Yoga Asanas

 Role of Yoga Asanas in Personality Development

In this section, we will discuss some important asanas that help develop various dimensions of personality.

1. Bhujangasana

Bhujangasana is also famous as a cobra pose in yoga. It is an excellent exercise for those suffering from a stomach disorder, spinal cord problem, back pain, respiratory disorder and obesity.

Bhujangasana

Procedure

• Lie down on your stomach and feel relax.

• Stretch and join the legs. So that knees of both the leg touches each other.

• Place the palm near the chest facing the ground. Keep in mind that elbow should be straight.

• In bhujangasana inhaling and exhaling plays an important role.

• So now try to move your head back as much as you can.

Benefits

• It cures acidity, indigestion and constipation.

• Improve the function of liver, kidney, pancreas and gallbladder.

• It cures back pain, spondylitis, slip disc.

• Helps to lose weight.

• Helps to improve blood circulation.

• It makes the vertebral column flexible and thin.

• It strengthens the muscles of hands.

Contraindications

• This asana should be avoided by individuals who suffer from hernia, back injuries, headaches and recent abdominal surgeries.

• Pregnant women should not perform this asana.

2. Paschimottanasana

Procedure

• Lie down on your back in a mat. Your legs should be straight and stretch your hands upward straightly besides the ears. Your fingers should be straight.

• Deeply inhale now. Don't bring your hands down, slowly raise up the body and sit.

• You should keep your hands besides the ears.

• In this stage, exhale the breath and bend the body. Hold the first finger in your legs with index finger and middle finger by making it an anchor.

• Deeply exhale and inhale once. Your elbows should besides the knee joints and it should touch the floor.

• Now, your face is in between the knee joints. Be in this pose for five to ten seconds. Now, sit straight and your finger should hold the big finger of your leg.

Paschimottanasana

Benefits

• While practicing this Paschimottanasan, the intestines, gall bladder are smoothly pressed and stimulates well.

• The soul energy of the body will be strengthenend by spinal cord, spinal nerves are pulled during the time of asana.

• It prevents diabetes. It increases the fertility factor of male and removes the infertility.

• Stomach pain, headache, piles, hip pain, back pain and body weakness are cured by doing this asana.

• The menstrual problem will be cured for the ladies. Hip bones will become strengthen.

• Those women who can do this asana before marriage can give birth from normal delivery by strengthening their bones and inner reproductive organs.

• This asana helps to increase the concentration capacity.

Contraindications

• People suffering from enlarged liver or spleen or acute appendicitis should never do this asana.

• Persons having asthama or any respiratory diseases should avoid this asana.

• Persons suffering from back problem should perform this asana only under expert guidance.

3. Pawanmuktasana

Procedure

• Lie flat on your back and keep the legs straight and relax. Breadth deeply and rhythmically.

• Inhale slowly and lift the legs and bend the knee. Bring upwards to the chest till your thigh touches the stomach.

• Hug your knees in place and lock your fingers.

• Now try to touch the knee with the nose tip.

Pawanmuktasana

Benefits

• This asana cures acidity problems, indigestion and constipation.

• Pawanmuktasana is very good for the abdominal organs.

• Regular practice of this asana cures gastric problems.

• This asana is very helpful for people suffering from arthritis pain, heart problems, waist pain and acidity.

Contraindications

• People suffering from heart problems, hyper acidity, high blood pressure, slipped disc and hernia should avoid this asana.

• Pregnant women should avoid doing this asana.

• People who have had an abdominal surgery recently should avoid performing this asana.

• Individuals suffering from piles should avoid this asana.

4. Ardhmatseyendrasana

Ardhmatseyendrasana

Procedure

• First of all, sit on the ground while spreading your legs in front of you.

• Bend your left leg so the left foot comes close to your hips while the right foot is placed outside the left knee.

• Place the left arm over the right knee and grasp the toes of the right foot with the left hand.

• Now, put your right arm behind back around the waist in order to touch the navel from behind.

Benefits

• This yoga pose is extremely beneficial for burning of fat from the abdomen.

• This pose is helpful in weight loss and obesity management.

• It provides wide range of flexibility to the spine.

• It has been found beneficial in the treatment of backache, nechache and headache.

Contraindications

• Women, who are two or three months pregnant should avoid this asana.

• Persons, who suffer from peptic ulcer, hernia or hypothyroidism should perform this asana only under expert guidance.

• The individuals who have the problem of sciatica or slipped disc may benefit from this asana but they need to take great care while doing this asana.

5. Sukhasana

Procedure

Sit down with the legs straight in front of the body. After that bend the right leg and place the foot under the left thigh. Then bend the left leg and keep the foot under the right thigh. Place the hands on the knees. Chin should be in keep the head, neck and back straight, close the eyes. Relax your body.

Sukhasana

Benefits

• It provides wide range of flexibility to the spine.

• It helps to remove any tendency towards around shoulders.

• It is beneficial in case of sciatica and slipped disc.

• It gives compression and stretch to the abdominal organs, thus facilitates massage, recirculates impure blood and tones up the associated nerves.

• It provides gentle massage to knees, calf muscle and thighs.

• It spreads a sense of calmness throughout your body and mind.

Contraindications

• Persons with injured knees and hips should avoid this asana.

• If a person has a slipped disc problem, he should take proper care while performing this asana.

6. Chakrasana

Procedure

• To begin this asana, you have to lie down properly on the yoga mat; your face facing upward.

• Bring your feet closer to your hips with bending your knees upward; keep a distance of about one foot between your feet.

• Bring your hands near your ear and put your palms on the ground as the fingers should facing on your shoulders.

• Now, lift up your body in air by balancing on your feet and hands with rotating your head backward slowly. 

Chakrasana

Warning: Do not try to push your body too much to lift your body more upward in air as it may cause injury to your spine. Do as much as you can. You will get improvement in your posture by practicing it daily.

Benefits

• Chakrasana strengthens your hands, thighs, shoulders and legs muscles.

• This asana is good for people facing breathing problem and diseases such like Asthama.

• This asana makes the kidney and liver strong and strengthens our wrist, hips and spine.

• This asana is one of the yoga asanas which are helpful in increasing our height.

• The semi-circular position makes the dorsal side of the body to stretch making chest to expand. Thus, more fresh oxygen is made available.

Contraindications

• People suffering from headache or high blood pressure should not perform this asana.

• This asana should be avoided in case of shoulder impingement.

• Individuals who suffer from serious spinal column ailments such as cervical and lumbar spondylitis should avoid this asana.

7. Gomukhasana

Procedure

Sit erect on the ground with your legs stretched out in front of you. Now gently end your left leg, and place it under your right buttock. Fold your right leg and place it over your left thigh. Place both your knees close together as they are stacked one on top of the other. Gently fold your left arm and place it behind your back. Take your right arm over your right shoulder, and stretch it as much as you can until it reaches your left hand. With practice, you will be able to not just reach, but also catch your left hand. Keep the trunk erect, expand your chest, and lean slightly back.

Gomukhasana

Benefits

• It helps introduce relaxation. When you feel fixed, tense or worried, practice it.

• It will help release the tension.

• It stimulates the kidneys.

• It is helpful in relieving ailments like diabetes, high blood pressure etc.

• It helps in staying fit and strong.

Contraindications

• The individuals who suffer from shoulder, knee or back pain should avoid this asana.

• Persons with knee injury should avoid this asana.

• Avoid this asana in case of recent or chronic knee or hip injury or inflammation.

8. Parvatasana

Parvatasana

Procedure

• Sit down on the floor in a cross legged position or Sukhasana (easy pose). You can also sit down by spreading the legs a little more than the hip width or in Padmasana (lotus pose).

• Bring your hand in front of you and interlock the fingers so that your palms are facing towards you.

• Breathe out and move your hands over head. Keep your fingers interlocked and hands stretched upwards.

• Put your torso in upward direction and stretch as much as you could.

Benefits

• It gives a full body stretch which improves the blood circulation around the body.

• It makes you alert and attentive if you are feeling bored, sleepy or losing interest in doing work.

• It improves your mental efficiency and makes you more optimistic.

• It strengthens the weak muscles of the body and thus prevents any injury.

Contraindications

• Persons with hip or back injury should avoid this asana.

• One should not perform this asana in case of shoulder injury.

9. Matsyasana

Procedure

• Sit on the carpet; folds both the legs together like Padmasana, Ardha Padmasana or Sukhasana.

• Lie down in supine position and make an arch behind.

• Hold your toes with the fingers of your hands. Stay for some time in this position.

Benefits

• Spinal cord and back muscle tissues gets refreshed

• It helps to cure asthama and respiratory disorders.

• Headache caused by stiffness of neck can be curved easily.

• It helps to stop bleeding hemorrhoids.

Contraindications

• Persons having high or low blood pressure should avoid doing this asana.

• People suffering from migraine and insomnia should also refrain from performing this asana.

• The individuals who have neck injury or lower back problems should not perform this asana.

10. Vajrasana

Vajrasana

Procedure

• Kneel down, stretching your lower legs backward and keeping them together. Your big toes should cross each other.

• Gently lower your waist such that your buttocks are resting on your heels and your thighs on your calf muscles.

• Place your hands on your knees, and set your gaze forward with your head absolutely straight.

• Turn your attention to your breathing. Be fully aware of how you breathe and carefully observe as you inhale and exhale.

Benefits

• This asana improves digestion and with regular practice, it eliminates constipation.

• Better digestion prevents ulcers and acidity.

• This asana strengthens the pelvic muscles too.

• It helps to ease out labour pains and also reduced menstrual cramps.

• It is helpful in curing dysentery, back pain and chest diseases.

• It cures postural defects.

11. Ardha Chakrasana

Ardha Chakrasana

Procedure

• Bend the knees and place the feet together near the buttocks.

• Bring the arms over the head and clasp the elbows.

• Exhaling and inhaling raise the hips from the ground making a straight line from the shoulders to the knees.

• Either stay in that pose or continue by shifting the weight to the right side and straightening the left leg. The knees will remain together.

Benefits

• Reduce back pain and is useful for lumbar spondylitis.

• It also strengthens the muscles around the spinal region.

• Tones the female reproductive organs and can be useful for menstrual disorders and after childbirth complications.

• Increase the awareness of the spinal movement especially the lower back.

Contraindications

• Persons having migraine, headache, low blood pressure, diarrhoea and insomnia should not perform Ardha Chakrasana.

• Persons having peptic ulcer and hernia should avoid doing this asana.

• Person having hip or spinal problems should not perform Ardha Chakrasana.

• Pregnant women should avoid doing this asana.

12. Shavasana

Shavasana

Procedure

• Lie flat on your back, like our sleeping pose. Legs should be separated.

• Keep your arms at your side and your palms facing up. Just relax.

• Close your eyes and breathe deeply and slowly through the nostrils.

• Start concentrating from your head to your feet. This means you are consciously relaxing your each part of the body. Don't move ahead without relaxing particular part of the body.

Benefits

• It relaxes your whole body.

• Releases stress, fatigue, depression and tension.

• Improves concentration.

• Cures insomnia.

• It regulates blood circulation and gives relief in various aches and pains.

• It increases energy levels.

13. Vakrasana

Vakrasana

Procedure

• Bend the left leg in the knee and place it near the thigh of the left leg.

• Place the right hand beyond the folded knee of the left leg and in front of the left hand. Keep the palms of both the hands in opposite direction. There should be distance of one foot between the two hands.

• Press the standing left knee with the right hand and shoulders, and twist the neck to the left. Turn the sight also in the same direction and continue normal breathing.

Benefits

• Increase hips and spine flexibility.

• Removes the wastes and improves digestion.

• Stimulate heart, kidneys, liver, spleen and lungs.

• Open the neck, hips and shoulders.

• Relieve fatigue, sciatica, backache and menstrual discomfort.

• Clean the internal organs.

• Releases excess toxins and heat from tissues and organs.

• Energizes and stretches the backbone.

Contraindications

• It is recommended to avoid during pregnancy and menstruation due to the strong twist in the abdomen.

• People with heart, abdominal or brain surgeries should not practice this asana.

• Care should be taken for those with peptic ulcer or hernia.

• People having severe spinal problems should avoid, however, people having mild slipped disc can benefit but in severe cases it is to be avoided.

14. Shalabhasana

Shalabhasana

Procedure

• Lie down on your stomach.

• Take your both hands behind and hold the wrist of one hand with the other.

• Now inhale; at first lift your chest as much as you can and look upwards.

• Slowly lift your body from both the sides.

• Now, exhale and come back to your initial position.

Benefits

• It is beneficial in all the disorders at the lower end of the spine.

• Most helpful for backache and sciatica pain.

• Useful for removing unwanted fats around abdomen, waist, hips and thighs.

• Useful for removing unwanted fats around abdomen, waist, hips and thighs.

• Daily practice of this asana can cure cervical spondylitis and spinal cord ailments.

• Strengthening your wrists, hips, thighs, legs, buttocks, lower abdomen and diaphragm.

• Toughens back muscles.

Contraindications

• People with a weak spine should avoid this asana.

• The individuals with a weak heart, high blood pressure and coronary problems should avoid this asana.

15. Halasana

Halasana

Procedure

• Lie on the yoga mat or carpet and join the legs together.

• Raise your legs to make an angle of 90 degree.

• Thrust the palms, raise the waist and legs, bending forwards curving the back and resting the legs on the floor above head.

• Try to place the big toe on the floor and keep the legs straight.

• Balance the whole weight on the shoulder blade, shift both the hands over the head join the fingers and hold the head with it and relax the elbows on the floor.

• Try to remain in the position till the count of 100.

• Then release the fingers above the head, pressing the palms on the floor and taking back thumb toe gently, bring, the body and legs to the floor.

• Relax and practice for 2 round more.

Benefits

• Practicing this asana regularly can avoid diseases like diabetes, obesity, constipation, stomach disorder, blood pressure and menstrual disorders.

• It makes your back bone elastic and flexible.

• Halasana helps to reduce both belly and body fat.

• It improves memory power.

16. Bhadrasana

Bhadrasana

Procedure

• Sit on the ground by stretching your legs out.

• Now, fold both your legs and bring them close to each other such that soles of the foot touch each other.

• Hold the toes of your feet with hands.

• Bring your legs towards the perineum, touching the floor.

• Make sure your spine, neck and head are straight and shoulders are relaxed.

• Your breath should be slow and rhythmic.

• Maintain this pose for as long as you feel comfortable.

Benefits

• It develops flexibility of legs.

• It is helpful in digestion.

• It improves alveoles become active.

• The muscles of legs become powerful.

17. Kukkutasana

Kukkutasana

Procedure

• First sit in the Lotus Pose (Padmasana).

• Put your arms in-between the gape of your thighs and calf muscles, and your palms should touch the ground or floor through this gape.

• Now, spread out your fingers, pointing forward.

• Push your palms as much as possible. After that, breathe in while you try to lift your body.

• You have to support your body weight by your palms. By daily practice, you will gain the ability to achieve balance.

• Hold the position for 1 to 5 minutes and breathe normally.

• Breathe out and release the pose and get back to the ground.

• As per your convenience repeat the pose as much as you can.

Benefits

• It increases mobility and flexibility in the hips, legs, and lower back.