Swastikasana

Explanation: It's a very simple and easy sitting posture with a straight back, suitable for meditation. Swastika represents an auspicious symbol of fertility and creativity.

Description: Sit cross-legged and keep your back straight without bending either to a side or front. Fold your legs and place your hands on the knees in Jnaana Mudra as shown in the photograph. Close the eyes and concentrate on Soonya (nothingness). Sitting in this posture for 10 to 15 minutes gives all the benefits mentioned below.

Benefits: It helps maintain normal temperature within the body and tones abdominal muscles and sciatic nerve. It improves one's concentrating power. This is a very suitable posture for knowledge, learning, meditation, preparation for other asanas and relaxation between any two sitting postures.

Asanas based on Swastikasana

Asana	Benefits
a) Siddhasana	Stabilizes cardiac function and prevents some of the ailments of heart. Relieves nervous depression and regulates brain wave pattern. Production of testosterone and metabolisms of sexual and emotional functions improve. Suitable for meditation and concentration.
b) Siddha Yoni Asana	Controls sexual and nervous metabolisms. Useful for meditation, concentration, stimulation of all the visceral organs and control of heart rate and blood pressure.
c) Muktasana	Improves anal sphincter control, stimulates visceral organs and nerves, controls heart rate and blood pressure and very useful for meditation and concentration of mind.
d) Guptasana	Useful for meditation, concentration, reaching higher state of awareness, stimulation of all the visceral organs, controlling heart rate, blood pressure and for correcting sexual and emotional problems. Increases secretion of testosterone.
e) Sukhasana	Enhances concentration of mind, stimulates respiratory system and digestive system. This relaxes the body and mind before and after doing more difficult asanas.
f) Simhasana	Tonsil and throat inflammation is cured and neck muscles are toned.

Siddhasana

Explanation: It's similar to Swastikasana, but with a little difference. It's a pure meditative asana and has more benefits than Swastikasana. For women this asana is called Siddha Yoni Asana. Little variations of this asana are Muktasana and Guptasana. This is also a basic asana useful for meditation.

Description: Sit erect with your legs folded, with one heel pressing the perineum and the other against the pubic bone. In men, one heel should press the area between the scrotum and the anus and the other heel just above the penis. In women, this asana is called Siddha Yoni Asana and in this position, one heel presses the vaginal opening and the other against the clitoris. Place the hands on the knees in Jnaana Mudra as in Swastikasana. You may press the chin against the chest and concentrate your gaze towards the center of your eyebrows as in Shambavi Mudra or you may keep the head straight without bending with your eyes closed for meditation. Sit in this position as long as you can and come back to the basic Dandasana position followed by Shavasana to relax.

The two minor variants of this asana are Muktasana, where the left heel is placed just below the anus and the right heel is placed above the left heel and in Guptasana one heel is placed just above the penis and the other heel just above it.

Benefits: Useful for meditation, concentration, reaching higher state of awareness, purifying body-mind complex, stimulation of all the visceral organs, controlling heart rate, blood pressure and brain wave pattern, regulating emotional and sexual metabolism and increases secretion of testosterone.


Siddha Yoni Aasana

Explanation: It's similar to Swastikasana, same as Siddhasana, but practiced by women. Purely meant for meditation.

Description: Sit erect with your legs folded, with one heel pressing the vaginal opening and the other heel pressing the clitoris and pubic bone. Place the hands on the knees in Jnaana Mudra as in Swastikasana. Press the chin against the chest and concentrate your gaze towards the center of your eyebrows as in Shambavi Mudra or you may keep the head straight without bending with your eyes closed for meditation. Sit in this position as long as you can and come back to the basic Dandasana and followed by Shavasana to relax.

Benefits: Controls sexual and nervous metabolism, useful for meditation, concentration, stimulation of all the visceral organs and controls heart rate and blood pressure.


Muktasana

Explanation: It's similar to Swastikasana and Siddhasana, but practiced by both men and women. Purely meant for meditation.

Description: Sit erect with your legs folded, with your left heel placed just below the anus and the right heel just above the left heel. Place the hands on the knees in Jnaana Mudra as in Swastikasana. Press the chin against the chest and concentrate your gaze towards the center of your eyebrows as in Shambavi Mudra or you may keep the head straight without bending with your eyes closed for meditation. Sit in this position as long as you can and come back to the basic Dandasana posture and followed by Shavasana to relax.

Benefits: Controls anal sphincter, stimulates visceral organs, controls nervous metabolism, heart rate and blood pressure and very useful for meditation and concentration of mind.

Guptasana

Explanation: It's similar to Swastikasana, same as Siddhasana, but practiced by men only. Purely meant for meditation.

Description: Sit erect with your legs folded, with one heel placed just above the penis and the other heel is placed just over it. Place the hands on the knees in Jnaana Mudra as in Swastikasana. Press the chin against the chest and concentrate your gaze towards the center of your eyebrows as in Shambavi Mudra or you may keep the head straight without bending with your eyes closed for meditation. Sit in this position as long as you can and come back to the basic Dandasana position and followed by Shavasana to relax.

Benefits: Useful for meditation, concentration, reaching higher state of awareness, stimulation of all the visceral organs, controlling heart rate, blood pressure and for correcting sexual and emotional problems. It also increases secretion of testosterone.

Sukhasana

Explanation: 'SUKHA' in Sanskrit means 'comfortable'. This is a comfortable position for all beginners in yoga and those who are not able to do Padmasana. Many yoga procedures can be performed in this position.

Description: Sit down on a carpet or mat placed on the floor of a well-ventilated large hall or a room in a comfortable position. Keep your spine erect without bending or twisting your back. Flex both your knees, stand with one leg and foot on the floor and the other leg and foot resting on it.

Benefits: Useful for meditation, enhances concentration of mind and stimulates respiratory and digestive system. This asana relaxes one's body and mind before and after any difficult asanas.

Simhasana

Explanation: In this the body resembles a lion, with claws drawn, tongue hanging out and eyes centered on the middle of the eyebrows. If the chin touches the suprasternal notch while in this asana, it becomes Jalandhara Bandha.

Description: Start with Swastikasana. Keep the right foot below the scrotum and under the left buttock and the left foot under the right buttock. The right ankle should be over the left one. The knees are to be kept wide apart and touching the floor. Let the body weight fall on the thighs and knees. Then lean forward with the buttocks slightly off the ground and place the hands on your knees with the fingers spread out. The trunk and spine should be kept straight. While gazing at the tip of the nose (Naasikaagra Mudra), open the mouth wide, protrude the tongue out and roar like a lion. Do this 10 to 15 times.

Benefits: Tonsillitis and other throat diseases in the initial stages are cured. The neck muscles are also toned.

Note: The sequence of asanas mentioned hereunder does not indicate the relativity of their importance. Find out from your yoga teacher/instructor the exact asana which will be more beneficial to you.

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