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 Asana for inversion:Halasana

Halasana—The Plough Pose

This asana’s name comes from Sanskrit where hala means plough and asana means posture. It is an asana where the spine is  upturned inside out creating immense  compression at the throat and abdomen region and the final posture resembles a plough.

Halasana is grouped amongst the intermediate level for those practitioners who already have a bendy back and good command over breath and also in advanced level poses for  those who do it for extra practice to attain more control over their breathing and enhanced elasticity of the spine, shoulders and neck.

As the name Halasana -plough pose advocates itself, practice of this asana deeply rejuvenates the mind and the body as the plough would do to the soil. 

Limitations / Contraindications

  1. People suffering from hypertension, back problems, serious cardiac ailments, slipped discs, peptic ulcers,respiratory disorders, weak or injured cervical muscles and cervical spondylitis should not do this asana.
  2. Those with weak legs, feeble hamstring muscles, frail calf muscles, high blood pressure, severe headache, migraines, weak digestion, fragile blood vessels in the eyes and sciatica issues should also not perform this asana.
  3. People having enlarged thyroid, spleen and liver should not perform halasana as it puts immense pressure on the lower abdomen during practice.
  4. Also pregnant women and women during their menstruation period should avoid practicing this asana.

How to practice?

Halasana
  • Lie down straight supine (on your back) on a mat with both your legs completely stretched out, knees and feet held together and hands kept on their respective sides. 
  • With an inhalation in 3 seconds, lift both your legs together in a way that they form a right angle to the body. Initially if you find it difficult to raise them up straight, then you may bend the knees before raising the legs and may also take the support of your hands.
  • Next with an exhalation in 3 seconds, lower your legs towards and beyond your head in a semicircular arch and try to touch your toes to the ground. 
  • You may either maintain the hands in the starting position or use them if required to support the hips as you raise yourself up and once the legs are in reverse position touching the ground, bring your hands down to the starting position resting on the floor individually or clasped with each other, ensuring that the legs still remain straight. 
  • This is the final posture, stay in this for six seconds by suspending your breath.
  • Now to release the posture, with an inhalation in 3 seconds, lifting the legs up from the ground, lower your hips (take support of your hands and bend the knees if required) and then lead your legs slowly back to the starting supine position on the mat.

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

This is an excellent asana for spinal health and it gives a good stretch to the spinal column.

Due to the stretching of the posterior muscles that holds the spine, its flexibility and suppleness is increased. 

The spine, neck, shoulders, legs, and hip gets very good stretch during the pose thereby increasing their suppleness and elasticity.

Practicing this asana works on almost every muscle of the body right from the tip of the toes to the cervical: eg the leg muscles, the back muscles, abdominal muscles, hamstring muscles, neck etc.

It works on and benefits the flexors, abductors and the internal rotators of the hip, protractors of the shoulder, flexors, abductors and medial rotators of the shoulder and on the flexors of the elbow are also exercised well.

The pressure on the abdominal region tones the abdominal muscle and the internal organs there get good massage and stimulation.

It’s very beneficial for the nervous system, the digestive system, the genital organs and enhanced circulation in the spinal region.

It reinstates vocational contours and other minor postural/carriage defects.

Regular practice of this pose aids in losing extra weight from areas like the thighs, abdomen, hips, neck and arms.

It extends relief in cases of constipation, back pain, obesity, lumbago, sexual debility, spinal rigidity, menstrual disorder and weak digestion.

It is very therapeutic in cases of asthma, cough and cold, menopause, migraine headaches, sinusitis, insomnia, diabetes, anxiety and stress.

It rejuvenates the functioning of the reproductive organs, thyroid, parathyroid, pituitary glands, endocrine glands and abdominal organs including spleen, pancreas, liver and kidneys.

Repeated practice of Halasana instills a sense of balance, acceptance, makes mind more aware, alert and at the same time peaceful.

Thought of the day: ” Stay committed to your decisions, but flexible in your approach”-Tony Robbins.

Link to day 39: Pawanmuktasana-The Antiflatus Pose https://kreately.in/day-39-pawanmuktasana-mitraasha/

Link to day 41: Makarasana & Dhradasana https://kreately.in/day-41-makarasana-dradhasana/

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