6.
Viparitakarani (
Inverted action pose ) :
Lie flat on your back,
with your feet together and arms by your side. Press your
palms down, raising your legs to a perpendicular position
without bending the knees. Your palms should touch the
waist. Then straighten your legs. The trunk should not
make a right angle with the ground but
simply an upward slanting position. The chest should not
press against the chin but be kept a little away. To return
to the ground, bring your legs down slowly, evenly balancing
your weight.
Through this asana, the muscles
of the neck become stronger and blood circulation is improved.
The functioning of the cervical nerves, ganglia and the thyroid
also gets improved.
7.
Sarvagasana (
Shoulder stand pose ) :
In Sanskrit ‘sarva’ means
whole and ‘anga’ means limb. Almost all parts
of the body are involved in and benefit from this asana.
Lie flat on your back with your arms by the side, palms
turned down. Bring your legs up slowly to a 90 o angle
and then raise the rest of the body by pushing the legs
up and resting their raise the rest of the body by pushing
the legs up and resting their weight on the arms.
Fix your
chin in jugular notch, and use your arms and hands to support
the body at the hip region. The weight of the body should
rest on your head, back and shoulders, your arms being
used merely for balance. The trunk and legs should be in
a straight line. The body, legs , hips and trunk should
be kept as vertical as possible. Focus your eyes on your
big toes. Press your chin against your chest. Hold the
pose for one to three minutes. Return to the starting position
slowly reversing the procedure.
Sarvangasana helps relieve
bronchitis, dyspepsia, varicose veins and peps up the digestion.
It stimulates the thyroid and para-thyroid glands, influences
the bran, heart and lungs. It helps lymphatic juices to
circulate in the brain and strengthens the mind. This asana
should not be done by those suffering Viparitkarani from
high blood pressure, heart disease and eye trouble.
8.
Matsyasana (Fish
pose ) :
Sit in padmasana. Bend
backwards and lie flat on your back without raising your
knees. Press your palms beneath the shoulder. Push the
hip backwards thus making a bridge-like arch with the spine.
Then making hooks of your forefingers, grasp your toes
without crossing your arms. Maintain this pose and breathe
rhythmically and comfortably. Reverse the order and return
gradually to the starting position of Padamasana. Matsyasana
is beneficial in the treatment of acidity, constipation,
diabetes, asthma, bronchitis and other lung disorders.
9.
Uttanapadasana (
Left-lifting pose) :
Lie on your back with leg
and arms straight, feet together, palms facing downwards,
on the floor close to the body. Raise your legs above two
feet from the floor without bending your knees. Maintain
this pose for some time. Then, lower your legs slowly without
bending the knees. This asana is helpful for those suffering
from constipation. It strengthens the abdominal muscles
and intestinal organs.
10.
Halasana (
Plough pose ) :
Lie flat on your
back with legs and feet together, arms by your side with
fists closed near your thigh keeping your legs straight,
slowly raise them to angles of 300, 600 and 900, pausing
slightly at each point. Gradually, raise your legs above
your head without bending your knees and then move them
behind until they touch the floor. Stretch your legs
as far as possible so that your chin presses tightly
against the chest while your arms remain on the floor
as in the original position. Hold the pose from between
10 seconds to three minutes, breathing normally. To return
to the starting position slowly reverse the procedure.
This asana relieves tension
in the back, neck, and legs and is beneficial in the treatment
of lumbago, spinal rigidity and rheumatism, myalgia, arthritis,
sciatics and asthma.
