Yoga

Yoga

Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice or discipline. There is a variety of schools, practices and goals in Hinduism, Buddhism including Vajrayana and Tibetan Buddhism and Jainism. Many studies have tried to determine the effectiveness of yoga as a complementary intervention for cancer, schizophrenia, asthma, and heart disease.

Surya namaskar

Surya namaskar yoga is considered as mother of all yoga postures. It is considered as complete body workout. It poses are good for physical as well as mental health. Following step are taken for performing this yoga:

Step 1: Stand erect with feet and join palms together in front of the chest.

Step 2: Sketch both arm above the head, palms facing upward. Arch the back and stretch the whole body.

Step 3: Bend the body forward and down keeping the spine.

Step 4: Extend the left leg back and drop the knees. Right knee is bent and kept between hands and the right foot placed flat on the ground.

Step 5: Bring the right leg back to join with the left leg and raise the buttocks and lower the head between the arms.

Step 6: Exhaling gently drop both legs on the ground and slowly slide the body down at an angle as you bring the chest and chin to the ground.

Step 7: Now lower the hips while pushing the chest forward and upward with the hands, until the spine is fully arched and the head is facing up.

Step 8: Back to the position as in point number 5.

Step 9: Inhale and swing the right leg forward between hands.

Step 10: Bring the left foot forward and join both legs.

Step 11: Raise the trunk and bend backward.

Step 12: Straighten the body and bring the hand in the front of the chest.

Setu Bandhasana

Setu Bandhasana is also known as the Bridge Pose which means construction of a bridge. It came from the words “setu” meaning bridge, “bandha” meaning lock, and “asana” meaning posture. Setu Bandhasana is effective in promoting relaxation and reducing stress. The legs and the hips do most of the work which helps in rejuvenating tired feet. The Shoulderstand, plow, and the bridge are practiced by advanced students.

1. To begin, lie on your back.
2. Fold your knees and keep your feet hip distance apart on the floor, 10-12 inches from your pelvis, with knees and ankles in a straight line.
3. Keep your arms beside your body, palms facing down.
4. Inhaling, slowly lift your lower back, middle back and upper back off the floor; gently roll in the shoulders; touch the chest to the chin without bringing the chin down, supporting your weight with your shoulders, arms and feet. Feel your bottom firm up in this pose. Both the thighs are parallel to each other and to the floor.
5. If you wish, you could interlace the fingers and push the hands on the floor to lift the torso a little more up, or you could support your back with your palms.
6. Keep breathing easily.
7. Hold the posture for a minute or two and exhale as you gently release the pose.

Makarasana

Makarasana or the crocodile pose is a great pose for all-round stretching of the body. It is a pose that strengthens and stretches the muscles of the back, legs, buttocks, and the back of the arms and legs. The crocodile pose in yoga is also a great pose to reduce stress and improve posture. The aim of this yoga pose is to release strain caused by other asanas.

There are simple steps that will help you do the crocodile pose which is not a very simple pose:

1. You have to start by lying flat on your belly with your forehead resting on the floor or the mat and hands resting beside you, palm down.
2. As you exhale, lift your head, legs and upper torso away from the floor. Remember not to strain any part of your body while lifting. Your lower ribs, abdomen and pelvis should be supporting your body.
3. Now slowly raise your arms away from the floor and stretch them by imagining there is weight pressing down between your shoulder blades.
4. Look ahead without stressing the neck or the forehead.
5. Stay in this position for 30 seconds and slowly increase it to one minute. As you finish, slowly return to the starting position.

Halasana

The name comes from the Sanskrit words hala meaning "plow" and asana meaning "posture" or "seat. There are many ways of looking at Halasana (Plow Pose) in search of deeper meaning and guidance. As with many yoga asanas, Halasana name is suggestive of the basic shape of the pose, which resembles the traditional plows found in Tibetan and Indian culture. Symbolically, the plow is represented in the myths and traditional stories of Egypt, China, Tibet, and India. Regular practice of Plow Pose nurtures and rejuvenates the body's entire system. Halasana helps nourish the thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine by increasing circulation and suppleness, releases tension in the neck and throat, alleviates the accumulation of phlegm or mucus in the sinuses and respiratory system, and gradually assists in lengthening and regulating the breath.

1. Start your position by placing your body in Salamba Sarvangasana.
2. First lie on a mat & rest your back on the floor.
3. Try to lift your legs in the upward direction. You can even take the support of your hands for the same.
4. Try to rest your hands on you back so that they can help you remain steady in the position.
5. Once your legs are up in the air, try to bring them in a straight alignment with your body & stretch it as much as you can.
6. This pose is known as Sarvangasana pose.
7. Once you are in this pose, try and bring your legs downwards from over your head.
8. Again, rest the palm of your hands on your lower back in order to support your position.
9. Remain steady in this position for about 15-30 seconds and then release from the pose.
10. Repeat this activity 10 times every day.