Udar Karsanasana

Sit erect on the ground bending the knees. Keep the palms on the knees. Lower the left knee to the ground, bend the trunk to the right side as much as possible and look back to the right side. Then come to the original posited Repeat this asana on the other side.
Repeat this asana eight times on both the sides.

Padmasana: Yoga Posture

‘Padma’ means lotus. Padmasana acquires its name because wIa performed it resembles a lotus. It is also known as K It is best suited for meditation and for reciting ‘iuantras’. It is beneficial to both men and women.

Technique

Sit on the ground. Spread the legs forward and place the right foot on the left thigh and left foot on the right thigh. Some persons like to place first the left foot on the right thigh and then to put the right foot on the left thigh. Either process is right. Let the left hand rest on the left knee and the right hand on the right knee. (See figure). Let the tips of the thumbs of both the hands touch the tips of the index fingers. Keep the head and the spinal column erect. Keep your eyes closed or open. Those who can place only one leg on the thigh should practise this asana daily with zeal. They will be able to perform this asana easily after some practice. Stay in the final position for one or two minutes in the initial stage. Later, increase the time gradually.

Advantages

1. This asana is useful for Japa, Pranayama, Dharana (Retention or Concentration), Dhyana (Meditation) and Samadhi (Self-realization).
2. This asana stimulates the endocrine glands.
3. This asana is useful to cure diseases like asthma, insomnia and hysteria. It is greatly beneficial to the persons suffering from insomnia.
4. This asana relieves the body of its excessive fat and it increases the vitality.

Parvatasana

Parvata means a mountain. This asana is also known as Viyogasana’, because it involves a special technique of Yoga. only healthy persons should practise this asana.

Technique

Sit in Padmasana. Join the palms of the hands. Stretch the arms vertically up over the head. Some persons perform this asana sitting in the posture of Veerasana. But the Padmasana posture is better than the Veerasana one.

Advantages

• As both the arms are kept vertically up in this asana, the ‘Prana’ is sublimated.
• If Suryabheda Pranayama or Anuloma-Viloma Pranayama is practised for fifteen minutes before performing this (Parvatasana) asana, the lungs, the abdomen and the spine become strong and healthy.
• This asana gives sufficient exercise to the muscles of the arms.

Adha

This asana resembles a strung bow. So it is called Akarna Dhanurasafla. There are two methods of practising this asana.

Method 1: Sit on the ground. Stretch the legs in front. Hold the toe of the right foot with the left hand. Hold the left leg with the right hand and try to stretch the right elbow backwards as far as possible. Now bend the left leg slowly. Bring the left foot to the chin and the left knee to the left armpit. This position will bring the thigh close to the abdomen. Hold the breath and then exhale slowly. Repeat the pose on the other leg. Gradually increase the time duration of holding the posture maximum to five minutes.

Method 2: Sit on the floor with the legs stretched in front, Lift the left leg up and hold it with the left hand behind the ned in such a way that the thumb remains forward near the ank1 and the fingers behind the thumb. The weight of the leg falls o the palm. Then with the right hand ‘Lold the upper part of th left foot with its heel. Place the shin on the neck. Turn the nec towards the right side. Stretch the left arm and hold the righ toes. At the same time lift the right arm up and hold the left toes. Look to the right side. Then release the legs slowly. Repeat this asana with the other leg. Gradually increase the time ol holding the posture maximum to five minutes.

Advantages

1. The practice of this asana gives full exercise to the joints of the hands and the legs, the joints and the muscles of the neck and the spine. It revitalizes them.
2. It tones up the chest and the abdominal organs.
3. Those who suffer from asthma, tuberculosis and cough get relief if they practise this asana.
4. As this asana strengthens the lungs, the chest is expanded and it gets the capacity to hold air.
5. This asana cures pain in the loins, tonsillitis, indigestion, constipation, the tumour in the armpit, gout, pain in the legs, etc.
6. This asana alleviates women’s complaints of irregular menstruation, the disorders of ovary and pain in the lower part of the abdomen.

Siddh Asana

This asana is performed mostly by the Siddhas-semidivine heings. This is the reason why this asana is called Siddhasana. Ihe main function of this asana is to awaken the power of Kundalini (annular power residing in the mystical circle above the reproductive organs).

Technique

Sit on the floor, with legs stretched straight in front. Bend the left leg, hold the left heel, and place it near the perineum. The sole of the left foot should be placed against the right thigh. Now bend the right leg and place the right foot on the left ankle. The heel of the right foot should be placed at the root of the genitals. Place the back of the hands on the knees so that the palms face upward. Join the tip of the thumb and the index finger of each hand. Keep the spine straight and erect. Let the head, the neck and the spine be erect and in a straight line. Look downwards. Bend the neck low so that the chin touches the lower part of the throat.

Advantages

1. This asana awakens Kundalini Shakti. It purifies all the nadis (tubular channels) in the body through Shaktichalana Mudra.
2. The asana is good for curing indigestion, chronic fever, dysentery, heart-disease, tuberculosis, asthma, diabetes, etc.
3. The diseases which can be cured by Padmasana can also be cured by this asana.
4. This asana is useful for the cure of stiffness in the joints of the loins.
5. This asana helps the mind to be firm, atten and alert.

Stress Management and yoga

Stress is a condition of tension in the body or mind. It can be physical and mental in nature. With more and more advancement in science and technology and man’s rat rare to be progressive, mental stress began to increase. To day there are more mentally stressed persons than the physically stressed ones. ‘Stress management’ means reducing mental stress: Mental stress has many reasons.

Chang Life Style

When our life-style changes from a simple to a more and more complex style, our wants keep on increasing and this tendency becomes a permanent source of our mental stress. Change in food and eating habits too causes stress. Our diet used to be simple and easy to digest. Now many of us prefer heavy and complicated food as part of our life style. These are difficult to digest. They cause heaviness in the system and constipation. This leads to sleeplessness and mental stress. Another cause of mental stress, laziness and irritation is the growing habit of going to bed too late in the night.

Attitude in life

Some of us adopt a very rigid attitude in life or become moody by habit which makes our life more of a burden than a pleasure. We become suspicious, friendless and even isolated and get a lot of mental tension. Our rigid attitude in our official or professional life causing clash with our seniors and customers too becomes a major source of tension. Over ambitions to rise in fife too rapidly creates enemies all around. Professional jealousy too causes an acute form of stress. The desire to get more and more in life, without being satisfied with what we have, is our enemy No. 1. It must be controlled and conquered over.

Social Aspiration

Our social customs are becoming more and more complicated and our tendency to live like our neighbours who have more wealth, is a basic cause of stress. We beg, borrow and steal to show off our riches beyond our means. The worst of it is that we try to earn money even by corrupt practices to keep the show on. All this becomes a source of our worries and tension. We become a slave to money, loose the pleasure of simple living and deprive our selves from real joy of life, the Anandam’ or bliss that lies in simple living and high thinking. Thus we ourselves are responsible for all our mental stress. It is said prevention is better than cure. This is also true for mental stress.

Tiryak Tadasana

First of all, hold the position of Tadasana.Keeping the heels raised from the ground, bend the body first to the right side and then to the left side. The body should be bent at the waist.

Repeat this asana eight times on each side.

Kati Chakrasana

Stand keeping a distance of two feet between the feet. Raise both the arms on the sides of the body to the level of the shoulders. Turn the body by the waist to the right side, bring he left arm to the right shoulder and take the right arm to the hack. Then bringing the body to its original position, turn it to lay left side.

Repeat this asana eight times.

Kapalbhati Pranayama

Kapala means ‘skull’ and ‘Bhati’ mean to ‘shine’. Thus Kapalbhati is an exercise the practice of which imparts glow to the skull.

Sit in either the Padmasana or Sukhasana position keep the body erects. Place the hands on the knees. Inhale and exhale rhythmically and quickly. Then pull in the abdominal muscles and forcefully exhale. Practice this kriya rapidly (60 to 120 times a minute). Stop practicing kapalbhati after about two minute’s.

Let the breathing be normal.

Note

1. While practicing ‘kapalbhati’ keep the chest and the shoulders steady.
   
2. ‘Kapalbhati’ should be practiced on an empty stomach.
   
3. Those who suffer from high blood pressure or heart disease should not practice kapalbhati.

Repetition: Every day, before practicing Pranayama.

Benefits

1. This kriya is beneficial to the respiratory system. Blood becomes purified when this kriya is practiced.
   
2. Kapalbhati makes the mind calm.