BHUJANG ASANA / COBRA POSE

Shoulders and upper back are the 2 major parts of the body, which mark the posture of a person. Posture correction and strengthening the two muscle group is one of the primary benefits of the following Asana i.e. Bhujang Asana/ Cobra Pose. This Asana is excellent for people with hunched back, cervical, spondilytis, shaping up the shoulders & strengthening the arms.

Duration 30 seconds to 1 minute

Procedure

• Keep both the hands by the side of the chest with palms down.
• Raise the elbows up like a grasshopper.
• Try to bring them closer, with forehead on floor.
• Now slowly as you breathe in, lift head, nose, chin, neck & chest cavity off the mat or floor rolling back like a mattress till the navel is on the floor.
• While breathing out come down vertebra by vertebra from navel to forehead.

Benefits

Body

• Corrects the bad effects of poor posture of the upper back.
• Excellent in dealing with cervical spondilytis.
• Builds up and tones the muscles of shoulders, neck and upper back.
• Increases lung capacity by opening up the rib cage and allowing lungs to expand and contract to maximum.
• Brings luster and shine to the face.
• Regulates the metabolic rate of the body and digestion process.
• Strengthens the arms.
• Massages the liver, pancreas, stomach and gall bladder.

Mind

• Increases the flow of blood and oxygen to brain, mental nerves and capillaries.
• Nerve current flows freely from nerve ending to spine and vice a versa.
• Sharpens the memory and increases the efficacy of sensory organs to perceive things better and passing on the filtered information to brain to act & react.

Pranic

• The vital current flows from Mooladhara to Manipur and settles here slowly, directing it towards the head to energize, harmonize and stabilize the Ajna chakra.
• Regulates the Samaan, Apana and prana Vaayu.
• Opens up the Anahata and Vishuddha chakra.

Contraindication

• Menstruation, pregnancy, ulcer, colitis, diarrhea, dysentery, tennis elbow, weak wrist.

Variation

• Sarp Asana/ Snake Pose - Raise head up with elbow straight.
• Interlock fingers at the base of spine & lift the head up (tennis elbow).
• Supporting the lower back with palm down & lift head up (lumbago).
• Lift your head & torso up till navel & coming on palms with elbow straight in Sarp Asana
• King Cobra - Folding the legs & curling head back to touch them to each other.

Helps in

• Cervical, poor posture, asthma, bronchitis, decreasing rounding of the shoulders, diabetes, blood pressure, sluggish liver & intestines.

Key Points

• Do not raise body above navel.
• Keep the palms exactly under the shoulders.
• Push your hearts out as you curl back.