Yogasanam

Yogasanasa - Yoga Exercises-Ardha-Matsyendrasan

Time: 2 minutes each side.
Method: Bend left knee, place left foot under right hip. Bend right knee, place right foot on left side of left knee. Hold left knee or right foot with the left hand - keep right knee on the left of left arm. Turn trunk to right, look back over right shoulder, right hand on ground or on waist as close to left thigh as possible. Repeat with left knee bent and trunk turning to left. Note: You may also hold hands through the gap below the raised knee.
Benefits: Increase the elasticity of the spine, and massage the abdomen and internal organs

Yogasanasa - Yoga Exercises-Sarvangasan
Time: 2 minutes
Method:
Lie on your back, arms alongside.
Raise both legs together - taking support of hands on the hips and the elbows on the ground.
Straighten the body - feet, knees, hips and back form one vertical column from the base of the neck to the tip of the toes, feet stretched, toes pointed, chin pressed against the chest.
Normal breathing.
Benefits: Promotes healthy secretion of the circulatory, respiratory, alimentary and genito-urinary systems. Keeps the spine flexible preventing the bones from early ossification. Supplies large quantity of blood to the spinal roots of the nerves, thereby giving them sufficient nourishment.

Yogasanasa - Yoga Exercises-Halasan
Time: 2 minutes
Method:
Lie on your back, arms alongside.
Raise legs an in Sarvangasan (you may take help of hands on the hips), then lower them overhead, knees straight, ankles stretched, toes pointed and touching the ground.
Arms stay on ground as in the beginning, palms on the ground.
The posture resembles the shape of a plough.
Benefits: Makes the spine flexible, creates energy, and blood of the muscles of the back. Aids the functioning of the thyroid and thymus glands thus helping retain the individual's youthful physical characteristics for a longer period.

Yogasanasa - Yoga Exercises-Pavan-Muktasan
Time: 1/2 minute each leg
Method:
Lie down on your back.
Breath in.
Then fold the left leg from the knees.
Hold the fingers together and bring the folded leg to touch the stomach.
Lift the head and touch the nose to the knee. The other leg remains straight. Hold the breath.
Come to original position and leave the breath.
Follow the same for the other leg.
NOTE: This asan can also be done with both the knees folded.
Benefits: Removes gas from the abdomen and reduces abdominal fat. Increases the flexibility of the knees and hips.

Yogasanasa - Yoga Exercises-Matsyasan
Time: 1/2 minute
Method:
Sit with legs an in Padmasan - knees bent, feet on opposite thighs, heels towards the abdomen.
Lie on your back. Placing hands near the head for support
Lift your back above the ground, keep the top of your head on the ground over a padded surface, e.g., a towel.
Keep your hands an your feet.
Normal breathing.
Benefits: Makes the neck flexible and strong, increases the size of the rib cage, widens the windpipe and thus helps deep breathing. Relieves the neck after Sarvangasan.

Yogasanasa - Yoga Exercises-Bhujangasan
Time: 1/2 minute
Method:
Lie on your stomach, forehead on the ground, hands under shoulders.
Raise your upper body by the strength of the back muscles, head up.
Don't take help of the hands, they may remain on the ground or held on the back over the hips.
Benefits: Helps in keeping the dorsal spine elastic and strong. Backache due to overstrain can be thus relieved. Helps considerably in reducing abdominal fat.

Yogasanasa - Yoga Exercises-Dhanurasan
Time: 1/2 minute
Method:
Lie on your stomach.
Bend knees, hold the ankles.
Pull your hands and push with your legs, knees together, till the trunk forms an arch with only the stomach on the ground.
Look up.
After releasing the posture lie for a while in Shavasan.
Benefits: Reduces abdominal fat. The compressing of the spinal column, pressing the nerves with the scapulae (the winged bones at the back attached to the arms) minimizes blood circulation while in the asan. But when the pose is released a greater supply of blood is endured to those very regions increasing spinal flexibility and definitely raising the vitality.

Yogasanasa - Yoga Exercises-Chakrasan
Time: 1/2 minute
Method:
Lie on your back.
Bend knees, place feet apart and close to hips, place hands overhead, palms besides ears and shoulders.
Push with hands and, without moving feet, raise trunk as high as possible to curve the back into an arch.
Look on the ground between the hands.
Benefits: Builds a flexible back, stimulates the nerves of the spine. One of the powerful back bending postures.

Yogasanasa - Yoga Exercises-Bhadrasan
Time: 2 minutes
Method:
Sit holding feet together, heels as close to body as possible
Head up, chin down
Normal breathing.
Benefits: Specially recommended for those suffering from urinary disorder. The pelvis, the abdomen and the back get stimulated through a plentiful supply of blood. Keeps the kidneys, the prostate and the bladder healthy.

Yogasanasa - Yoga Exercises-Time: 2 minutes
Method:
Sit on your heels.
Hands on knees, abdomen drawn in, chest up, back straight, shoulders squared, head erect.
Normal breathing.
Benefits: Aids digestion and helps cure sciatica.

Yogasanasa - Yoga Exercises-Paad-Pashchimottanasan
Time: 2 minutes
Method:
Lie on your back, legs straight, arms overhead, hands together, palms facing up.
Sit up, take hands overhead, back straight,
Then bend forward to hold the big toes, head between arms and touching the knees.
Benefits: Reduces abdominal fat. Removes wind from the intestines and increases appetite.



SALAMBA SIRSASANA:[Salamba: supported; Sir: head]
In Salamba Sirsasana, the head supports the whole body.Technique (for beginners)1. Fold a blanket about three or four times and place it on the floor. It should be a few inches away from the wall. 2. Place forearms on the blanket, taking care that the distance between the elbows is not wider than the shoulders. 3. Interlock fingers so that the palms form a cup, and place them on the blanket. 4. After adjusting the arms, place the head on the blanket in such a way that the back of the head is perpendicular to the wall and the crown of the head is resting on the blanket. 5. Raise buttocks, lift knees off the floor, and move the toes closer to the head. 6. Exhale, slowly lifting legs off the floor. Rest the back of the heels against the wall. 7. Stay in this inverted position for 20-30 seconds, breathing normally. As you gain in confidence, you can stay in this position for as long as 10 minutes. 8. Exhale, bend the knees and slowly bring your feet down on the floor.Special InstructionsThis pose should not be attempted by women during menstruation. Also, people suffering from hypertension should perform this asana only under the supervision of an expert.Benefits• The asana enhances blood supply to the brain. • It gradually activates the endocrine glands. • Regular practice increases intellectual clarity, improves will power, respiration and digestion. • Minor ailments such as common cold, cough and sore throat can be cured.SALAMBA SARVANGASANA(Salamba: with support; Sarvang: entire body) As the entire body benefits from this pose, this asana is generally known as Sarvangasana. In the classical pose, the hands support the back. This is called Salamba Sarvangasana.Technique 1. Spread a fourfold blanket on the floor. Lie flat on your back with both legs and feet touching each other. Keep your palms facing the floor. 2. Exhale and bend knees over the chest. Press hands down on the floor and, with a swing, raise waist and hips. 3. Support hips with the hands and lift the trunk. 4. Raise hips and thighs further, supporting them with the back of your hands. From the shoulders to the knees, the body should be perpendicular to the floor. 5. Straighten legs towards the ceiling. 6. Stay in this position for two-three minutes. Gradually increase the duration to about seven-eight minutes. 7. Exhale. Bend the knees and gradually slide down buttocks and back. Release hands from the back and extend legs on the floor.Special Instructions• Elbows should be spread as wide as the shoulders. • If you experience difficulty in breathing, raise the height of the blanket by folding it further. • This asana should not be performed during menstruation Benefits• This asana develops patience and emotional stability. It is particularly beneficial and soothing for the nervous system. • It helps relieve ailments of the chest such as bronchitis, asthma, and breathlessness. It also helps decrease anemic conditions. • It helps better digestion and hastens recuperation from any long illness.


The regular practice of select Yogasanas and Pranayama exercises will help considerably in one’s effort to check the sexual impulse.

Siddhasana:
This Asana is highly eulogized by Yogis for the practice of Brahmacharya. It will help one in controlling his passion and checking nocturnal discharges and in making him an Oordhvareta Yogi. This Asana is useful for sitting during Japa and meditation.

METHOD
Place the left heel at the anus. Keep the right heel at the root of, or just above, the generative organ. Keep the trunk, neck and head straight. Place the hands on the right heel.

Sit for half an hour to start with and then slowly increase the period to three hours. Sitting for three hours in one Asana is termed Asana Jaya or mastery over Asana.

Sirsasana:
This is the king of all Asanas. The advantages that are derived from this Asana are incalculable and indescribable. This is specially designed for stopping nocturnal discharges and helping the flow of semen towards the brain in the form of Ojas Sakti or spiritual energy.

Spread a folded blanket on the ground. Make a finger-lock and keep it over the blanket. Now place the top of your head between the two hands. Slowly raise the legs up without any jerk till they become vertical. Get the help of a wall in the beginning of your practice or ask one of your friends to catch hold of your legs. After due practice, you will be able to keep up balance. When the Asana is over, bring down the legs very, very slowly. When you remain in the Asana, breathe only through the nose.

Irregular Kumbhaka, Rechaka and Pooraka—retention, exhalation and inhalation—will make your Asana unsteady.

Do this Asana when your stomach is empty or light. Many chronic, incurable diseases of the stomach, bowels, lungs, heart, kidneys, genito-urinary system, ears and eyes are cured by the regular practice of this Asana.

When you find your legs tossing, retain the breath for a short time. Then the legs will become steady.

BENEFITS
This is very useful in keeping up Brahmacharya. It makes you Oordhvaretas. The seminal energy is transmuted into spiritual energy, Ojas-Sakti. This is also called sex-sublimation. You will not have wet-dreams, Spermatorrhea. In an Oordhvareto-Yogi the seminal energy flows upwards into the brain for being stored up as spiritual force which is used for contemplative purposes (Dhyana). When you do this Asana, imagine that the seminal energy is being converted into Ojas and is passing along the spinal column into the brain for storage.

Sirshasana is really a blessing and a nectar. Words will fail to adequately describe its beneficial results and effects. In this Asana alone, the brain can draw plenty of Prana and blood. Memory increases admirably. Lawyers, occultists and thinkers will highly appreciate this Asana. This leads to natural Pranayama and Samadhi by itself. No other effort is necessary. If you watch the breath, you will notice it becoming finer and finer. In the beginning of practice there will be a slight difficulty in breathing. As you advance in practice, this vanishes entirely. You will find real pleasure and exhilaration of spirit in this Asana.

Great benefit is derived by sitting for meditation after Sirshasana. You can hear Anahata sound quite distinctly. Young, robust persons should perform this Asana. Householders who practice this should not have frequent sexual intercourse.


Sarvangasana:
This is an important pose, which can help you assuredly in the practice of Brahmacharya. The digestive, circulatory and nervous systems are at once toned up in a mysterious manner by the practice of Sirshasana and Sarvangasana. This is no Arthavada or Rochak Sabdha or mere eulogy, my dear friends! Practice and feel the beneficial influence yourself. This is the best remedy for wet dreams and various other diseases. There is a healthy glow in the eyes of the practitioner and a peculiar lustre, charm, beauty and magnetic aura in his face.

Spread a blanket on the ground. Lie on the back quite flat. Slowly raise the legs. Lift the trunk, hips and legs. Support the back with the hands on either side. The whole weight of the body will now rest on the shoulders and elbows. Keep the legs steady. Press the chin against the chest firmly. Breathe slowly, only through the nostrils. Begin with five minutes and try to remain in the Asana as long as you can.

Benefits

It helps a lot in maintaining Brahmacharya. Like Sirshasana, it makes you an Oordhvaretas. It checks wet-dreams effectively

Matsyasana:
This must be practiced soon after Sarvangasana. It will relieve stiffness of the neck and all crampy conditions of the cervical region caused by long practice of Sarvangasana. This gives a natural massage to the congested parts of the neck and shoulders. Further, it ensures that the student derives the maximum benefits from his practice of Sarvangasana.

Sit in Padmasan over the blanket by keeping the right foot over the left thigh and the left foot over the right thigh. Then lie flat on the back. Stretch the head back so that the top of your head rests on the ground firmly on one side and the buttocks only on the other, thus making a bridge of the trunk. Place the hands over the thighs or catch hold of the toes. You will have to give a good twist to the back. Matsyasana is the destroyer of many diseases. This is very useful for general health also.

Padangushthasana:
Place the left heel right in the centre of the perineum—the space between the anus and the external organ of generation. Put the whole weight of the body on the toes, particularly the left big toe. Place the right foot over the left thigh, near the knee. Sit carefully now, keeping the balance. If you find it difficult to practice this Asana independently, you can take the help of a bench or sit by the side of a wall. Place the hands on the sides of the hips. Breathe slowly.
The perineal space is four inches in breadth. Underneath this space lies the Veerya Nadi that carries semen from the testes. By pressing this Nadi with the heel, the flow of semen outside is checked. A steady practice of this Asana removes wet dreams and Spermatorrhea and makes one an Oordhvareta Yogi. A combination of Asanas such as Sirshasana, Sarvangasana and Siddhasana is very conducive to keeping up Brahmacharya. Each has its own specific action. Siddhasana acts on the testes and its cells and prevents the formation of semen. Sirshasana and Sarvangasana help the flow of semen towards the brain. Padangushthasana acts on the spermatic duct effectively.