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.

Asana For Upward(Lateral)Stretch of the spine: Parvatasana

Parvatasana-The Mountain Pose

Perceivable by the name itself, Parvatasana indicates the qualities of a mountain such as a strong and firm base, durability, steadfastness, resoluteness and changelessness. Practicing different variants of this asana instills a characteristic of maintaining the base firm for long while also experiencing stretches and movements of the spine in varied forms like upwards, backwards, forward, sidewards and also a twist.

Limitations / Contraindications

  1. People suffering from spinal injury and spinal abnormalities, arthritis of the knees, frozen shoulders and cervical issues should avoid doing this.
  2. People having hypertension and cardiac issues must not hold their breath and may try doing only variant 1.

How to practice?

Although there are many ways in which this asana can be performed, here I will be sharing a few of its variants.

Note: Those who are practising more rounds, should take pause for a few seconds between each round.

Those who are not comfortable sitting on the floor may practise this asana standing or sitting on a backed chair without arms.

Variant 1

  • Sit in Padmasana, Ardha Padmasana or Sukhasana with your back erect and hands at their respective sides, palms facing upwards.
  • Maintain your chest thrown well forward, neck- head straight in one line, abdomen in normal contour, and chin parallel to the floor.
  • Keep your gaze focused on a fixed point straight ahead. 
  • Now inhaling, in 3 seconds raise both your arms simultaneously from their respective sides giving an upward stretch and join the palms in Namaste above the head. 
  • Hold your arms close to the respective ears, abdomen naturally pulled inwards a little and back still maintained straight.
  • Keep your arms stretched straight, without bending them at the elbows and wrists.
  • Maintain this position for 6 seconds, retaining your breath.
  • To release the posture, with an exhalation,in 3 seconds turn your palm outwards, keep your arms straight and bring them down from the sides to touch the floor.
Parvatasana V1

Variant 2

Parvatasana V2
Parvatasana V2
  • Sit in Padmasana, Ardha Padmasana or Sukhasana with your back erect and hands at their respective sides, palms facing upwards.
  • Maintain your chest thrown well forward, neck- head straight in one line, abdomen in normal contour, and chin parallel to the floor. 
  • Keep your gaze focused on a fixed point straight ahead. 
  • Now inhaling, in 3 seconds raise both your arms simultaneously from their respective sides giving an upward stretch and join the palms in Namaste above the head. 
  • Hold your arms close to the respective ears, abdomen naturally pulled inwards a little and back still maintained straight.
  • Keep your arms stretched straight, without bending them at the elbows and wrists. Exhale at the place.
  • Now inhaling, in 3 seconds bend to the right side of the body, maintaining your head between the arms and hips firm on the floor. Avoid any movements below the waist region.
  • Now without any retention, immediately exhaling in 3 seconds, come back to the centre. 
  • Next again Inhaling in 3 seconds, bend towards the left side of your body, still maintaining your head between the arms and hips firm on the floor.
  • Immediately exhaling in 3 seconds, come back to the centre.
  • To release the posture, with an exhalation, in 3 seconds turn your palm outwards, keep your arms straight and bring them down from the sides to touch the floor.

Variant 3

Parvatasana V3
Parvatasana V3
  • Sit in Padmasana, Ardha Padmasana or Sukhasana with your back erect and hands at their respective sides, palms facing upwards.
  • Maintain your chest thrown well forward, neck- head straight in one line, abdomen in normal contour, and chin parallel to the floor. 
  • Keep your gaze focused on a fixed point straight ahead. 
  • Now inhaling, in 3 seconds raise both your arms simultaneously from their respective sides giving an upward stretch and join the palms in Namaste above the head. 
  • Hold your arms close to the respective ears, abdomen naturally pulled inwards a little and back still maintained straight.
  • Keep your arms stretched straight, without bending them at the elbows and wrists.
  • With an exhalation in 3 seconds, twist your spine spinning towards the right side of your body, while still maintaining hips firmly on the floor and no movements below the waist region.
  • This being an axial movement, treat your head, hands and upper torso as one unit while you are twisting.
  • Now without any suspension of breath, immediately come back to the centre while inhaling in 3 seconds.
  • Next, with an exhalation in 3 seconds, repeat the twisting movements towards the left side of the body and then with an inhalation in 3 seconds, come back to the centre.
  • To release the posture, with an exhalation, in 3 seconds turn your palm outwards, keep your arms straight and bring them down from the sides to touch the floor.
Parvatasana V4

Variant 4

Parvatasana V4
  • Sit in Padmasana, Ardha Padmasana or Sukhasana with your back erect and hands at their respective sides, palms facing upwards.
  • Maintain your chest thrown well forward, neck- head straight in one line, abdomen in normal contour, and chin parallel to the floor.
  • Keep your gaze focused on a fixed point straight ahead.
  • Now inhaling, in 3 seconds raise both your arms simultaneously from their respective sides giving an upward stretch and join the palms in Namaste above the head.
  • Hold your arms close to the respective ears, abdomen naturally pulled inwards a little and back still maintained straight.
  • Keep your arms stretched straight, without bending them at the elbows and wrists. Exhale at place.
  • Now inhaling in 3 seconds, bend slightly backwards in a way that your spine curves a little towards the rear, while holding your head tucked between your arms, your eyes looking upwards and backwards and your hips firmly fixed to the base and no movements happening in the region below the waist.
  • No retention or suspension of the breath here.
  • Now exhaling in 3 seconds, immediately bend forward in a way that your upper body comes parallel to the floor, while holding your head tucked in between the arms and operating as one unit. 
  • Feel the compression in your abdomen region.
  • Remain in this forward stretched position for 6 seconds with your breath suspended.
  • Now with an inhalation in 3 seconds, rise back to the centre.
  • To release the posture, with an exhalation, in 3 seconds turn your palm outwards, keep your arms straight and bring them down from the sides to touch the floor.

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. Also, all of the above mentioned variants can be performed one after the other in continuity and once when all is done, come back to the starting position with your hands down by the side.

Benefits

Parvatsana reduces tension in the shoulders, back and boosts the strength of the shoulders and legs.

It rectifies minor postural defects of the spine and aids relief in minor spinal discomfort.

Irregular curvature of the spine and minor displacements of the vertebrae are rectified.

It gives a good stretch to the abdomen, pelvic muscles, hip joints, twists to the back and gives suppleness to all of them.

It works on the otherwise indolent waist region and alleviates the fab from the abdomen.

There is an improved level of blood circulation to the abdomen region and the internal organs get a good internal massage.

It aids for men suffering from problems of premature ejaculation.

It invigorates concentration, mindfulness, reasoning, develops strength and longevity.

It instigates the heart chakra which in turn aids one to experience feelings of pure love and peace.

It gives relief in cases of respiratory diseases, uterine diseases, early degeneration issues and skin sagging after pregnancy.

Thought of the day: “It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” – Unknown

Link to day 26: Talasana-The Palm Tree Pose https://kreately.in/day-26-talasana-mitraasha/

Link to day 28: Yastikasana-The Stick Pose https://kreately.in/day-28-yastikasana-mitraasha/

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