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| Joseph RENGER, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
Theme: Learn Doing Yoga Exercises, How to do the different postures of Yoga, Doing Various Yoga Asanas.
Surya Namaskar (Urdhva Mukha Savasana - the last posture of Sun Salutation)
This posture is known as a comprehensive pose. During doing this asana, Surya Namaskar, the Sun Salutation Pose, we are doing several poses. The poses that we do while doing this asana are, in sequence: Tadasana, Urdhva Hastasana, Utanasana (or Flat Back Pose), Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Savasana), Plank Pose, Chaturanga Dandasana (Asthank Namaskar), Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana), and Upward-Facing Dog (Urdhva Savasana). While coming back from this pose, we do all the poses in reverse sequence.
Here it is demonstrated, how to do the Suryanamastkar Assna, or the Sun Salutation Pose, Step by Step.
How to Do Surya Namaskar: Step by Step
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| Joseph RENGER, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
One of the poses we do while doing Suryanamaskar Asana[sun salutation pose] is called Downward Dog Posture, Adho Mukh Swanasana.
Downward Dog Posture,
The word Adho means downward and Mukh means the face. Thus literally the meaning of Adho Mukh would be downward face. This posture is called Downward Dog Posture or Down Dog pose.
You can repeat this posture as many times as you wish. But ensure that it should not result in fatigue or overstretching of any muscle.
How to Do Downward Dog Posture
- Sit in a positing where your knees are together and your buttocks are touching your hills. Keep the spine and head in a straight position. You can sit in the posture called Thunderbolt (Vajrasana)
- Arrange your hands as far as possible from your knees. Put the palms facing downward on your yoga mat, keeping your fingers wide.
- Come on to your knees and then lift the knees from the floor. Stretch your tailbone towards the ceiling.
- Put your paws flat on the floor or yoga mat. At this moment your head should feel free and resting.
- Ensure that your paws are kept as wide as your hips and the palms are as wide as your shoulders.
Benefits of Doing Dog Posture
In general, the act of doing yoga postures is an exercise in stretching muscles and to increase the circulation of blood in specific parts of our body. Here are some of the benefits of doing Dog Posture.
- When we are in this pose, our heart remains at rest. The flow of blood becomes regular. This is the situation wherein our heart gets some relief. Doing Downward Facing Dog pose would help in providing rest to our heart.
- This pose stretches the muscles, which are in on either side of the back of the knees. It makes the tendon or sinews of knees working.
- This posture would create a feeling of awareness. A person would feel stronger after doing the same.
- As all the yoga postures would make our limbs more flexible, Down Dog pose helps to keep our body fresh and all the parts flexible. The hands, arms and legs would be actively involved in doing it.
- If we look at the curative side of this posture, a person doing it regularly might get some relief in headache and back pain.
If you feel pain in any muscle, while doing this pose, feel free to make yourself at ease. If your back is paining or hamstring is feeling uneasiness, keep your knees a little bit inside. It would ease the pain and pressure.
Caution: Pregnant women should do this posture after taking proper instructions from a trained teacher.
What is Kundalini Yoga
It is believed that the latent power of the human body is in the form of a coil. This coil has one end in the base of our body at the bottom below the genital organ. Another end is in the head. The vital energy running through this coil is known as Kundalini. The great thinkers are divided into the very characteristics of the Kundalini. Some say that it is psycho energy. Others claim that it is spiritual. We may take it as psycho-spiritual power.
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| Silvanasono, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons |
Rising Kundalini
Kundalini Yoga: Referred to as the ‘Yoga of Awareness’ tries to establish proper communication between our mind and body. It takes the help of Meditation techniques and moderation of breathing, Pranayama. A system involving yoga postures and meditation was devised by Patanjali. He taught his followers the set of rules which help in awakening of the spiritual energy.
Kundalini, a Female Snake:
It is believed that Kundalini can be awakened. Idle energy can be activated. In ancient India
If we go by some other definitions of Kundalini, we would know that the starting point of the coil known as the female snake is at the end of our spinal cord. This energy is resting or is inactive. We can awaken this energy through spiritual practices and yoga.
Chakras:
When it starts rising, the disciple would feel the flow of energy going upward. Ultimate station of Kundalini is believed to be the head. While awakening in stages, this energy stops at certain points. These points are named as Chakras.
These Chakras are like the junctions where the fast train of rising Kundalini would rest. Activation of seven successive Chakras would make a yogi wiser and more settled in self. It is the purest form of the spiritual journey.
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| Белик Мария Александровна, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
The awakening of this latent energy would make us experiencing the infiniteness of the universe. It is true that the concept of Kundalini and subsequent yoga techniques to awaken it have been invented and devised by those yogis who followed the Hindu religion.
But the concept of Kundalini has nothing to do with any religion or sect. It is a pure science of knowing about the flow of energy. While learning about it, a disciple comes to know about many secrets of the human body.
With growing awareness about the importance of Kundalini, western psychologists and thinkers have started taking interest in the subject.
They believe that Kundalini Yoga or any other endeavour to experience the presence of Kundalini is an effort to build a bridge of communication between our physical body and the subtle body.
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