Yoga Health Secrets

Yoga for constipation and indigestion

Variation of Head to Knee Posture 1. Sit down on the floor with your legs stretched out. Place the right foot on the left thigh, as near to the body as possible.

2. Stretch forward your left hand and grasp the toes of your left foot.

3. Place your head on your left knee.

4. Keeping your head on your knee, reach your right arm round the back of your body and try to grasp the toes of your right foot which is on the left thigh. Remain thus for as long as you find comfortable, and without straining, and then straighten up, lie flat on the floor and relax, taking a few deep recovery breaths.

If you find you can do this variation you might like to omit the simpler Head to Knee posture in favour of this one, as the benefits of the asana are greatly enhanced by the added stretch to die muscles of the back and shoulders.

Yet another variation of the HEAD TO KNEE POSTURE requires a little more flexibility, and should not be attempted until you can perform the above variation with ease.

Variation of Head to Knee Posture 1. Sit down on the floor as before and place your right foot against your left thigh, as near to the body as possible.

2. Lift your left leg straight up and catch the foot firmly in both hands. Your leg should be perpendicular to the floor. Incline your head slightly until your face touches the knee of your raised leg. Hold this position for as long as you can and then repeat with the other leg. You may perform this variation up to six times, three for each leg. It will take time and patient practice to perfect, but it is well worth the extra effort as it will give an invigorating pull to the sciatic nerve as well as imparting the other benefits of the posture.

And now for something more spectacular. This is a colourful Yoga asana requiring flexibility and concentration. Called the Akarna Dhanurasana or in English the BOW AND ARROW POSTURE it will strengthen flabby abdominal muscles, thereby promoting better elimination, and will also limber up the joints of the hips, legs and shoulders.

Method

1. Sit down on the floor with your legs stretched out. Bend your right knee until your right foot is over your left thigh.

2. Grasp the right foot with the left hand to hold it in position while you

3. Raise your left elbow while drawing your right foot up to touch your left ear.

Your body now resembles a bow and drawn arrow. Look in the mirror while you perform it and you will see it is rather a dramatic-looking pose, deserving of its name, and certainly the benefits of it are dramatic too. Hold the pose for as long as you comfortably can and then return to the starting position. You may perform the BOW AND ARROW POSTURE up to four times, but please do not impart any strain to your muscles. You may hurt yourself and achieve nothing, so do go carefully.