BHUJAṄGĀSANA (The Cobra Posture)
Bhujaṅga means snake or cobra. In this āsana, the body is raised like the hood of the snake, hence the name.
Posture: Prone posture or Makarāsana
Benefits:
- This āsana relives stress, reduces abdominal fat and relives constipation.
- Helps to relieve backache and bronchial problems.
Caution:
- Those who have undergone abdominal surgery should avoid this āsana for 2-3months.
- Those who suffer from hernia, ulcers should not practice this āsana.
Technique:
- Lie down on your stomach, rest your head on your hands and relax the body.
- Now join your legs and stretch your arms.
- Keep the forehead on the ground.
- Now place your hands just beside the body; keep palms and elbow on the ground.
- As you inhale slowly, lift the head and chest up to navel region without changing in the position of hands.
- Stay there comfortably.
- This is called Sarala Bhujaṅgāsana.
- Now come back and place your forehead on the ground.
- Keep your palms besides the chest and raise your elbows where they are.
- Inhale, slowly lift the head and chest up to navel region.
- Keep the elbows parallel and maintain the posture for 10-30 seconds with normal breathing.
- This is Bhujaṅgāsana.
- Exhale, rest your forehead on the ground, come back to Makarāsana and relax.
KAPĀLABHĀTI
Posture: Any comfortable or meditative posture e.g. Sukhāsana / Padmāsana / Vajrāsana
Benefits:
- Kapālabhāti purifies the frontal air sinuses; helps to overcome cough disorders.
- It is useful in treating cold, rhinitis, sinusitis, asthma and bronchial infections.
- It rejuvenates the whole body, and keeps the face glowing and vibrant.
- It strengthens the nervous system and tones up the digestive organs.
Caution:
Please avoid this practice in case of cardiac conditions, giddiness, high blood pressure, vertigo, chronic bleeding in the nose,
epilepsy, migraine, stroke, hernia, gastric ulcer, pregnancy and during menstrual cycle.
Technique:
- Sit in any comfortable posture.
- Close your eyes and relax the whole body.
- Inhale deeply through both nostrils, expand the chest.
- Expel the breath with forceful contractions of the pelvic an dabdominal
muscles and inhale passively. - Do not strain.
- Continue active/forceful exhalation and passive inhalation.
- Complete 30 rapid breaths, then take a deep breath, exhale slowly and relax completely.
This is one round of Kapālabhāti. Each round shall be followed by being still for a while.
- Repeat 2 more rounds.
- Breathing: Forceful exhalation by contracting the abdominal muscles, without any undue movements in the chest and shoulder region. Inhalation should be passive throughout the practice.
- Number of rounds: Beginners can practice up to 3 rounds of 20 rapid breaths each. The count and rounds can be increased gradually over a period of time.
PRĀNĀYĀMA
NAḌĪŚODHANA or ANULOMA VILOMA PRĀNĀYĀMA (Alternate Nostril Breathing). The main characteristic feature of this prānāyāma is alternate breathing through the left and right nostrils without or with retention of breath (kumbhaka).
Posture: Any comfortable posture.
Benefits:
- Induces tranquillity and helps to improve concentration.
- Increases vitality and lowers the level of stress and anxiety.
- It alleviates cough disorders.
Technique:
- Sit in any comfortable posture.
- Keep the spine and head straight with eyes closed.
- Relax the body with few deep breaths.
- Keep the left palm on the left knee in Jnāna mudra and the right palm should be in Nāsāgra mudra.
- Place the ring and small fingers on the left nostril and fold the middle and index finger.
- Place the right thumb on the right nostril.
- Open the left nostril, breathe in from the left nostril, close the left nostril with the small and ring fingers and release the thumb from the right nostril; exhale through the right nostril.
- Next, inhale through the right nostril. At the end of inhalation, close the right nostril, open the left nostril and exhale through it.
- This completes one round of the Nādiśodhana or Anuloma Viloma Prāṇāyāma
- Repeat for another 4 rounds.
Ratio and timing:
- For beginners, the duration of inhalation and exhalation should be equal.
- Gradually make the ratio 1:2, inhalation: exhalation respectively.
Breathing:
Breath should be slow, steady and controlled. It should not be forced or restricted in anyway.