Assignment: Physical Education and Yoga, Minor—3, Semester—4
- आसन का अर्थ एवं महत्त्व
Asana
An āsana (Sanskrit: आसन) is a body posture, originally and still a general term for a sitting meditation pose, and later extended in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise, to any type of position, adding reclining, standing, inverted, twisting, and balancing poses. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali define "asana" as स्थिरसुखमासनम् sthira sukham āsanam "[a position that] is steady and comfortable".[Patanjali mentions the ability to sit for extended periods as one of the eight limbs of his system. Asanas are also called yoga poses or yoga postures in English.
The 10th or 11th century Goraksha Sataka and the 15th century Hatha Yoga Pradipika identify 84 asanas.
Asanas were claimed to provide both spiritual and physical benefits in medieval hatha yoga texts. More recently, studies have provided evidence that they improve flexibility, strength, and balance; to reduce stress and conditions related to it; and specifically to alleviate some diseases such as asthma and diabetes.
- ताड़ासन
Tadasana
‘Tadasana’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘tada’ meaning ‘palm’ or ‘mountain’ and ‘asana’ meaning ‘posture’ or ‘seat’.
The Tadasana symbolizes standing strong like a tree or a mountain. It is also called the mountain pose or palm tree posture. When one stands in tadasana, the vertebral column aligns correctly in its natural curves. This adds strength and stability to the spine and vertebra. It is a basic pose of Yoga and forms the foundation of many standing yoga postures. Tadasana is a part of other asanas like the Suryanamanskar.
Method
- Stand straight, keeping your feet two inches away from each other.
- Breathe in and raise your arms in front, levelling up to your shoulders.
- Lock the fingers of one hand with the other and then rotate your wrist outwards.
- Now breathe in and lift your arms above the head.
- As you lift your arms, lift your heels off the floor, balancing your body weight on your toes.
- Hold this posture for 10 seconds to half a minute. This can be extended to however long one is comfortable.
- Now bring your heels down.
- Breathe out and release your fingers.
- Now bring your arms down and return to the original starting position.
Benefits
- It may help reduce hip and back pain and pain in the outer side of the leg.
- It may help in improving balance.
- It may help in reducing flat feet.
- It may potentially help tone the belly and buttocks.
- It may help regulate digestion and respiration.
- It may play a role in regularizing the nervous system.
- It may help stabilize the entire body.
- Tadasana may help relax strained muscles and nerves, increasing the serotonin levels and thus helps get rid of low moods due to Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS).
- Doing Tadasana during pregnancy helps improve posture. It improves the strength of the abdomen and lower body muscles, keeping you robust throughout the pregnancy. It also reduces stress and keeps you calm.
Tadasana may play a role in correcting faulty spinal posture and decongestion of the spinal nerves.
- People having a desk job partake a wrong posture for prolonged hours while working. It may enhance core strength and improve posture. It may also be beneficial to improve the strength of weakened, curved backs.
- पद्मासन (Lotus Pose)
Padmasana
Padmasana, which translates to “lotus pose” in Sanskrit, requires yogis to have open hips. This position can be classified as a cross-legged yoga pose which allows us to deepen our meditation by calming our mind and helping alleviate a ton of physical ailments.
This position involves a lot of grounding energy and is symbolic of the lotus, which is rooted in the mud and then proceeds to bloom into a beautiful flower. In the same way, when you first begin to practice yoga, you too are rooted in the mud and have several worries but once you progress, you are capable of blooming like the lotus flower.
How to Practice
Step 1: Seat yourself down on the floor or on a mat with your legs outstretched before you and keep your spine erect.
Step 2: Bend your right knee and place it over your left thigh. Ensure that the sole of your right foot points upward and that your heel is close to your abdomen.
Step 3: Now, repeat the previous step with your left leg.
Step 4: Now that your legs are crossed and your feet are placed on opposite thighs, place both your hands on your knees in the mudra position.
Step 5: Ensure that your head is straight, and your spine is erect at all times.
- Step 6: Maintain this position and continue with gentle long breaths taken in and out.
Benefits
- It helps reduce muscular tension and reigns in blood pressure so that it is under control.
- It helps awaken your consciousness.
- Padmasana helps reign in fear and anxiety.
- As Padmasana yoga provides the abdomen with a gentle massage, it allows this region to relax and reduces the cramps caused due to menstruation to a certain extent.
- This yoga pose helps strengthen the pelvic region and ushers in stability and strength to pelvic muscles. As a result, the pain and contractions incurred during childbirth are easier to bear.
- The regular breathing pattern that constitutes this yoga pose helps clear the mind and relieve it of any negative thoughts and emotions.
- Digestive issues like constipation are eradicated when the lotus position is practised with regularity.
- सर्वांगासन
Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand Pose)
- Exhaling, raise high the legs together enough to make a right angle with the body. Keep the knees straight and the body above the hip-joint on the ground undisturbed.
- At this stage, still exhaling, raise the arms and hold the waist and push the body up as far as possible. Put all the body weight on the arms and rest on the elbows, with the legs thrown upwards.
- When this position is firmly secured, by careful manipulation, make an attempt to shift the hands slowly towards the waist, with the fingers extended to the back of the hip-bones and the thumbs pressed lightly on both sides of the navel.
- Set the chin in the jugular notch and place the full weight upon the shoulders, the neck and the back of the head (final position). Complete the above steps in 4 seconds, while exhaling.
- Maintain this pose as long as convenient, but not longer than two minutes, breathe normally slow, rhythmic and natural.
- Return to starting position: slowly bend the knees and then gently lower the hips towards the mat, supported by the hands in 4 seconds, while inhaling.
- Release the hands from the back and assume the starting position.
- Take a few deep breaths and then rest a while, breath normally.
Benefits of Sarvangasana:
- Favourable changes in vasomotor ability (causing or relating to the constriction or dilatation of blood vessels) due to the increased interchange of blood in the upper part of the body, especially the thorax, the neck and the head.
- Temporary replacement of the abdominal and pelvic viscera.
- Relief in the case of constipation, indigestion, headache, giddiness, neurasthenia, functional disorders of the eye, the ear, the nose and the throat as well as general and sexual debility.
- Wholesome effects of gravity-pressure on the various organs of the body above the waist including the vital endocrine glands.
- Relief in the case of constipation, indigestion, headache, giddiness, neurasthenia.
- Functional disorders of the eye, the ear, the nose and the throat and general and sexual debility.
- Very effective for increase of blood flow towards brain.
- Balances the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems, boosting the immune system.
- Flexibility of cervical spine is improved– favourable effect on the nerves.
- Sagging of the lower abdomen is improved by toning the muscles; also helps prevent hernia
- Releases the normal gravitational pressure from the anal muscles, relieving haemorrhoids
- Makes mind alert contributing to self-confidence and self-reliance.
- हलासन
- Lie on your back with your arms next to your body and palms pressing into the floor.
- As you inhale, lift your legs to 90 degrees.
- As you exhale, roll your pelvis off the floor, moving your legs back toward your head. Slowly lower your legs over your head, toward the floor.
- Position your hands on your lower back for support.
- Align your pinky fingers on either side of your spine, with fingers pointing up toward the ceiling.
- Walk your hands up your spine to elevate your spine.
- Draw your shoulder blades and elbows in as close together as possible.
- If your toes reach the floor, you can release your arms alongside your body with palms down or interlace your fingers.
- Hold this position for up to 2 minutes.
- To release, reposition your hands alongside your body with palms down.
- As you exhale, slowly roll your spine back down to the floor.
- Pause with your legs extended to 90 degrees.
- As you exhale, engage your abdominals and slowly lower your legs to the floor, or simply bend your knees and place your feet on the floor.
It helps prevent and relieve tightness in your neck, shoulders, and back. The pose also strengthens your shoulders, arms, and legs.
Practicing Halasana enhances flexibility, which improves muscle and joint mobility.
It also makes your spine more supple, which may help ease muscle tension and improve posture. Increasing flexibility can also reduce your chance of injury and improve your everyday and athletic movements.
Halasana also stimulates digestion, so it may be useful for constipation.
Plow Pose allows you to relax, which helps relieve stress and tension, both physically and mentally. Giving yourself time to relax may help you feel more rested and at ease. In turn, you may find it easier to fall asleep and sleep deeply.
Anecdotally, it’s often said that turning your body upside down during inversions can spark new ways of thinking, offer a fresh perspective, or boost your mood.
- वज्रासन
Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose)
Vajrasana pose is a simple sitting yoga pose. Its name comes from the Sanskrit word vajra, which means thunderbolt or diamond.
For this pose, you kneel and then sit back on your legs to take the weight off your knees. Breathing and meditative exercises are often done in this position, which is said to help your body become as strong as a diamond.
- Start by kneeling on the floor. Consider using a yoga mat for comfort.
- Pull your knees and ankles together and point your feet in line with your legs. The bottoms of your feet should face upward with your big toes touching.
- Exhale as you sit back on your legs. Your buttocks will rest on your heels and your thighs will rest on your calves.
- Put your hands on your thighs and adjust your pelvis slightly backward and forward until you’re comfortable.
- Breathe in and out slowly as you position yourself to sit up straight by straightening your spine. Use your head to pull your body upward and press your tailbone toward the floor.
- Straighten your head to gaze forward with your chin parallel to the floor. Position your hands palms down on your thighs with your arms relaxed.
- Helping keep the mind calm and stable.
- Curing digestive acidity and gas formation.
- Helping to relieve knee pain.
- Strengthening thigh muscles.
- Helping to relieve back pain.
- Strengthening sexual organs.
- Helping in treatment of urinary problems.
- Increasing blood circulation to the lower abdominal region.
- Helping to reduce obesity.
- Helping reduce menstrual cramps.
- Relieving or preventing constipation.
- Strengthening pelvic muscles.
- Useful for hypertension.
- Improve concentration-based performance.
- सुप्त वज्रासन (Reclined Thunderbolt Pose)
- शशक-भुजंगासन (Striking Cobra Pose)
- उष्ट्रासन (Camel Pose)
- मार्जारि आसन (Cat Pose)
- पीछे की ओर झुकने वाले आसन
Backbend Yoga
Most of us sit in a fixed position in front of a computer whole day. This makes the body rigid and susceptible to neck and back sprains. Yoga is good for your spine as it helps make it straight, strong and flexible. It also helps prevent injury.
Backbend yoga poses help release the built-up tension in muscles and joints by opening up the frontal portion of the body. Consequently, you are less irritable and sleep better at night. The rest helps strengthen the back.
Practicing these yoga asanas strengthens your muscles and increases flexibility of spine.
Regular practice of yoga gives you correct posture and proper body alignment. Backbend yoga postures help open specific chakras (energy points) in the body. These contribute towards your general physical and spiritual well-being.
- भुजंगासन
Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
How to Perform
Step 1: Lie flat on the yoga mat with your chest and stomach touching the ground.
Step 2: Place your palm on the sides of your chest and slowly raise your upper body. Remember to keep your elbows straight to avoid injury.
Step 3: Lift your entire upper body. The body weight should fall on your hands and thighs, not your stomach.
Step 4: Now, slowly bend your neck until you feel a stretch on your spine. Remember to inhale and hold your breath while performing this step.
Step 5: After holding this position for 30-45 seconds, exhale and release your body slowly from neck to abdomen.
Benefits
1. Increases Flexibility
As mentioned above, this yoga pose stretches many body parts. This stretching creates motion in muscles, which improves flexibility. A flexible body can significantly impact your posture and, thus, gain confidence.
2. Reduces Body Fat
Yoga can be the best practice to improve metabolism, which increases calorie burn. This particular pose targets the abdomen, buttocks, etc., which gets stretched while performing it. As a result, regular practice can tone the muscles and reduce body fat.
3. Boosts Digestion
Digestion problems are common nowadays. In addition, people are suffering from constipation or heartburn, affecting their work and daily life. This yoga targets the abdomen directly, improving gastrointestinal functioning. As a result, the digestive organs secrete more fluids causing better absorption of food.
4. Unblocks Chakras
The seven chakras of our body balance our physical, mental, and spiritual health. One such chakra is the Kundalini Chakra, located at the base of the spine. This yoga pose activates the Kundalini Chakra, resulting in easy energy flow throughout the body. Unblocked chakras can keep you active and energized the entire day, and you can achieve your goals effortlessly.
5. Improves Blood Circulation
Proper blood circulation is necessary to have better oxygen flow throughout the body. This results in rapid wound healing, flawless skin, a sharp mind and a healthy heart. The cobra pose initiates better circulation of oxygen in the blood, promoting proper nutrient distribution and elimination of waste.
6. Strengthens Muscles
As you carry stretching while maintaining a breathing cycle during this yoga it causes movement in muscles. In addition, this yoga posture includes lifting the body weight on the shoulder, hands and thigh. As a result, it strengthens the biceps, triceps and abdomen muscles.
7. Reduces Respiratory Problems
Bhujangasana unlocks chest congestion and clears the passage of the heart and lungs. This happens due to stretching, which opens the chest cavity and gives more space for the ribcage to open up. It is also a tremendous remedial posture for asthma and other respiratory diseases.
8. Regulates Menstrual Problems
This yoga pose works the abdomen directly and thus regulates any menstrual irregularity. After practising this yoga, your menstrual cycle does not get delayed. Besides this, you will not suffer from cramps and can have a painless period.
Other Benefits:
- Elevates mood
- Relieves stress
- Sooth the Sciatic nerve
- Maintain posture
- Tone the buttocks
- शलभासन (Locust Pose)
- सूर्य नमस्कार:
हस्तोत्तानासन (Raised Arms Pose)
पादहस्तासन (Standing forward bend)
दंडासन (Stick Pose)
अष्टांग प्रणाम (Salute with eight parts)
भुजंगासन (Cobra Pose)
पर्वतासन (Mountain Pose)
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Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation is a sequence of 12 powerful yoga poses. Besides being a great cardiovascular workout, Surya Namaskar is also known to have an immensely positive impact on the body and mind.
Practicing Surya Namaskar steps is best done early morning on an empty stomach. Each round of Sun Salutation consists of two sets, and each set is composed of 12 yoga poses. You might find several versions on how to practice Sun Salutation. However, it is advisable to stick to one particular version and practice it regularly for the best results.
Besides good health, Surya Namaskar also provides an opportunity to express gratitude to the sun for sustaining life on this planet.
Benefits
- Helps maintain cardiovascular health.
- Stimulates the nervous system.
- Helps in stretching, flexing, and toning the muscles.
- An excellent exercise for weight loss management.
- Strengthens the immune system.
- Enhances cognitive functions.
- Improves overall health, strengthens the body, and relaxes the mind.
Meaning
Those who salute the sun every day, their life expectancy, consciousness, strength, courage, and vital power would grow.
The man who performs Surya Namaskara daily does not get poor in thousand births.
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