51 Days Yoga Consciousness Series 2nd May-21st June 2021

Knowledge of Yoga is infinite, boundless and timeless. “Learning Yoga is an everlasting journey that leads you within and Within is where you find the world of immortal bliss”. –Mitraasha

Namaste All My Yoga Yaatris! May Yog Bless You!

The idea behind running this 51 Days Yoga Consciousness series is to proffer my modest learnings and share the divine pearls of Yoga science with people at large. Let’s have a conjoint intent to learn, implement and extend the wisdom of Yoga with a positive co-action and harmonious reverberation amongst each other.

Asanas for the extremities: Ekpadasana & Utkatasana

1. Ekpadasana : the one-legged pose.

The preliminary objective of yoga is bringing about the congruity of the mind and the body, as a  steady body promotes health, exuberance and orderliness. This can be achieved through maintaining a good neuromuscular coordination and concentration of mind. Ekpadasana is one such yogic posture with unambiguous but effective steps that synchronize the body and mind together.

Limitations / Contraindications

  1. People suffering from severe arthritis, lower back pain, sciatica, slipped disc and vertigo should avoid practicing this asana.
  2. People with weak legs, weak neuromuscular coordination may do it with precaution and for less time with intervals. 
Ekpadasana

How to practice?

  • Stand straight upright with feet together and hands at their respective sides. 
  • Maintain the body weight on the balls of the feet. 
  • Hold the knees straight but neither locked nor stiff. 
  • Keep the back, neck, head in one straight line, abdomen in normal contour, chest thrown well forward and chin parallel to the floor.
  • Fix your gaze at any one point straight ahead, maintaining the mind and body relaxed. 
  • With the support of the hands slowly lift the right leg and raise it up till the level of the thigh of the left leg. 
  • Still maintaining the body’s balance, place the heel of the right leg by pressing it tightly against the opposite groin, the sole of the right foot placed against the left thigh, toes pointing downwards. 
  • Once the balance is attained in this position, join both the palms in front of the chest, close to the sternum in Namaste mudra. 
  • While breathing normally and focusing on a fixed point straight ahead, remain in this posture for a few seconds or as much as you can.
  • Now to release the posture, with the support of your hands gently bring back the right leg down and repeat the above steps with the left leg.
  • As a beginner, you may take support of the wall or a fixture initially to maintain the stability. 
  • If you swerve or sway too much in the posture, focus your mind on each of the movements by remaining extremely conscious even of the most negligible imbalance in steadiness with an intention attain control over all involuntary discrepancies. 
  • This posture can be practiced every morning and evening, beginning from a few seconds and increasing to 2-3 minutes eventually. 

Benefits

It makes the muscles of legs and spine strong and corrects the flat feet issue. 

Enhances neuromuscular coordination, nerve control and increases focus and mindfulness.

Improves body balance, circulation in the extremities, endurance and instills a balanced state of mind.

It is beneficial for people suffering from diabetes and osteoporosis.

2. Utkatasana : Chair Pose

Here, in the name Utkat ‘ut’ means raised and ‘kati’ means waist, which literally means that this asana is to raise your waist. It is done by rising up on the tip toes, lowering the body down and again rising up. This asana is also known as a chair pose. Just like Ekpadasana, this asana too is very good for bringing, concentration, balance, endurance and co-ordination between the actions of the mind and the body.

Limitations / Contraindications

  1. People suffering from severe and moderate osteo-arthritis of knees, acute deep vein thrombosis, sprained ankle, sciatica, stiff joints, vertigo and lumbago issues should avoid practicing this asana.
  2. People with cardiac problems may not retain and suspend the breath during practice and do it with simple inhalation and exhalation.
Utkatasana

How to practice?

  • Stand straight and upright with hands at their respective sides. 
  • Maintaining one foot distance between them, place the feet parallel to each other.
  • Hold the back, neck  and head in one straight line, abdomen in normal contour, chest thrown well forward and chin drawn parallel to the floor. Keep the eyes focussed at one point straight ahead.
  • Now with an inhalation in 3 seconds, stretch out both the hands at shoulder level in front of the body, parallel to each other as well as to the ground and palms facing downwards.
  • At the same time, synchronously raise the heels and balance the body weight on the balls of the feet.
  • Exhaling in 3 seconds, immediately bringing down the body, come in a kneeling- squatting position, and keep the thighs pressed against the respective calves from inside.
  • Maintain the steadiness of the body weight on the toes, knees touching each other and hands stretched out in parallel to the floor.
  • Suspend your breath and remain in this position for 6 seconds.
  • Now, with an inhalation in 3 seconds, maintaining your balance on raised tiptoes, gently rise up smoothly.
  • Now exhaling immediately in 3 seconds, bring down the heels to the floor and come back to the starting  position.
  • Recommended practice for this asana is 2-4 rounds with pause in-between to begin with and then eventually increase the number with regular practice.

Note: For those who are not comfortable initially to retain or suspend the breath as suggested, may do the entire flow of asana with normal breathing.

Benefits

Strengthens, tones and improves the flexibility of the muscles of the lower limbs, calves, thighs, pelvis and shoulders.

It instigates great neuromuscular coordination and enhances awareness of remaining in the present and being mindful while doing various activities in day to day life.

Improves concentration and institutes mindfulness, tranquility and peace.

Thought of the day: “Anyone who practices can obtain success in yoga but not one who is lazy. Constant practice alone is the secret of success“. -Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Link to day 22 : Hasta-Mudras https://kreately.in/day-22-hasta-mudras15-mitraasha/

Link to day 24: Bhadrasana-The Gracious Pose https://kreately.in/day-24-bhadrasana-the-gracious-pose-mitraasha/

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