ASANAS

The asanas are poses mainly for health and strength.There are innumerable asanas, but not all of them are really necessary, I shall deal with only such asanas as are useful in curing ailments and maintaining good health.

The following points are important while practising Yoga:
(1) Always do asanas in a well-lit, clean and ventilated room.If you are one of those lucky few who can di it in the open in the privacy of your compound or terrace, so much the better.As far as possible, close the door of your room so that you are left undisturbed by people walking in and out of it.
(2) Wear minimum clothing, preferably cotton so that it dose not interfere with breathing and perspiration.Discard all tightfitting under-garments like corsets, belts and brassiers. Remove all footwear.
(3) Do the asanas on a blanket folded twice spread over a carper.Use a bed-sheet over the blanket so that the woolen fibers do not stick to your lips or nose when you have to do the asanas that require you to lie on your stomach.It should not be too soft nor too hard.
(4) Tie your hair simply.Remove all pins and broaches and if you wear a bun , make sure it dose not protrude unduly as to come in the way of your lying flat on the carpet.
(5) Always perform asanas early in the morning.If this is possible,the next best time would be evening around dusk.
(6) Never do asanas on a full stomach immediately after a meal.

Bhujangasana (Snake pose)

The asana derives its name because it resembles a snake with its hood raised.The head and chest raised represent the hood while the rest of the body lying flat,the body of the snake.

1. Lie down on the carpet on your stomach,face down.
2. Relax all your muscles.
3. Place the palms of the hand on the floor in line with the sholders, each plam facing down and about 1 inch away from the tip of the shoulder.
4. Keep your feet together with the toes touching the ground.
5. Now slowly raise the head off the ground and take it up gradually so that the spine curves beautifully backwards.Do not exert force or do it suddenly.Each movement should be slow,continuous and without jerks.
6. Raise the spine little by little so that each vertebrate is gradually loosened.
7. Keep the body from the naval downwards touching the ground.
8. Retain the pose for a few seconds.
9. Gradually bring down the back to the original position of lying flat on your stomach.
10. Repeat the asana 6 times.
Once you have learnt the procedure of pose step-by-step,practice doing it with breathing.

Breathing : (a) Exhale completely when lying flat.
(b) Inhale slowly as you gradually raise the head and spine to form the hood.
(c) Retain the breath so long as you remain in the pose.
(d) Exhale slowly as you come down to your original position.

Benefits : Bhujangasana is one of the best asanas for all spinal and back-ache problems.The health and youth of a person depend upon the elasticity and suppleness of his back-bone.Most of us have noticed how as old age sets in,the back begins to stiffen.Bhujangasana tones up the entire spinal column pulling at the same time, the abdominal muscles.The pressure on these muscles gives relief from constipation.This asana is of particular help in toning up sluggish uterine muscles and overies.It is a powerful antidote against wet-dreams and leucorrhoea.It develops the chest and firms the bust.