Yoga Health Secrets

Yoga for lumbago and sciatica

The next stage of the Bull Posture involves the arms and shoulders. As you sit comfortably in this seated posture raise the hand corresponding to your leg which is uppermost and bring it behind your shoulder. At the same time bend the other arm backwards and upwards and join your fingers together. Proper execution of this movement will develop your trapezoidal muscles, and prevent bursitis, and arthritis of the shoulders. It may take a little practice for you to be able to join your hands together in this novel way but do go slowly and you will soon succeed. It is well worth a little effort.

The Squatting Pose which I described in chapter five will also bring relief to sufferers from lumbago and sciatica. Though not a beautiful posture it is an invaluable one. Yoga, as a general rule, is as graceful as ballet dancing in its static grace as opposed to the fleeting movements of ballet, but the ancient Yogis in their wisdom did not omit several ungraceful postures for the sake of the body’s health and well being. Such a one is the Squatting Pose and there are several others scattered about in these pages. They are included for a very good reason so do not omit them because of their lack of aesthetic appeal.

But now, to make up for the ungainly Squat which will greatly help your lumbago and sciatica here is an equally beneficial one which has all the bizarre grace of the insect from which it takes its name.

Salabhasana or she Locust Posture

1. Lie face downwards, chin touching the floor, hands along your sides, palms either clenched or flat on the floor.

2. While inhaling deeply raise your right leg as high as you possibly can, pressing into the ground with your clenched fists or flattened palms to give yourself more leverage. I have demon strated the correct position in figure 22, page 77.

3. Hold this position as you complete your inhalation and then slowly lower your leg as you exhale. Repeat with the other leg. Keep the raised leg as straight as you can and perform this asana six times in all, three times with each leg.

When you have practised with alternate legs for a few days try the full Locust Posture which involves the raising of both legs simultaneously as in figure 21. This variation of the Locust Posture is much more difficult but the added effort involved greatly enhances the benefits of this valuable posture. It has the added benefit of toning and strengthening the muscles and organs of the abdomen as well as bringing relief from our two antagonists of this chapter.

When you can perform the full Locust Posture hold it for as long as you comfortably can while holding your breath. Repeat up to six times a day.