Yoga has been an age old practice in India and now it is practiced all over the world by people who are health conscious and want to stay fit and healthy. It also has the power to prevent various diseases and other ailments like pain in the joints, back ache, migraine and other body pains. Yoga makes your body light and fills you with energy and positive thoughts. You can overcome depression and other mental problems by practicing yoga regularly.
Yoga consists of various sessions like warm-up exercises (Sukhshma vyayam), meditation (dhyana), breathing exercises (pranayama) and Shavasana. There are yoga exercises for the beginners, those who are moderately experienced in yoga and those who are well experienced in yoga asanas. Advanced form of yoga is recommended only for those who are experts in doing yoga asanas. Hanumanasana is an advanced form of yoga asana and can be done only by those who are well versed in doing yoga. If you are a beginner, you may find it difficult to do this yoga asana. The name of this asana is taken from the Hindu God Hanuman. He has taken a giant leap to reach Lanka to save Sita, the wife of Hindu God Rama. Hanumanasana is also called Monkey pose. It is easy to learn this pose and below is given a step by step instruction o how to do this yoga.
Steps to do Hanumanasana:
- Kneel on the floor and attain your position.
- After you kneel down, bring your right foot forward and place it in front of your left knee. Now you have to try and rotate your left thigh in the outward direction. Do this as much as you can. Do not strain your thighs by trying to move it beyond your capacity.
- After that breathe deeply and bring your torso forward. Bring your chest in the forward direction.
- Keep the balance of your body by putting your hands on the ground. This way you will be able to move your body in the forward direction.
- Now move your left knee backwards in such a way that only your knee and the front of the foot touch the ground. Along with this, move your right leg in the forward direction, so that it touches the ground fully.
- So, by sliding your left foot backwards and your right foot forwards, take up a split position.
- As you stay in this pose, the toes of your right foot must be pointing upwards towards the sky and the front of your left foot must touch the ground. Now bring both your arms in front of you and join the palms together in a prayer pose. Stretch up your arms and bend backwards a little.
- Remain in this position for thirty seconds and breathe in and out. Now you can bring down your arms.
- Bring the weight of your body on your -hands by pressing your hands on the ground. Slowly bring your left foot and right foot back to their original position. This way you can come out of this pose.
- Next you can repeat the exercise with your left foot in front and your right foot at the back.
- Repeat this asana 5 to 10 times daily.
Benefits of Hanmanasana:
- If you practice this yoga asana regularly, your spine will be stretched well. This asana also provides good stretch to your lower back, upper back, thighs, chest, arms and your shoulders.
- Practicing this yoga daily helps in keeping away joint pain and pain in the knee.
- The functions of the abdominal organs are improved by doing this posture regularly. It also tones up your abdominal muscles. this asana increases the flow of blood to your heart and the brain.
- When you do this yoga, you stretch your chest. This helps in activating the thymus gland and this in turn protects you from various diseases.
- Practicing Hanumanasana improves the co-ordination between your body parts and also improves your concentration power.
- You can get rid of the tension in the hip and shoulder area by doing this asana. Thus your body becomes more flexible. Moreover, it helps you in balancing your body well.
- Do this yoga regularly and you can increase the flow of blood to the abdomen and the skin. This helps in improving the digestion of the body and removes all toxins from your body. As a result you will look young and fresh.
- If you suffer from insomnia, practice this exercise daily and you will soon get a good sleep. This asana also helps you to get rid of stress, and this improves your sleeping habits.
Precautions while doing Hanumanasana:
If you are suffering from any back injury or pain in the back, you must not try to do this asana, as it may affect your spine and cause more complications. Other medical conditions like pain in the knee or a knee surgery done recently also are a reason not to do this pose. When you do this asana, make sure that you do not stretch your body more than that is possible for you. If you feel any discomfort while stretching your body, stop immediately. Do this pose slowly without forcing your body. In the beginning you may not be able to perform it properly, but with practice you can do it well. People who have any kind of injuries in the groin area or hamstrings are also advised not to do this yoga asana. If you feel any discomfort or pain when you do this asana, you must take the advice of your doctor or a qualified yoga teacher. They are sure to give you the best remedy.
So, do this exercise regularly and stay healthy and young looking. If you have any problem doing this on your own, you can practice it under an experienced yoga guru.
