Merudanḍakāsana: Cross-Legged Spinal-Stretching Pose
Mechanics:
Stand on your toes with your legs crossed at the knee. The toes should be pointed inside.
Bend forward and put your hands under the crossing of the knees with palms joined.
Breath:
Normal. Advanced: Hold the breath in while balancing on the toes for 15-20 seconds.
Rounds:
One with each leg in front.
Benefits:
Strengthens the joints of the feet, knees, thighs and spine. It reduces abdominal fat and strengthens it. It pushes prana up.
Contraindications:
None. All can do.
Leg Arm Balance
Mechanics:
- Sit on your toes with the palms flat on the ground.
- Lean forward and put your right hand on your right arm and your left knee on the heel of the right leg. The toes of the left leg should be straight up.
- Switch legs.
Repetitions:
Once on each leg.
Breath:
Hold the breath out while you balance.
Benefits:
- Strengthens arms and shoulders.
- Make the flow of blood move towards the head.
- Makes the face shining.
- Good for memory.
Hanumanāsana
Mechanics:
- Stand tall with both legs together.
- Bring the hands into Namaskar (Namastē) pose.
- Step the left leg in front, start sliding/skidding the right leg backwards until both legs touch the ground. (Keep sliding/skidding both legs; the two legs come to rest in the form of a long line.) MODIFICATION: Perform the pose over two bolsters or a chair.
- Keep the body upright and the spine aligned, hands in Namaskar.
- Come out of it by bringing your hands to the floor, bending the front knee deeply, and walk it back, sweeping the foot underneath your seat, drawing the back leg to meet it and sitting in Vajrāsana or Virāsana.
- Come to standing and repeat on other leg.
Variation:
After practicing on each leg this way, practice sliding/skidding both legs to the side.
Repetitions: Doing it 2 times is sufficient.
Breath: Breathe naturally.
Benefits:
- Strengthens the waistline, hips, legs, thighs
- Supports/nourishes anal and genital muscles
- Both men and women can do this.
