insomnia if practised at night before sleep.
Gazing at the ball: Throw a ball from one hand to the other. Or, throw the ball to the ground and observe the bounces. One should follow the ball movements and blink after each catch. This exercise improves the accommodation ability of the eyes and also helps to form the blinking habits. Do three to four times. Steam Inhalation: Carry out steam inhalation (adding a few eucalyptus leaves) for 30 seconds to a minute. Gently close your eyes. After finishing, splash cold water and wipe your face gently.
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