Vajrasana

Explanation: 'Vajra' means diamond. The body is rigid as a diamond in this posture. This is a basic posture for many other asanas and meditation.

Description: Sit in the Dandasana posture. Place the palms on the floor near the thighs. Supporting your weight on the right palm, bend the left leg at the knee and pull the ankle under the left buttock. Do the same with the right leg by supporting the body weight on the left palm. The toes point backwards and towards the ground while space is kept between the ankles. Do meditation with normal breathing or do Pranayaama with different breathing techniques in this posture for 10 to 15 minutes.

Benefits: Relaxes your kneecaps, knees, ankles and feet, improves digestion and reduces gas. Relieves sciatica pain. 'Vajrasana', if done for 10 minutes after a full meal relieves heaviness in stomach due to overeating.

Note: Do not sit on the ankles.

Asanas based on Vajrasana

Asana	Benefits
a) Shashankasana	Relaxes spine, improves digestion and lower abdominal organs are stimulated.
b) Supta Vajrasana	Stretches abdominal muscles, improves digestion, relieves constipation, sciatica and hypertension.
c) Bhadrasana	Tones the reproductive organs and relieves their problems. Improves concentration and digestion. Relaxes the mind. Suitable for meditation.
d) Moola Bandhasana	Tones the perineal muscles, genital organs and anal sphincter. Improves concentration and digestion. Relaxes the mind. Suitable for meditation.
e) Veerasana	Stimulates sex organs and associated brain centres, increases willpower and strengthens the body and mind.
f) Mahaa Veerasana	Enhances concentration of mind, directs the energy flow to the reproductive organs, increases the sexual energy, will power and general strength of the body.
g) Uttana Mandukasana	Improves respiration, muscular tone of abdomen, shoulder and back and circulation in the walls of chest and abdomen. Sciatica gets relieved.
h) Ushtrasana	Relieves neck pain, energizes vertebrae and widens the chest & increases lung capacity.
i) Mayoorasana	Purifies blood, alleviates constipation, flatulence, indigestion, dyspepsia and chronic gastritis. Stimulates liver, kidney and gallbladder. Beneficial for diabetic patients.
j) Kapalasana	Stimulates pituitary gland, pineal body, liver and spleen. Improves memory and relieves asthma, sinus block and lung congestion.

Shashankasana

Explanation: 'Shashanka' in Sanskrit means the moon.

Description: Sit in the Vajrasana position and hold your ankles with hands of the same side. Bend forward while exhaling and let the forehead touch the ground. Hold yourself in this position as long as you feel comfortable and come back to Vajrasana position. Do this at least 10 to 15 times to have maximum benefit.

Benefits: It exercises the lower abdomen and improves digestion. It also relieves stiffness of the spine.

Note: When the forehead touches the ground, the buttocks should still remain on the floor.

Supta Vajrasana

Explanation: 'Supta' in Sanskrit means supine and Vajrasana means lying on the back.

Position: Sit in the Vajrasana position and thrust the buttocks as deep as possible in the space between the ankles. Keep your knees apart and using your elbows to support the body, lower the back to the ground. You may do this in stages according to your capability. After lying down, bring the forearms under the head. Once you can do this with ease, the knees may be brought together and make sure the abdomen or the chest should not rise from the ground. Breathe normally while performing this asana for about a minute and then slowly revert to the normal position of Vajrasana. You may do this asana at least 8 to 10 times. Initially you may practice this asana with pillow under your knees.

Benefits: This asana stretches the rectus muscle of the abdomen and helps in improving the digestion. It also relieves constipation and benefits people with sciatica and hypertension.

Note: Do not release the ankles from their position, without raising the back. People suffering from pain in the hip joint should not attempt this asana.

Bhadrasana

Explanation: "Bhadra" in Sanskrit means 'auspicious' or 'gracious'. This asana is simple and easy to perform.

Description: Sit in the Vajrasana position and separate the knees as wide as possible and keep both the heels underneath the scrotum on either side. Women should keep the heels by the side of vagina. The soles of the feet support the buttocks. Hold the great toes with the hands behind the back and keep the chest and back straight and steady. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing or use any of the gazing Mudras. Slight variations of this asana are Moolabandhasana and Gorakshasana. Stay as long as you feel comfortable and revert to the basic asana. Do Pranayama and one of the Mudras for 5 minutes after this asana.

Benefits: It prevents prostrate enlargement, weakness of the perineal muscles and tones up genital organs. It relieves sciatica and helps strengthen leg muscles.

Moola Bandhasana

Explanation: "Bhandha" in Sanskrit means to lock and "Moola" means the perineum/ bottom. This asana locks the bottom and prevents many ailments connected with the organs in the perineum such as anus, vagina, prostate, scrotum and penis.

Description: Sit in the Vajrasana position and separate the knees as widely as possible. Keep both the soles of the feet opposed and touching each other. Keep the feet pressed against the perineum so that the heels are just under the anus and the sides of the feet pressing against the vagina in women and prostate gland below the scrotum in men. Hold the ankles with the hands and keep the body straight. Close the eyes and concentrate on your normal breathing. A minor variation of this asana is called as Gorakshasana and another version is called Bhadrasana. Stay as long as you feel comfortable and revert to the basic asana. Do Pranayama and one of the Mudras for 5 minutes after this asana.

Benefits: It energizes the reproductive organs, anal sphincter, perineal muscles, prevents sciatica and strengthens the leg and perineal muscles. Women also see improvement in prolapse of uterus.

Veerasana

Explanation: Veerasana position is a representation of boldness and confidence. It's a very easy and comfortable position for beginners in yoga.

Description: Sit down on a carpet or mat placed on the floor of a well-ventilated large hall or room in Vajrasana resting both buttocks on the heels. Keep your spine straight without bending or twisting. Take out the right leg and bend the right knee in front of the body and place the right foot just by the side of left knee. Flex the right arm, keep the right elbow on top of the right knee and support the chin with the right hand. Let the right palm press against the right cheek. Do not disturb the left leg from the Vajrasana position and place the left hand on the left knee with palm downwards. Close your eyes and concentrate on your normal breathing. Hold this position for 1 to 2 minutes and then return to the original Vajrasana position.

Benefits: Useful for meditation, enhances concentration of mind and will power, stimulates sexual organs and relaxes the body and mind.


Mahaa Veerasana

Explanation: This is so named that it means a great warrior's posture, a look of a very confident heroic personality. In Hindu mythology, the God Hanuman is always referred as MAHAAVEER. Still, it is a very easy and comfortable posture for beginners in yoga and can be used for meditation.

Description: Sit down on a carpet or mat placed on the floor of a well ventilated large hall or room in Vajrasana resting both buttocks on the heels. Keep your spine erect without any bend or twist and look straight. Take out the right leg and bend the right knee in front and place the right foot just above the left thigh. Keep the knees widely separated from each other and place both the hands on both the knees in CHIN MUDRA or JNANA MUDRA. Breathe normally with concentration on breathing only. Hold this position for 1 to 2 minutes and return to the original Vajrasana.

Benefits: Useful for meditation, enhances concentration of mind, directs the energy flow to the reproductive organs, increases the sexual energy, will power and general strength of the body increases.

Uttana Mandukasana

Explanation: "Manduka" in Sanskrit means frog. The body in Uttana Mandukasana resembles an erect frog.

Description: Sit in Vajrasana and keep your knees wide. Let the great toes touch each other and keep the body straight. Then, cross both arms behind the head and place the hands on the upper part of the opposite shoulder blades. The chin should touch the chest wall like the Jalandhara bandha. The bandhas of Jalandhara, Uddiyana and Moola are also performed in this asana.

Benefits: It improves the lungpower, circulation in the walls of the chest and abdomen and tone of the abdominal and shoulder muscles. It also improves sciatica in some people.

Ushtrasana

Explanation: 'Ushtra' in Sanskrit means a camel. At the height of this asana, the body resembles the neck of a camel.

Description: Sit in the Vajrasana position and rise straight on your knees. Keep legs and ankles on to the ground, slowly bend the body backwards and then hold the ankles with both hands. Bend the head as far back as possible so as to look up at the sky. Breathe normally in this posture for 1 to 2 minutes and then return to Vajrasana position. Do this at least 5 to 6 times.

Benefits: It helps in expanding one's chest and strengthens the vertebral column. This asana also relieves neck pain due to spondylosis. Caution: People with spinal cord deformities, disabilities of hip joints and severe backache should not perform this asana.

Danda Mayoorasana (Mayoorasana)

Explanation: 'Danda' in Sanskrit means stick, and 'mayura' means peacock. The body stays stiff like a stick in the peacock pose.

Description: Lie in the Sashtangasana position, keep the palms on the ground by the side of the chest with fingers pointing backwards and position the elbows on either side of the navel. (Alternatively, you may sit in the Vajrasana position, kneel forward and rest on the knees while keeping the chest straight. Bend forward and keep the palms on the ground with the fingers pointing towards the knees. Then lean further forward until the abdomen rests on the elbows). Hold your breath, balance the whole body on your two palms and slowly lengthen the legs back. Keep the legs stiff like a stick and raise them up until they are horizontal. Let your chest and neck also remain horizontally and keep the head extended so that you look up instead of looking down towards the ground. Breathe normally and stay in this position as long as you can before returning slowly to the original Sashtangasana/ Vajrasana position. You may repeat this asana 3 to 4 times a day.

Benefits: It controls the blood supply to the internal organs of the abdomen and stimulates the pancreas. It also alleviates constipation, flatulence, indigestion and dyspepsia.

Caution: Perform this asana towards the end instead of the beginning of the session. Do not jerk the body while rising up. Concentrate on the balance of your body.

Kapalasana (Sirshasana)

Explanation: 'Kapala' in Sanskrit means cranium. This asana is also called Sirshasana.

Description: Sit in the Vajrasana position and kneel forward to place the elbows and hands on a thick folded cloth. Lock your fingers together and then place the head in the space between the hands. Balance the body weight on the head and knees and lift the legs with a jerk, then gradually make them straight above the torso. Stay in this position as long as it's comfortable and breathe normally. Then return to the initial Vajrasana position as slowly as possible. You may perform this asana 4 to 5 times in a day.

Benefits: The pineal and pituitary glands are reactivated, liver and spleen are stimulated and asthma relieved. It helps improve one's remembering capacity and also improves leg circulation.

Note: Persons with ear diseases, rheumatism, high blood pressure, heart disease and constipation should not perform this asana. Also do not perform this asana when you are tired. After this asana, perform Talasana to counteract this asana and Shavasana for relaxation.

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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