Keep Your self Fit

Bharadwajasana

2009-02-07T02:01:00.000-08:00

Sit in the thunderbolt pose (Vajrasana), bending your knees and hips resting on heels, with the big toes together. Flare out heels. Place your left hand on the right knee. Inhale. Exhaling, twist to the right side taking your right hand behind your back to grasp the waist on the left side. Hold this pose, breathing normally for a few seconds. Return to centre. Repeat a few times. Relax and repeat for the left side.

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Meru Vakrasana

2009-02-07T02:00:00.000-08:00

Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you. Fold the right leg at knee, placing back of the foot high up on the left thigh. Ensure the right knee is touching ground. Inhale. Exhale, twist to right side, simultaneously reaching your right hand behind to hold the big toe of your right foot from behind your back. Left hand should be holding your left big toe. Continue breathing normally, holding for a few seconds. Release. Repeat a few times. Then repeat entire sequence for the other side.

Note: Initially it may be difficult to hold either toe. In which case, reach only as far as you can, holding either ankle or knee as per flexibility.

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Mahasirs mudra - Large head mudra

2008-12-13T22:52:00.000-08:00

Sit in any meditative pose, with eyes shut. Touch tip of thumb to tips of index and middle finger. Press down ring finger so it touches base of thumb. Extend little finger. Do for each hand. Sit with this mudra for three minutes or more for headache relief.

Benefits: Mudras are said to work by tapping the biological map of the human in the brain (called homunculus). This particular mudra relieves congestion, removes anxiety, calms the mind by balancing both brain hemispheres.

Tadasana Palmtree pose

2008-12-10T20:56:00.000-08:00

Stand up straight, feet a foot apart. Place hands at your sides. Inhale to raise yourself on your toes. Simultaneously raise hands overhead to interlock fingers, turning them outwards to face the ceiling.

Hold the pose, breathing normally, for as long as you can. Focusing your eyes on some spot in front you helps you maintain balance in this pose for longer. Exhaling, lower hands to side, while lowering heels back to floor.

Benefits: This is a therapy for most ailments and is safe. The full-stretch releases tension knots in the body. It sets the stage for repair in ailments like chronic headaches.

Nadi shodhana or Energy channel cleanser

2008-12-09T06:47:00.000-08:00

Sit in any meditative pose. Place left hand in chin mudra, with tip of index finger touching the tip of your thumb. Place the right hand in nasagra (nosetip) mudra, using the remaining fingers to shut and open the nostrils as instructed.

This is a simple version. Shut your right nostril with right hand thumb. Inhale from the left for four counts. Exhale from left for four counts. This is one round. Do up to ten rounds.

Repeat by shutting the left nostril, and inhaling from the right nostril for four counts. Exhale from the same nostril for four counts. This is one round. Repeat up to ten rounds for the left nostril also.

Benefits : This balances both brain hemispheres, bringing inner harmony, removing inner conflicts that can set off psychosomatic disorders in the body. It belongs to the set of cleansing, healing practices with the least contraindications. Also used to relieve tension headaches.

Yoga helping in Headache

2008-12-08T10:14:00.000-08:00

Brahmari helps to relax your mind

Sit up straight in any meditative pose. Shut your eyes and place the index finger of each hand in the respective ear to plug it.

Inhale and exhale a few times. Inhale deeply. While exhaling, hum gently, making a 'mm' sound with closed lips. Feel the sound vibrate in your face and the rest of your body, further involuting the mind. This is one round. Then inhale deeply, exhaling to repeat about five to ten rounds.

Points to note : Do not exert while humming. Beginners usually do so to increase the length of the humming. That will happen with regular practice. Also doing any pranayama, particularly Brahmari, while lying down.

Benefits : It is the most healing of all pranayamas, with least contraindications. It is extremely calming. It clears the sinus cavities in the face. It is used before meditation to induce mental calmness. Used in migraine relief and prevention.