BHADRA ASANAA / BADDHA KONASANA / COBBLER POSE

Baddha Kona Asana also known as Bhadra Asana is an excellent pose for opening up the hip joint, working on inner thighs and loosening up the hamstrings.

Duration 10 seconds to 1 minute

Procedure

• Join the foot soles in Namaskaar.
• Interlock the fingers around the foot.
• Keep the back straight.
• Flap the knees up and down flattering like a butterfly 30-40 times quickly.
• Take a deep breath and fold your elbow at the crease of the knees.
• Looking up, keeping back straight bend down from lower back.
• Breathe out and now push the knees down with the help of elbows.
• Slowly come up and breathe out.

Benefits

Body

• Opens up the hip & knee joint (butterfly).
• Reduces the lumbo-sacral compression.
• Stretches & tones the hamstrings (Bhadrasana).
• Gives good posterior stretch to the body (pad mastak Bhadrasana or pad mastak Baddha kona Asana).
• Massages the abdominal organs & reproductive system (pad mastak Bhadrasana).

Mind

• The forward bending variation of this Asana resembles the shree Yantra and hence alleviates the energy levels of the body by opening up the blockages & ensuring the triangular flow of prana in entire body which is a symbol of union of Shakti & Shiva.
• Confidence, alertness, memory, will power are some attributes as a complementary benefits of this Asana.

Pranic

• Activates the Mooladhara & Swadishthana chakra.
• With the spark of prana & Apana Vaayu life phosphorus or energy is formed/ released in the higher psychic centers.
• Balances the functioning of Ida & Pingala, the moon & sun channels.

Contraindications

• No forward bending for the lumbago or cervical patients.

Variations

• Butterfly, pad mastak Baddha kon Asana, pad Angushtha mastak Bhadrasana, Vistrita pad hastha Baddha kon Asana.
• To get maximum benefit out of this Asana you may bend forward towards the foot trying to touch the head to foot in pad mastak Baddha kon Asana, folding the elbows either out on floor or keeping at the crease of the knee for Pad mastak Angushtha Bhadra Asana. Cervical patients may avoid the forward bend version. It is an excellent Asana for people with stiff/ frozen hip joints or arthritis.
• One more balancing variation of this Asana is Vistrita Pad Santulana kon Asana which basically works on the posture, activate the sympathetic & parasympathetic nervous system and relieve the compression of lower back vertebra. To perform this Asana hold the foot by the side of left toe and lift foot up and balance in wide “V” on the tailbone. Care is to be taken to keep back straight, chest cavity pushed out, knees locked and chin up. Make sure you keep yourself focused all the time to seek balance and benefit yourself with increased concentration and musculo-skeletal coordination. Slowly join the foot soles in Namaskaar in air and bring the foot down on floor.

Helps in

• Relieving the joint stiffness of hips, lumbago-sacral region & knees, menstruation disorder, diabetes, blood pressure, dyspepsia, flatulence, increasing vitality, kindles gastric fire, checks postures.

Key Points

• As you join the foot soles keep them pressed tightly throughout the Asana practice.
• In the forward bend variations, bend from lower back and avoid rounding of back.
• Do not hold tension in shoulder & jaws.