Yoga Asylum

14/07/2023

05/07/2019

16/06/2019

23/11/2018

Downward Dog is used in most yoga practices and it stretches and strengthens the entire body.

How to do it: Come on to all fours with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Tuck under your toes and lift your hips up off the floor as you draw them up at back towards your heels.

Keep your knees slightly bent if your hamstrings are tight, otherwise try and straighten out your legs while keeping your hips back. Walk your hands forward to give yourself more length if you need to.

Press firmly through your palms and rotate the inner elbows towards each other. Hollow out the abdominals and keep engaging your legs to keep the torso moving back towards the thighs. Hold for 5-8 breaths before dropping back to hands and knees to rest.

Benefits

Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression.
Energizes the body.
Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, and hands.
Strengthens the arms and legs.

19/10/2017

Hal = plow, Asana = posture or pose

This yoga pose gets its name from the plow – a popular farming tool commonly used in Indian agriculture to prepare the soil for sowing crops. Like its namesake, this pose prepares the ‘field’ of the body and mind for deep rejuvenation. Halasana is pronounced as hah-LAHS-uh-nuh.​

Parsva Halasana is an advanced variation of the Halasana.

How to do Halasana (Plow Pose)
Lie on your back with your arms beside you, palms downwards.
As you inhale, use your abdominal muscles to lift your feet off the floor, raising your legs vertically at a 90-degree angle.
Continue to breathe normally and supporting your hips and back with your hands, lift them off the ground.
Allow your legs to sweep in a 180-degree angle over your head till your toes touch the floor. Your back should be perpendicular to the floor. This may be difficult initially, but make an attempt for a few seconds.
Hold this pose and let your body relax more and more with each steady breath.
After about a minute (a few seconds for beginners) of resting in this pose, you may gently bring your legs down on exhalation.

5-Benefits of the Halasana (Plow Pose)

Strengthens and opens up the neck, shoulders, abs and back muscles.
Calms the nervous system, reduces stress and fatigue.
Tones the legs and improves leg flexibility.
Stimulates the thyroid gland and strengthens the immune system.
Helps women during menopause.

Halasana Contraindications (Plow Pose)

Avoid practicing Plow Pose (Halasana) if you have injured your neck or are suffering from diarrhea and high blood pressure.
Ladies should avoid practicing Plow Pose (Halasana) during pregnancy and during the first two days of their menstrual cycle.
Consult a doctor before practicing Plow Pose (Halasana) if you have suffered from chronic diseases or spinal disorders in the recent past

15/10/2017