is a very commonly practiced seated spinal twisting pose. The word is a composite two Sanskrit words – ardha, meaning "half" and Matsyendra. The literal meaning of Matsyendra is "lord of fish". However, this pose is named after the great yogi, Matsyendranath, who according to some texts is considered one of the prominent forefathers of modern yoga practices. The pose allows the spine to be twisted all the way from the base of the spine to the very top.
I invite you to watch the video and follow along for the practice.
Step-by-step
Sit on the floor with the legs stretched out straight ahead. Keep the spine upright, shoulders relaxed.
Fold the right knee and put the right foot on the outside of the left knee. Try to keep the foot flat on the floor and the knee vertical.
Raise the left arm and place the elbow on the outside of the right knee. Try to push the knee inward with the left elbow and with the left hand try to hold the left knee. When you push the knee, allow the thigh to put a gentle pressure against the abdomen.
Raise the right arm, twist the body around, and place the right hand on the floor behind the spine making sure that the spine stays tall, vertical and relaxed.
Make a gentle effort to roll the right shoulder back and away from you. Look over the right shoulder, providing a gentle stretch for the neck as well, without straining the neck. Try not to twist the spine more than its natural flexibility will allow. Over time, with practice, the muscles will become suppler and provide a greater degree of flexibility.
Ardha-Matsyendrasana (spinal Twist)
Breathe your natural, regular breaths and keep the awareness on the entire length of the spine.
You may close the eyes and visualize the spine being twisted from top to bottom and giving a nice massage to the vertebras and the disks in the spine.
Hold the position for about 40 seconds, if comfortable.
Release the pose gently and repeat on the other side.
Ardha-Matsyendrasana (spinal Twist)
Variations
While you are pushing with the elbow from outside the knee, instead of trying to hold the other knee, you may lift the forearm to a vertical position with the fingers pointing up.
If you are not able to put enough pressure on the raised knee with the straight elbow from outside (due to lack of flexibility or some discomfort otherwise), you may fold the elbow around the knee and pull the knee and the thigh toward your chest and the abdomen.
You may try to fold the knee that is straight so that the heel of the foot comes close to the opposite thigh.
An option for the more advanced practitioners is to fold the elbow from above the raised knee and bring the hand out from under the thigh. Now fold the other elbow behind the back and hold the two hands together.
Ardha-Matsyendrasana (spinal Twist)
Benefits
The Half Spinal Twist is one of the best yoga postures for cultivating flexibility and strength in the spine as the back muscles are contracted on one side and simultaneously stretched on the other side.
It sooths stiff necks and upper and lower back tension caused by stress, poor posture, or prolonged periods of sitting in one position
As the entire nervous system goes through the spine, a healthy spine also means a healthy nervous system which ensures healthy communications between the brain and every cell of the body
The alternating compression and release of the abdominal region flushes this area with blood and massages the internal organs, improving digestion
Stimulates the liver, pancreas and kidneys. Because of the massage provided to the pancreas, this is highly recommended as a therapeutic pose for control and prevention of diabetes
Muscles of the stomach and hips are also toned from repeated practice of the Half Spinal Twist
Relieves menstrual discomfort, fatigue, sciatica, and backache
Contraindications
People who suffer from peptic ulcers, hernia, hyperthyroidism should avoid this pose unless under expert guidance from a trained teacher.
Women past the first trimester of pregnancy should not practice this pose unless they have an established ongoing yoga practice and are under the guidance of a prenatal teacher.
Those with sciatica, slipped disk or other back ailments should exercise caution while practicing this pose as a therapeutic aid.
The word ‘bhramari’ (भ्रामरी) refers to the humming sound made by a ‘bhramara’ (a bumble bee in Sanskrit). The Bhramari Pranayama consists in making a deep, soft humming bee-like sound while inhaling and exhaling.
Because Bhramari Pranayama has a very calming effect on the nerves and the mind, it is usually practiced as a prelude to meditation. As a part of the pranayama routine, it should be practiced at the end of other pranayama practices, usually after the alternate nostril breathing (naadi shuddhi, aka Anuloma Viloma), prior to getting ready for meditation.
Bhramari Pranayama is also practiced as a part of the yoga tradition called Nada Yoga (yoga of sound). As the name implies, Nada Yoga uses the element of sound, both external and internal, to reach higher levels of consciousness. In the subtle stage of Nada Yoga, one listens to internal sounds allowing the perceived sound to arise spontaneously. The Bhramari Pranayama is used as a preliminary stage of the practice of Nada Yoga.
Come and join me for this life-transforming experience where you will learn two of the most important aspects of a complete, integrated yoga practice – pranayama (breathing techniques) and meditation. In this program you will be introduced to many of the breathing techniques that are mentioned in our ancient yogic texts. You will also learn the concepts and techniques of meditation.
No prior pranayama or meditation experience is required.
When: Monday, September 14 – Sunday, September 27, 2015
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 AM
Location: 4000 Bearcat Way, Suite 102, Morrisville, NC 27560
Boat pose (Navasana – नावासनor Naukasana – नौकासन) is one of the basic poses that can be practiced to effectively build core strength (in addition to many other benefits, as given here). It is usually practiced along with some of the other poses that are practiced from the supine position – for example, the shoulder stand (sarvangasana), fish pose (matsyasana), bridge pose (setu-bandhasana) etc.
I am presenting here a video of the boat pose along with some of the variations. Hope you’ll enjoy practicing with the video.
In some of my previous posts I have discussed the need for and the importance of establishing a home-based yoga practice. As we know, it is only through a regular home practice that we can realize all the benefits that yoga can offer. Moreover, as I like to emphasize in my classes, yoga practice must include all the three major components – asana (physical postures), pranayama (breathing practices) and meditation. So, ideally your practice should include all three. If you are strapped for time, you can split these practices during different times of the day as long as you give yourself a gap of about three hours after a full meal. For example, you can do asana and pranayama in the morning and meditation in the evening, or vice versa.
The most common reason that I hear for not practicing at home is lack of time. It is true that both job and family life demand a lot of time and attention. However, if we can set our priorities right, it is always possible to find the time needed for a yoga routine.
Given the paucity of time, many of my students ask me to recommend a "bare minimum" practice that they can do on a daily basis. They can do a more complete routine as and when they find the time. I firmly believe that when you establish a daily routine, even though for a short duration, you will start realizing the benefits of the practice. Once you notice the benefits, you are likely to be motivated to spend more time on your practice.
Stress relief or stress management is perhaps one of the most common reasons why people join a yoga class. In addition to the mental and emotional suffering caused by stress, most people tend to feel its physical manifestation in the form of pain or discomfort in the neck and shoulder area. Of course, stress can manifest in other areas as well, for example, jaws, spine or the hips etc. However, neck and shoulders are the ones most commonly mentioned by my students. The problem is further exacerbated because most of us sit in front the computer all day long in non-optimal postures which causes further strain to the neck and shoulders.
In today’s post, I am pleased to present a video demonstration of a few simple stretches that will bring relief to your tensed up neck muscles. Since I have a torn rotator cuff and a stiff neck (both resulting from the same accident), I am not in a position to demonstrate the neck stretches effectively. My good friend, Ami, has graciously agreed to demonstrate these stretches in the video. Hope you will enjoy practicing with the video.
We should note that neck and shoulder muscles are intimately connected together and it is best to practice stretches that will benefit both the areas.
is a beginner level back-bending pose, which is normally practiced along with a couple of other back-bending poses like the Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) and Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose). Even though the basic version of the pose is relatively easy to practice, it still offers excellent benefits for the health of the spine.
The word "shalabha" in Sanskrit means a locust. In the final position the pose roughly resembles a locust (grasshopper) – hence the name.
Step-by-step
I hope you will enjoy practicing with the video demonstration.
Parshvottanasana (पार्श्वोत्तानासन) (standing side stretch)
is a beginning to intermediate level pose which is great for the health of the legs as well as the spine. It provides an excellent stretch for the entire back side of the legs, hamstrings in particular.
Also known by the names "Naadi Shodhanam" or "Anuloma-Viloma", Naadi Shuddhi (नाडी शुद्धि)is one of the most commonly practiced pranayama techniques in yoga. The word "naadi" means "nerves". In fact, in yoga the term naadi is applied to psychic channels associated with the flow of prana (vital life force). According to some ancient texts, there are 72,000 such naadis in a human system. The words "shuddhi" or "shodhanam" both mean "cleansing" or "purification". So the term "naadi shuddhi" literally means cleansing of the subtle nervous system. A clean naadi system allows free flow of prana which helps bring more vitality and energy to the system.
I am pleased to announce the next 21-day Yoga Immersion program. The past programs have been very well received by all the participants. For most of them, it has been truly a life-transforming experience. I invite you to join me on this exciting and deeply rewarding 21-day yoga journey. Here are the particulars:
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